Welcome to Upstate - bring your mittens.

I don't mind winter. Really, I don't. Usually. I'm going to make an exception for this one.

It's too cold. Way too cold.

It got above freezing yesterday for the first time in a couple of weeks, then dropped to below zero again overnight. When I woke up it was nine below.

Enough.

Violet Wiggins is permanently attached to her chair near the woodstove now. I will have to take the chair out for a walk when spring finally arrives so she can get some fresh air.

That hand on the left side of the pic? That's KB trying to thaw out. The woodstove has been cranking all day and all night since New Year's.

 Now don't get me wrong - I still prefer winter upstate to winter in the city. Winter upstate is easy on the eyes, anyway. Winter in the city is just several shades of gray and icy or slushy.

But I must admit, I'm looking longingly at pictures of warm places. Come on - a little hurricane now and again is a small price to pay for being warm, no? I want to go swim along after one of these guys...

The good news? Houses are selling. I'm busy. Really busy. Busier than I've been in two years. But I'm still cold.