Wednesday, May 7, 2014

My Salty Mom

I have a great Mom, full of personality. She comes up and hangs out here at Cedaroma Lodge in the Spring and Fall and helps out on transition days in the summer. While Dad and I do the more physical of the jobs like putting in the docks, Mom tends to take on the headier projects requiring a bit more thinking and memory and even some organization.

This year as we add salt and pepper shakers, with salt and pepper in them for each of the cabins, Mom indicates this is her job... she will fill them, place them and generally manage them for the summer. I am tickled, glad that she has found a niche project she can put her unique talents to... Bravo Mom.

Two days ago we are having one of those rambling conversations as we organize the new stuff to go into the cabins and are looking at an spread of 12 sets of salt and pepper shakers, each different in design, number of holes and size. I ask mom which is salt, more or less holes. More, of course and I agree. More of course.

Today we go to the Farmer's Market, then the grocery to get the pepper, (I already have salt) and to a thrift shop. On the way out the door of the thrift, I notice a 10 piece kitchen set that includes salt and pepper with a blazing S for Salt, P for pepper. Salt has one hole. Pepper has 3. I am shocked. I show Mom. She thinks the set is wrong and clearly has been placed at the thrift for this fault.... I don't know.

We get home and look at the project. We test the process. Yes. Salt needs fewer holes, it comes out easier. Bigger/More holes for pepper. I go about my work. Mom goes about salting and peppering the shakers.

Oh the pain... Some have cork stoppers we can't get out and one I even push inside the shaker. As the process should be wrapping up, I discover a few sets that somehow ended up mixed up and we had to fix them. Mom is so frustrated the anger has already left and it has become a bit of a comedy. I help, we switch them all up and make everything right. Mom delivers a set to each cabin. You would think that would be the end of the story wouldn't you...

But wait, there is more! I join them for dinner in Cabin 3 and Mom proudly provides the newly filled shakers. Since this set has equal size and number of holes, I shake the first into my hand, see it is salt and set it back on the table, taking instead the pepper and give it a few generous shakes. Surprise... it's salt. I can't believe it. No way... I go back to the first shaker. Maybe I shook it wrong. Nooooooo! It's salt too. She silently hands me the pepper mill and I grind fresh pepper on my veggies and dig into a delicious dinner. Thank you Mom!

Catching a Break

We did finally catch a tiny break from the awful weather. So much so that I boldly put a dock in knowing there is still a whole lot of ice on the lake. While our bay is clear of ice, there is still plenty over in the West Bay. I hope they keep it there.

One thing that I am reminded of in these last five days how emotional these weather changes are. In Groveland at the Hotel Charlotte it was the annual spring opening of Tioga Pass, usually not until Memorial Day weekend. This year the pass through Yosemite National Park opened on Friday, the earliest in decades. This event signals the coming of the guests... much like ice out and the putting in of docks does here in the Northwoods.

Now that that hurdle been reached I feel no matter what else comes up, we really will be ready for the summer visitors. Heck, I have one dock in... bring your boats.

How do you spell RELIEF?

I too this photo Saturday, May third, opening day for fishing.
The ice was still strong enough to hold me. Not that I went out far...!

This photo was taken on Sunday on Little St. Germain Lake, just around the
bay from Cedaroma Lodge a the Bayview 5 cabin. The bay appears to be about 1/3 cleared of ice

This photo I took on May 6th, late afternoon. What ice?

In the water here is my Dad, he is like a kid in the spring wanting to help us with all the projects, fun or not! We are quite a team. Yesterday we both wadered up and got the dock in, in spite of the ice watery temperatures! Thanks Dad!

I feel renewed, refreshed, rejuvenated.... Like a million bucks... But I guess that is just normal Spring stuff.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Building a Deck in Spite of Winter

Here I am, sitting in Cabin 7 looking at huge snow flakes falling from the sky... On April 29th. We think Winter should have ended some time ago. We have lots to get ready for the summer and this snow bit is somewhat distracting.

Victor has chosen this morning to head off to Menards to buy the railing wood for the decks. That will keep him out of this nasty weather for a little while at least. Then he will come back and work in the snow, or rain by that time. He's a trooper! Below are a few progression photos of the deck process. (in reverse order!)

This deck is on Cabin 6 and still needs the rails, a step on each end and a door where the window on the porch is now. Then, we let the wood age for a season or two and we can paint it to match the rest of the cabin. It's looking good for certain. Hopefully this big huge deck will inspire rentals. Cabin 6 has a few week long openings for this coming summer.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

National Sibling Day

Earlier this week we celebrated "National Sibling Day." Have you ever heard of such a thing? Me neither. This is the first year I knew of it and wonder if someone didn't just post it and it went viral. How much time have politicians spent naming special days of the year?

Never-the-less, sibling day did get me some fantastic images of my brothers & sister that I don't remember ever seeing. Since Annie is in this picture, diapered and all, I am 6 plus however old she is and another month and a half. After me, there is Pat who is 5 plust however many months old Annie is, then Joe and finally Steve, who at the tender age of probably 3 and a half, is already on his cell phone.

Do you remember a funny little tool called the walkie-talkie? It let you go only so far away, but you could still talk to each other. This was a little better technology than the two cans & a cord and a starting point for Ham Radio Operators and futured truckers who ham it up on CB.

Now, Pat has the earliest styled bottled water hanging from his belt. Back then we called it a canteen and filled it with water, clipped it to our belts and then would hike the day away. Or hide so long at hide and seek that we would indeed need all that water. Joe has the biggest smile on and he usually did! It wasn't many years after this that his appendix burst and he missed a whole semester of school. But he's still here kick'n and with 3 kids too, George, Elyse and Adrienne. Steve;s

Amy & Katie (Steve & Wendi's girls)

Elyse (Joe & Nicole's daughter)

Adrienne & George (Joe & Nicole's kids)

Front seated, Steve, cousin Sue. Second row, Pat, Lynn, Cousin Danny and Joe

So, sibling day. How silly really... But it got me to looking at photos and thinking back on some of my childhood and it has been a pleasant addition to my week.

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Winter in my Spring

I am not sure the difference, one day to the next but some days, a whole lot gets done. This week I was loving the melt, then we got hit with a winter storm of namable magnitude and well.... now, winter is in my spring! But it's leaving fast.

Right... alll the things that got done, how about this list:

I took some fabulous post storm photos, Published some to Facebook and this blog, edited some for size, and put some on the website for next winter,
Decided to move my blog back to here, from cedaroma.wordpress.com
Researched some new companies to move my IRA investments for this year into,
Took the dog for a walk on the beach,
Signed up for a Kohl's card so I can get the 20% discount on the new Crock Pots we want to put into each cabin.
Did the dishes,
Researched flight pricing to Dublin for October... Maybe!
Touched base with a few folks about selling the boat in California, looked at classifieds on Latitude 38... tabled for later.
Rectified the month end accounts,
Found Victor's paperwork for this week,
Organized California paperwork, the Bayview purchase paperwork and the corresponding insurance paperwork.
Reorganized some email folders & corresponding messages,
Took a break to shovel the walks in front of cabins 3, 5 & 6,
Worked on my ESEED presentation

And it is only 5 o'clock. WOW.

Oh, and I got a reservation for May and processed that and stayed on top of the Facebook postings and comments throughout the day. I feel really useful today. Hmmmm. I might need a vacation... Actually, it is far more energizing getting more work done than it is not getting it done but trying too all day.

So, all in all a good day!

Yes, I forgot, I also saved the dog from himself!
He wound his looooong lead around so many things he could only move a few inches.

Isn't that lovely. Post storm shots can be really stunning.

I took a walk out on the lake too. LOTS of untouched white snow everywhere.

Welcome home blog!

Crazy as it seems, I am going to move my blog back over to blogger.com. so, here's a copy of the old content from wordpress from the first half of this year. You can go read the posts directly, cedaroma.wordpress.com

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Posted on March 12, 2014 May. Right now I am dreaming in colors of May! And you should too. Come see our crab apple tree in bloom, it’s just amazing.

I won’t ever try to kid you about the depth of my “up north” knowledge, I consider myself quite the newbie actually. But I am like a sponge. I absorb tidbits and they become knowledge, as if I have always known it. And I want to share some bits with you! Here’s what I have on Spring, Up North Wisconsin:

1. SPRING: We are so ready for it! Wisconsin has had some serious winter weather. Come May… We are hungry for mild!

2. The fish are hungry too. Early season fishing is some of the best of the year. I did my best fishing in May and June.

3. The greening of the counrtyside happens before your eyes. It’s really amazing. You can watch the winter browns fade away and the greens pop out as you walk along the trail. Little springlet flowers are there to be found too, if you only look.

4. The sunset impact seems to be even more grand in the spring. Like the world and the atmosphere are bursting anew with the excitement of the promise coming season hints to.

5. The kids are still in school. The kid-friendliest places in the summer are a quiet oasis this time of year, a rich playground for romantics!

6. Rates are very reasonable. You still get all the amenities of summer, but the lake is cold yet, perhaps for most of us still too cold to swim, and the prices reflect this. Great values can be found in May.

7. We have more pet friendly cabin options in May. Choose from #3, 5, 6, and 8. During the high summer season, only cabin 8 is pet friendly.

Head this way and we can have a snow melt party! or wait a little longer and we will have a spring blossom festival! Either way, plan to refresh with us this spring.

Spring! Fill your visions with apple tree blossoms and your nets with fish! Take some time and come watch our snow melt and our spring flowers bloom! Special rates valid for stays of 2 or more nights that depart by May 8th, 2014.

Spring Fever specials come in two sizes:
1. The “I can only stay two nights” deal good for any cabin and 20% off the already reduced spring price.

2. The “I can stay longer if you have a good deal special.” This is a 3rd night free special with a fantastic twist….additional nights 1/2 off. With this deal you book and pay the regular rate for the first two nights, we give you the third night free. If you want to stay longer, that’s great, 1/2 off each additional night, limit 27.

Still dreaming about another winter sled trip? We have you covered on that one too, all the way through March!

Give me a call to reserve your dates: 715-479-1040 or Text to: 715-891-9047.

Joy arrives in the smallest of details

Posted on March 8, 2014

I feel like a spring blossom. This is cabin 8 at the front of the property, near Highway 70 and my fabulously blooming Crab Apple tree.

Did you know that the difference between 10 below zero and 25 above zero is less than a 1/2 inch on our window thermometer. Right now that is one of the most important 1/2 inches in my life. I want many of them stacked up in the direction of 83 degrees F.

Such a small detail and it makes my day so much brighter. It helps to that the sun is also shining brightly and the wind wisping instead of screaming. I love that I can see the ground. Not the snow/ice covered ground, but there are a few inches in the parking area that have melted away and blazing brightly for all to see… our orangish crushed granite ground. Yippee.It shouldn’t be long now before spring is upon us and my crabapple tree in full blossum. Dang that is stunning!

I hope the details are in your favor this weekend. But if they aren’t and sitting inside is the prescribe course for getting through some icky weather, why not take a few minutes of yoru random search time and look at the www.Cedaroma.com website. There are a few new things up and if you are looking for immediate new news, go check out our facebook page, www.Facebook.com//Cedaroma.

I for one am ready to see the winter leave our lake front!

Victor’s Falafel Recipe

Posted on February 24, 2014

Victor’s Traditional Fried Falafel

Falafel & relish

1 cup of garbanzo bean flour (often found at Indian food stores)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp minced onion
1 tsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp chopped cilantro
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup of hot water

Combine all ingredients except lemon and water, mix well then add lemon and water. Stir until blended, let stand for 15 minutes.

Scoop by tablespoon sized balls and deep fry til toasted color.

Victor likes to make a relish of chopped cucumber, red onion, hot chilis (to taste) cilantro, tomatoes and fresh lime juice to put on top of the pita pockets with shredded lettuce. Many folks like a tahini dressing with their falafels.

This recipe holds together well, there are options that use the whole garbanzos and some that bake instead of fry, play around with whichever works best for you. Some additional ideas might come from food.com. Also do a google search for falafel, then click images and you will find hundreds of variations on serving.

Some days it seems we might be the only vegans in Vilas County. I will have to make ti a goal to find all the Vilas Vegans. I think we would make a good club.

Ice Cave Caper! St. Germain to Bayfield, Caves & Madeline Island

Posted on February 23, 2014

I am inside an icicle!

This weekend I took a road trip with my cousin, Goldie, from Madison to the Apostle Island Ice Caves. It was as simple as tagging her in a reply post on the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce Facebook page and a plan was born.

Brilliantly, once we set the dates, she did all the hard word of picking and reserving a hotel. Much to my surprise, on Madeline Island; a half hour drive from the caves and across the lake…. She thought the caves were off Madeline Island and that this was just the right course of action. And while at first it didn’t seem all that logical, our timing fell perfectly into place and I would not have a thing about our trip changed. Perfect!

I thought we would have to leave at the crack of dawn to allow enough time, but a call to the information hot line had both the Iced Cave and the Ice Road closed from the huge storm the day before. Goldie had an inside tip on parking and let me know that arriving in the afternoon was the better plan anywa and maybe by then the caves would be open. So, we slept in on Saturday, not hitting the highway until after 10 am, Bayfield for lunch at a crazy famingoed restaurant (bravo on the vegan pizza!) around 1 and the cave parking lot by 2:30.

TIP #1: Everyone goes early for parking… they are also done early afternoon, wait to go and park at the trail head. Works also if you are going for sunset photo. It is only in the morning that the parking fills up.

Not only did we park at the trail head, we were the in the first position behind the porta-potties and could not have been any closer to the start of the trail. The folks that did not know this added at least an extra 2 miles to their hike.

TIP#2: There are no potties on the ice. DON’T drink fluids for the hours before you go, wait until you are off the ice. A beer at lunch is NOT a good idea.

TIP#3: The 4th porta-potty on both sides is heated. Kidding… but just by saying that I started a line at the portables for potty #4. That was fun.

We were both wearing red and thought that would make us easy to find if we were to fall through, but once on the ice there was really no fear of that.

The first cliff you come to is very impressive and sets the tone for the rest of the shoreline walk. Here there were dozens of kids climbing on and around the ice and sliding down where possible. It was quite a bit further before we found a go-into cave, and go in we did. belly wiggling our way through. Once in, there was plenty of room to sit-up and enough light through the ice to see the wonder we were surrounded by. Goldie took a narrated video of this section, if she publishes it, I will link to it here.

We walked further on and found more and more curves, cliffs and iced embankments. Kids were tucked into every nook and cranny. It was great fun.

But… The fun ended when we had to come back. It was a wind-in-your face-like-a-brick-wall return trip. Winds were screaming at us at over 20 mph and we had to walk a mile + back to parking in the soft, unpacked, newly fallen snow. That was hard. Not impossible. But really hard. And my head gear wouldn’t stay on with the winds. But there were folks much worse off on the return than us, the mom with two kids she was pulling in a sled. I wanted to cry for her. And the dogs. Goodness there were a lot of dogs on the trail. They were not a problem in anyway, but I don’t think any of them liked it as much as their owners might have thought them too. It was cold and difficult and they were all on short leashes, not dog fun.

TIP #5: We saw many people with snowshoes and on the soft snow, that was probably a good idea. Cross country skis too. But, I think most of the time the “trail” is hard packed and then the snow shoes would be more hindering. If you have a choice and it has just snowed, wait a day or two or three. It will get hard packed again.

Bravo! We made it! More to follow in another post….

Special Menu Dining Around the Area

Posted on February 8, 2014

Humus makes a perfect base for a dressing or sauce

Yep, its a big area and I am only going to scratch the surface with this post. First let’s talk about my dining style. I have been vegan for a bit over a year. That means I don’t eat meat or dairy, but I love to eat and I love good food and it isn’t that hard to make happen. My first 6 months or so I was a shy vegan, best handled by not going out or taking my special menu with me when I had to travel. I am far more confident now in my ability to find something on any menu with a few notes:

If you are vegan or vegetarian, do NOT choose Friday nights for your going out night. This night is typically Fish Fry nights and places where you have already found a favorite menu item or two could well not have anything but the special menu, which you can’t eat any thing from. Wait until any other day of the week

Anywhere that sells pizza can give you a great meal, order the vegetable pizza without cheese. We have trained quite a few pizza places in this style, you will not likely be the first.

Wisconsin leans heavily towards the meat & potato style of meals. As a special menu person, we like some nontraditional choices. Look at Tapas. Our favorite place is The Vine in Minocqua. They not only have a good wine list, but have several vegetarian, vegan and easily converted choices. It also has a great ambiance. You can find them at: thevineminocqua.com.

I would be remiss not to mention some of our successes in St. Germain:
The Bear’s Den at Black Bear Lodge. They make a fantastic vegan pizza and are very skilled when asked ahead of time to prepare special menu items.

The Wolf’s Den in downtown St. Germain where much as I would have loved bacon and eggs, I stuck with the vegan choices. They did a wonderful pancakes, oatmeal and a fresh fruit that had lots of great fruit, not just melon.

Riverstone Restaurant in Eagle River has a bunch of good vegetarian/vegan or easily adapted choices, some well hidden in the menu text. Look at the mexican dishes, pizza and risotto. They can be found at: riverstonerestaurant.com

Norwood Pines is another fine restaurant with a few well prepared menu items specifically for vegetarian/vegan diners. norwoodpines.com

Pitlik’s Resort has a really good vegetarian wrap.

Not being mentioned here doesn’t mean anything much and could be just fine with their offerings for vegan/vegetarian. These few noted here are the rare highlights of my first vegan year dining around.

I will note that not enough restaurants realize that what is today an irritating special request is going to be a growing and important aspect of their business. The restaurant that can please the vegan will win in the long run because we are the folks that decide where our meat eating group dines. It is always the special menu diners that choose the restaurant and there are more of us every day.

Oh, and if you are a restaurant owner, chef, cook, server…. salad is not a main course. Even for us it tends to be a starter, just like meat menu folks. Except maybe for lunch. Think outside the box! It’s really not that hard and we will be ever so grateful!

Another Weather Post?

Posted on January 27, 2014

Baby, It’s cold outside!

How boring can you get? Another weather post. Well, that’s what we have here, Remarkable Weather and I am remarking on it.

Today started out beautifully, stunning sunny day and crisp as can be. I layered up and went out too rescue the Dodge Dakota that I ‘parked” in a snow drift last night. The wind was crazily billowing the white stuff all over the place, such that I could hardly see. It also dropped it in all new places that I didn’t expect so turning around put me thigh deep in it and the truck wasn’t coming out so quick last night. Today with all this sunshine should be a different story.

The first time out my cheeks were colder than they have ever been. I think I froze my root canal fluid. I got my shoveling done and turned over the Dakota but did not get it out. When I came back inside Victor was just getting up and wanted to know how cold it was. I didn’t know the number for the cold and thought that was probably the best way to go about the day. Dress in the warmest you have an pray it’s enough.

Well, that wasn’t enough for him. He had to know the number. Me I don’t want to know. Sort of like my weight. When it doesn’t feel good, I don’t get on the scale. Oh, well, I look it up. -13. Do you know what that did for my day? Ended it. Totally ended it. I didn’t want to go out another time. I just wanted to curl up with a good book under the covers in the toasty loft. No such luck.

Now that we know the number (-13) we HAVE to fix the cold pipes over in #5. Really? Really? Today? Really? Yes. Really. In a show of solidarity, I bundle up and join him outside again. I go to the bathroom before we leave, I don;t want my pee to freeze in me. Gross, but I have to think of these things……Else? What? Who wants to learn what might otherwise happen. Not me. I pee.

Today we did get the Dakota out, but did not get the cold pipes warmed. We have scheduled that for Wednesday when it should be a balmy 16 ABOVE zero. For now I just laugh and wait until tomorrow when I can be more productive, only -6 predicted. Yes,we can get lots more done tomorrow.

PS: I have been playing around with a special where you pay the temperature. Haven’t figured it out yet, but it intrigues me. Today I would have paid you $13 to stay here? I must remain at the drawing board for this one, I haven’t got it quite nailed down yet.

Specials that REALLY are!

Posted on January 18, 2014

That up north pine look is cozy any season

We run specials at Cedaroma Lodge every time we think of a new one. Sometimes the motivation comes from a guest, like today’s new special: Crab Apples and Crappies. You can click to it, it’s a lovely special! Varying discounts based on length of stay from 5-20% off our single night rates for the month of May. And you can reserve motors or rent boats for half or more off with a 4 night or longer stay. I know that some of our annual guests are not snow lovers and they are dreaming of a warmer time and the colors of new blossoms. This one’s for them!

We have so many specials, we can’t get them all on the internet without confusing our internet vacationers. One of my favorites is the “Make Me an Offer” special, but I had to take it down today, there are just too many. But, know that if you know about MMAO, I will listen to your pitch, the opportunity isn’t gone, just the marketing of it.

Oh, yes, then we come to our winter offers, neat. I thought we hit a home run with the weather guarantee. Our traveling snow lovers did not. Well, we learned that lesson. You want the weather guarantee WITH discounts. We did it with our standard pricing and discounted to those who didn’t want the weather guarantee. (Weddings & Funerals, Anniveraries & Reunions, Event Travel… they have to come in spite of the weather) Okay, that one won’t get replayed next year.

So, look at the two we are getting business with, the 15% discount and the $33pp mid week package. Good stuff both. We like them and so do our guests. You can see a comparison of the winter specials online, scroll down the page:

On the more unique, specialty side of the special equation is our program for groups in the offseason with rates over 50% discounted. While you can’t go wrong with this one. t/here is only a small number of people for whom this one would appeal. Maybe that’s you?

The 8 day week is another good one. Take your vacation at Memorial and Labor Days and we will GIVE you that 8th day. How cool is that! It is so simple. Book your week, take the extra day on us.

Well that summarizes our current published specials. If you have one you would like to see us run, Pitch Me! Lynn@Cedaroma.com

What’s next

Posted on January 17, 2014

I feel like a spring blossom

Now in Wisconsin 15 months, I have just this year started going to things. Hard to believe, as involved as I was in California how long it has taken me to start jumping back into it. I think it was the shock of the unexpected change. I still needed that year to acclimatize to the concept of the move. Especially important since it was really nowhere in my vision of the future. Well, now that I am convinced that I am here, and Victor too, though I think is relationship to Wisconsin has been much quicker because he got a job outside of the home and actually sees people every day! New fresh faces to interact with.

You remember I did get out to the weekly Bingo this last summer and loved it, but there hasn’t been much since. I have gone to the Vilas County Tourism Commission meetings 3 of the last 4 months and plan to continue that. But while somewhat informative, these meetings are not mentally stimulating. This month, though, I have hit the region hard. Lunch & Learn is a 9 week program every other Wednesday and I went to the first one and found some mind stimulating discussion! Yippee! And plan to attend next week Wednesday also.

Well that just led to me looking for more thinkers to interact with! I went to a class on Tuesday in Rhinelander at Nicolet Tech, time management. Guess what, again stimulating… but all information that has crossed my path before…. AND it still isn’t old. I just need to get back into better time habits. So easy to put things off when there are no real deadlines.

Oh, and then what? Another class on Wednesday night, a business consultation on Thursday and I am enrolling in a 12 week program that starts next Thursday and runs through April. I feel like a budding flower and just needed the calendar to turn over to 2014 to get started. OH, look out Up North, I have woken up! LOL

Well, that’s what I am up to, what about you?

Epiphany or should I say Icepiphany?

Posted on January 13, 2014

This is how it’s done though I recommend a RED jacket if we have to find you under the snow

Nice word. I always kind of wondered if I would have one or not. Today I did.

I was roof raking, again pondering the sanity of it. Not quite getting why I am pulling the snow off the roof that isn’t causing the problem, its the snow above that is melting and refreezing. Then it suddenly hits me like a baseball bat upside the head… Duh. All the snow over the eaves is what turns into the block of ice that the snow above, when melted can’t get around and so heads up the roof, following the path of least resistance, up the shingles and into the house!

Get it? It took me a whole winter to figure this out and many roof shovelings too. Now that I get it, I shall be ever so much more vigilant, though perhaps too late for this year? I hope not!

10 survival tips for the coldest day of your life

Posted on January 6, 2014

Coldest day survival tips

Have you ever known ahead of time that a certain day was going to be the _______ of your life? Fill in the blank with: worst, longest, happiest….? Well I knew going into today that it was going to be the coldest day of my life, and I have indeed had some very cold days, living in UP NORTH, Wisconsin as I do.

How does one prepare for the coldest day, when even the days leading up to that one date are cold in themselves? Do you just wing a monumental day such as this, Coldest one?

Well, I can tell you I did a little preparation:

1. Check your calendar. If you have an appointment in the “Big City” of say, Wausau, (an hour and a half away) reschedule it! Especially since the roads one travels to get there are not overly busy and if there is a problem, you only have minutes in the elements to handle it before your brain freezes over.

2. Fill your car with gas. This serves two purposes. First, if you have a problem on the road a full tank of gas can keep that heater going a very long time. Ideally, long enough for help to arrive. Secondly, if you are low on gas and there is even a little water in the tank, that water can freeze and cause problems. If your tank is full the problems are greatly reduced.

3. If your husband invites you to go shopping because all the stores will be empty of shoppers, decline.

4. If it has recently snowed, shovel BEFORE the coldest day gets here. If you have a pumphouse or other such that must be clear if there is a problem, shovel it, chip the ice out, clear it. You do not want to have to do this job on the coldest day of your life if you do have to get into the pump house to turn off the water main if you have a pipe burst. And just when do you think they are most likely to do this bursting? Why on the coldest day of the year, of course!

5. Start your car every once in a while. Let it run a bit. Sure you will use a little gas, but you will also know that it can still start when you need it to.

6. Teach your dog where to go potty. Go with him for a few weeks, monitor him closely. Show him pee/poo areas so he has complete confidence that he can handle the task without your guidance on the big day.

7. Things you schedule for certain days can be done earlier, or later. I suggest earlier so you don’t have them nagging on you and you can just enjoy the coldest day o the year knowing the trash is already out or whatever the task is you do on that day of the week, pick up the mail, wash the car, windex the doors, rake the roof… do it all early.

8. Call your mom. It’s probably the coldest day of her life too and she will be worried about you.

9. Stay inside, this is a perfect day to start planning your next holiday… Think warm locations!

10. Take a nap. It seems so naughty other times of the year, but a home stay on the coldest day of the year just screams nap!

Above all else stay warm!

Enjoy, only two more days just like this one! Cold. One more thing to note…. It might look beautiful out there, sunshining and all. But beware…. Hold tight, stay in and warm!