Words can not quite describe how cold it has been here lately. Let's just say that when I wake up to the sound of the dude on NPR announcing the temperature as "1 degree, with winds gusting to 25mph", I don't exactly shoot out of bed ready to attack my day with vigor.

My standard walk protocol over the last week has been:

1. Put on thermal underwear bottoms
2. Put on fleece pants
3. Put on fleece socks
4. Put on thermal underwear top
5. Put on sweathshirt
6. Put on fleece jacket
7. Put on scarf
8. Put on outer jacket
9. Put on neoprene ski mask
10. Put on fleece skull cap
11. Put on ugly-but-warm "Russian Fur trader" hat
12. Put on gloves
13. Get Dreyfus (who has been waiting by the door as I don the list above)
14. Exit apartment
15. Beg Dreyfus to do his business with a quickness
16. Race back inside and sit in front of space heater until warm again

Actually, I managed to walk (very, very quickly!) around the block in the PM. Even with Dreyfus' fur coat and general love of the cold weather, I think it is too cold for him to be out for more than a few minutes.