Snow and cold

Running:
Well the snow and cold finally made it here.  Before it did I got out for a 7.5 mile lunch time run on Tuesday.  Temps were not bad at all and the roads were clear.  There was an inch or so of snow on the unshoveled sidewalks.  This run took me 1:00:22.  Tuesday night and Wednesday the storm hit us.  We got somewhere around 10 inches of the heaviest wettest snow I can remember.  Knowing I had a lot of cross training (shoveling) to do, just to get a run in I opted for a quick 4 miles on the treadmill in 30 minutes.  Today the cold slammed us.  I geared up in appropriate winter stuff and laced up my Asics Arctics and went out for a ten mile run from home.  The temp when I started was about 0 with a wind chill of -15 to -20.  The run went pretty well.  Running in the Arctics, and with the cold dry snow the traction was OK.  The run took me 1:24:12 so you can see this is not much slower than normal.   When I got back from my run today I discovered that the power was out.  It didn't come back on until after 7pm tonight.  It got a little chilly in the house. 


Hunting:
Got out last evening in the backyard for a bow hunt and saw nothing.  The wind had started to pick up and the cold was settling in.  Everything was so pristine and white.  It was quite pretty to see.  Today is the start of the late antlerless season through all of Wisconsin.  There had been some talk of lawmakers cancelling this season, but I could find no news that it had been.  Tonight I got out again at the end of the day for a short while. This time with the shotgun.   I wasn't there long and a smallish doe showed up to nibble on my plantings.  I took aim, released the safety, and pulled the trigger.  "Click".  The gun didn't fire.  I have no idea why.  I quietly as I could ejected the shell that was in the gun and chambered another.  The deer had heard this noise and ran off not giving me another try.  Here I thought with a gun all I need is to see one.  I guess things go wrong not just with a bow in your hands.    


Gardening:
Shoveling has been the activity of the last couple days.  I don't have a snow blower or plow so everything is done by hand.  Wednesday made me think about the possibility of getting some help.  Man that snow was heavy.  Between the driveway, the deck, and cleaning off the roof I spent over five hours pushing the white stuff around.  My arms and shoulders still are a little tired.  Great cross training though I guess.