Particulates

I don't mind the cold. I can dress for 7˚F (-14C) as it was early. Down to 5˚F overnight. It's the lack of actual, breathable air that gets to me.

We got on our warm socks, long johns, parkas, and walked over for groceries. (TJ's tater tots heating up and smelling wonderful right now.) Such a bulky, awkward process, all that bundling and layering. Does make me want to put the thermostat to 80˚F and walk around naked.


PM 2.5 Ozone 71.1 µg/m3 .02 ppm
Temperature 12° F
Wind SW 3 mph

As with temperature, air pollution varies throughout the day.
Wood/coal stoves or fireplaces must not be used. Reduce vehicle use by consolidating trips. Industry should optimize operating conditions to minimize air pollution emissions.

Moby aggressively waking us up the past new nights, which we have come to believe means he is itchy. So, we give him a bath. Which is certainly not a favorite thing, but he continues to tolerate the process much better than we had any cause to expect. Being toweled off he absolutely detests. Mostly, he is unutterably BOTHERED by being WET after, with much paw shaking and general misery. Getting him dried is worse than the getting him wet, though. Once dry, he seems a much happier creature, softer, more prone to sleep at night.

And it's an excuse to bump up the temperature in here. The cold weighs on us, largely because going out in it just isn't a good idea. At least we have stopped up most of the drafts since last winter. We will never have a problem of over-insulating this place, but we've made progress.

Both humidifiers running, olive oil on my face and hands. Everyone at work suffering from cracked skin around thumbs and fingers - hand-washing and alcohol sanitizers, along with the cold and sere.

Addendum: Did dance, enough to loosen stiff ankles, and belly rolls. Breathing rather sucks, and an external problem derailed me. Sam Phillips Red Silk Five, and another Nouvelle Vague song. Not enough, but I will not beat myself up as long as I do something.