Muttluk Love …
Posted by Rick - 05/12/05 at 09:12:25 amWhen we first told our friends in Maryland that we planned to move to Vermont, most responded by asking “how will you deal with the cold!?” Since we honestly had no clue what the answer to this question was, we eventually established a sort of party line response: “We don’t mind the cold, it’s the commuting in the cold that we don’t like.” This is true. Sarah and I are both more comfortable when we are cold than when we are hot, whether it is inside or out. We also hated commuting to our jobs in the city on cold days.
On cold works days we had to bundle up to walk a mile to the Silver Spring Metro stop, where most days we had to wait on the elevated platform while the wind whipped around us. Once we were on a train, it would inevitably be blasting the heat, and as more people got on at each subsequent stop the train would get very warm. The fact that more people took public transportation on colder days—especially if it was snowy or icy—meant that in addition to being hot, one would have a great deal of difficulty removing layers for the 30-45 minute ride due to the extra bodies, all of whom were wearing extra layers themselves.
Once we arrived at our respective stops, we had to walk various distances to our offices, again bundling up against the cold and or wind. Once at our offices, we would strip our layers to work. I can’t speak for Sarah’s office, but mine was frequently warmer than I would have liked. (My office mate next door to me, however, was always cold and blasted the heat in her office.) If we didn’t bring lunch, we had to also bundle up to go out for food as well. At the end of the day, we’d turn around and do it all again in reverse.
I mention all of this because I find it rather ironic considering our current situation. We spend more time going inside and out now than we did for our commutes. The reason? The dogs, of course. Where before we were bundling ourselves up against the cold, now we are also making sure our companions are warm and dry as well.
At least three times a day we must get them both into their harnesses, collars, boots, and coats. Naturally they hate this routine. They hang their heads, drag their rumps, and look at us as if we have condemned them to the gallows.
Thankfully, once we get them outside they are fine, and seem to enjoy their walks despite the awkward footwear. Mick trudges along like a big dinosaur, and Haley will chase after the bits of snow that her own steps kick up as she walks.
The boots do a great job of keeping their feet warm and dry, and they are especially good at protecting them from the salt and chemicals that we encounter on some of the sidewalks around town. We get stopped constantly by people who either think the boots are the cutest thing they have ever seen (”ooo, look at their cute little booties!”), or other dog owners who want to know where we got them. The other night, a Montpelier policeman stopped to say how cool the reflectors looked to him as he approached us in his patrol car.
All things being equal, I still prefer the current routine to the old one.
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Great pictures from last night. I linked your shots on today’s post. Too bad I didn’t see you there, even though it was quite the zoo. Did you two decorate a ginger bread man?
Comment by JDS — December 6, 2005 #
I didn’t decorate one, but I did push a few rug rats [kidding!] out of the way to get one and some yummy cider.
Comment by Rick — December 6, 2005 #
Hey Scully, not fair!! I never intentionally blasted the heat in my office. It was the heater that seemed to self heat to stifling temperatures!
Haley and Mick look *too* cute in this picture (especially little Haley, but don’t tell Mick I said that!)
Comment by Ros — December 7, 2005 #
Right, Ros. That’s why you always had jumpers on!
Comment by Rick — December 7, 2005 #
Yes, well.
Comment by Ros — December 9, 2005 #