#the real ghostbusters staypuff marshmallow

[cyclopsarts]

More human slimer and marshmallow man because these two are now living in my head rent free

[galenasroute20-blog]

Working in the Cold

The past few days found me - at times - working out in the lumber yard in rather cold weather. Here in northwest Illinois, we’ve been experiencing temps below zero up to -35 with wind chills. Sustained, pipe-freezing, skin-numbing temps.

We’re working on getting our new workshop ready, a small barn that will contain reclaimed wood inventory as well as prepping stations for nail-pulling, cutting, and furniture building. But until that is ready, I am outside in the elements doing the work.

I love it. The cold snaps attention to the basics: sound, movement, efficiency.  Snow crunches like styrofoam underfoot, and it’s so cold that it doesn’t melt. I move slower, bundled up like Galena’s version of the StayPuff Marshmallow Man (think Ghostbusters). Very attractive. But real.

I think of earlier generations and how they had to manage surviving winter. I swing the hammer at tiny nail points on a long piece of reclaimed barn wood. Turn it over, and leverage the popped-up nailheads out of the wood. A thousand of tiny moments of satisfaction, and then I am done. Tools put away, I lumber to the Jeep. Heat on max.

Hot chocolate from Big Bill’s on Main Street never tasted so good.