Define COLD

Define COLD.  Colder than a well-diggers behind in Montana. Cold as kraut.

When a floor furnace and wall heaters kept the house tolerable during the daylight hours, night brought cold. No sane person would leave a furnace or a wall heater turned ON while the family slept.

Thus, in the morning, Mother would shake the frost from the quilts and blankets on my bed, and I'd countdown "3-2-1-GO!" and sprint to the bathroom after waiting as long as she would allow. There, Mother had lit the stove and closed the door. She did not know that I hung my socks over the wall unit!

 They were toasty when it was time to finish getting dressed.

When days were spent camped (oh, what fun!  whee!) in front of a wood-burning fireplace as Memphis struggled to cope with the 1994 Ice Storm,

 Instant coffee made with water boiled on the gas grill tasted... yummy. Sleeping bags, quilts, blankets, and a soft, furry dog kept the cold at bay. Jackets, caps, gloves served their purpose well. The experience was anything but delightful. Just glad we had a fireplace...and some logs.

Predictions of flurries turned to an all-out snow and ice event while Mother and I watched a movie somewhere in East Memphis during 1978-ish.  The car's door lock was frozen. A kind attendant helped people get into their cars and pull away, creeping toward home and warmth.

Dilemma: take the back roads or the 4-lane highway?  I chose Sam Cooper, thinking it would be safer. I did a 180 in front of a cop.  He allowed me to pull on around and then gave me some driving advice.  "Don't stop..."

Sledding down the embankments around Quince and 1-240, down the open areas at Shelby Farms, and down a huge hill west of Raleigh (Scenic Hills).

Temps that winter of 1984 were below zero; I do recall the U of M Tigers played basketball in the Tomb of Doom. Some had feared cancellation due to cold. That would be a Cold Day in 7734.

Tonight:  1 degree.  That is Cold!