Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

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Happy Valentine’s Day to all! What a wonderful way to break up the time between Christmas and the beginning of spring. The cold weather has started to wear on us, and this holiday of love is just what we need.

As I write this, my husband, Manny, is packing to go ice fishing with my brother Tom. To be blunt: I really don’t get it. I can’t stand the cold…especially the ICE cold! Yes, I know, I’ve lived here my whole life and should have gotten into the fun of snow and cold. Never happened. Why anyone would choose to go up north, drill a hole, and fish through the ice is beyond me, but they love it. Tom explains that it allows him to totally focus on just that one thing—the fish.

Manny is a newbie, but he is truly excited about going. They are going to have some perfect weather this week, with temperatures in the 40s. The ice is 16 inches thick, so they will be able to drive onto the lake. I hope they have a fantastic time and come back with lots of perch and walleye.

Me? I’ll stay put in our house, turn the fireplace on, and just chill. I admit that I will definitely miss Manny. He says he will miss me, as well. Our nights are typically spent sitting by the fire, sharing our experiences of the day. Knowing us, we’ll most likely call each other to do the same thing long distance.

The being who will have the most difficulty with Manny being gone is Jack, our cat. I say “our” cat, but the truth is that Jack absolutely loves Manny. I have never seen a cat be as affectionate to a person as Jack is to Manny. I think part of it is that Manny talks to him…all the time. Manny talks to Jack like he’s talking to a human. I think Jack appreciates the respect!

Jack showed up in our lives in February of 2017. Somehow, he was able to crawl up into my car engine. He weighed only a pound. Now he’s a big guy, about 18 pounds. Back then, I debated about whether to keep him or not…that decision took me about three minutes. I really have no idea where he came from, but he has brought lots of joy and laughter into our lives. When Manny heads out of town for a few days, Jack will reluctantly come and sleep with me. He will reluctantly let me pet him, but I know where his heart really is!

Have a great February and Valentine’s Day. Hey—next month, it’ll be spring! Yippee!

Positive Thought of the Month

“The way to get on with a cat is to treat it as an equal—or, even better, as the superior it knows itself to be.” —Elizabeth Peters