Friday, January 3, 2014

First snow storm of the New Year!

I know it's been a while since my last blog.  What have I been doing?  I think the holidays have really wiped me out and have not been on track since then.  Right after the Christmas holiday I caught a very bad cold which turned into bronchitis.  I am still not feeling 100% but each day I get just a little better.  I am trying to rest as much as possible.  But with 3 kids, a job, and about a foot of snow outside....resting is not an easy task.

Let's start with the snow, holy snow did it come down.......Do we really expect to ever get as much snow as predicted?  Well this time we got not only what was predicted but the cold and wind with it.  I am thankful that today I do not have to go to work.  I can stay in my warm house and relax.....Of course after I dig my driveway,stairs,car,walkway out of the snow.  There I go with my little shovel into the snow.  James told me make sure I go out through the garage it will be easier to walk.  I listened of course thinking I couldn't make it down the stairs because I literally  can't see the stairs.

How much snow could there be.......there I go one foot in, holy **** the snow is just about over my boots.  I say a few choice words and start to get to work.  I am clearly not happy about trying to make a path way to reach the car.  What should do first?  Okay here is my plan, attack the car first then the stairs.  Car somewhat accomplished I head for the stairs.   Stairs accomplished and I am freezing my *** off at this point ,while I look over at my neighbor who has a snow blower the size of a car heading in my direction.  I stop, look up as he is smiling and waving at me.  I think to myself, of course your smiling and waving your snow blower is blowing snow at a rate of a bulldozer.  It also has this cover in front of it so none of the snow is hitting his face.  Really, my face is just about covered in snow.  As I keep watching my neighbor I realize he is heading really close in my direction, actually at this point he is clearing my walkway.  Well that's a sign of relief for me at least my walkway will be clear.  Then he stops in front of the house and says if you move your car I will do the driveway.  Well let me tell you, I quickly ran in the house grabbed my car keys and starting trying to move my car out of the way.  Of course the snow won and I got stuck.  Thankfully my wonderful neighbor and I start digging the snow away from the wheels so we can get the car out.  Finally, car is moved and the driveway is getting cleared.  I survived the first snow storm of the New Year, but I could use a really really hot tea!!! I think my legs still have a chill in them from being outside.  What are some of the signs hyperthermia can be setting in?  This is what I found:


How Does Cold Exposure Cause Hypothermia?

During exposure to cold temperatures, most heat loss -- up to 90% -- escapes through your skin; the rest, you exhale from your lungs. Heat loss through the skin happens primarily through radiation and speeds up when skin is exposed to wind or moisture. If cold exposure is due to being immersed in cold water, the movement of waves and water can increase heat loss up to 50%. 
The hypothalamus, the brain's temperature-control center, works to raise body temperature by triggering processes that heat and cool the body. During cold temperature exposure, shivering is a protective response to produce heat through muscle activity. In another heat-preserving response -- called vasoconstriction -- blood vessels temporarily narrow. 
Normally, the activity of the heart and liver produce most of your body heat. But as core body temperature cools, these organs produce less heat, in essence causing a protective "shut down" to preserve heat and protect the brain. Low body temperature can slow brain activity, breathing, and heart rate.
Confusion and fatigue can set in, hampering a person's ability to understand what's happening and make intelligent choices to get to safety.


 Picture of the day:


















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