It is cold outside. It is also cold inside. Our house was clearly not designed for an 8 degree morning. Mom says there is only a little insulation in the attic and none in the side walls. When the house was built, the hot summers were more of a concern than the possibility of a cold winter. The skirting around the post and piers under the house, was on a sharp angle that joined the sidewalls a foot above the floor. This created a ductwork up the walls to the attic and open to the ground under the house. In summer the floors and baseboards would be cool. In winter they are just plain cold. This week, I’m surprised there isn’t ice on the floors! Mom may have insulated the baseboards and straightened that skirting, but it clearly wasn’t enough. My feet get cold unless Mom holds me all of the time. She doesn’t seem to want to do that.

Mom and Dad had also replaced the old rotted wood framed windows. The single pane of glass there was wavy and had funny bumps in it. The new windows are much nicer, but this week Mom insists on keeping the drapes covering the windows. She says there are still drafts around the window trim. She and I argue, because I want to see out even if I’m not sure I want to go out.

All of this means that I want to spend a lot of time laying in front of the gas fireplaces. I have to share those spots with Missy and Sophia. I don’t mind doing that, but Mom stops to stand there as well. She blocks the heat! It is expected to get above freezing during the day tomorrow, but still be below at night. I’m ready for this to end. Stay tuned.