Antarctica, Alaska, Arkansas? Who Can Tell the Difference?

                     

Here's a side-by-side comparison on the current weather conditions in North Pole, Alaska (not to be confused with the actual North Pole), Gentry, Arkansas, and Base Jubany, Antarctica.  

If I was giving a pop quiz right now, which place would you pick to be the coldest place on earth?  In Antarctica's defense, it's actually summer there right now... so that's actually really warm for them.  But, still.  It helps to make my point about how stinking cold it is here.  And, some of my friends up north, in places like Illinois, woke up this morning to negative temps far less than what we're dealing with in my neck of the woods.

Thankfully, we got a snow day today.  About 2-6" of snow fell in our Tri-State area, which was enough to close the schools down.  While places up north are perfectly fine with having school with 2 feet of snow on the ground, our area just isn't accustomed to driving on any amount of snow and ice.  But, I am very thankful we got enough snow to have a snow day, because I just couldn't imagine our little kiddos having to walk out to bus stops when this morning the temperature was -4 with wind chills in the negative twenties.  

I stepped outside at 10:50, just to get an idea how cold it was, and the air literally took my breath away.  It hurt to breath.  I just couldn't imagine our kids going to school when the temperature was even colder a few hours ago, and having to stand waiting on a bus to pick them up.  

The high for today is supposed to be 10 degrees, but being that it's almost noon and the temperature is still sitting at 2 degrees, I doubt we'll make it to the 10.  Even if we do reach the 10 degrees, the wind chills will be staying in the negative numbers.  Which means that all the snow that fell yesterday is going NOWHERE.  Even with the sun directly shining on it, there's not the faintest hint of any amount of melting taking place today.

Does that mean another snow day tomorrow?  

Still waiting to hear about that.  But, if I were a betting woman, I'd say there's not a chance we're going back tomorrow.  Tomorrow, the temperature will get back in to a normal range and will melt off everything we have.  The high will be 39, enough to get the roads good and slushy to freeze again overnight.  But, I'm thinking that it will be drivable for us to get to work/school on Wednesday.  

I just can't believe how "OK" I am with us being out of school for another couple of days.  I mean, I absolutely love my job.  Everything about it.  But, there's just something about giving up how much fun I'm having doing absolutely nothing that makes me happy that I get to prolong my break.  

I have really got in to crocheting this year.  I usually get it out each winter, and make a few minor things here and there, but this year I'm a crocheting machine.  I've made several scarves, hats, and headbands already...and I'm excited about making more.  I've been posting some of my stuff on Facebook, and people have been telling me that they want what I'm making.  It's got me all excited about just making as much stuff as I can, and then selling it all when I'm done.  If I can stop myself from just giving it all away.

I'm such a sucker.  The minute someone says "Oh, I like that, I'd love to have it", I get this strong urge just to give it to them.  I start to feel guilty about actually charging a friend for something I've made..that didn't cost me anything to make except the cost of the yarn.  And even that doesn't really cost me anything, because I'm using yarn that's been stored for YEARS in huge tub I got a few years ago.

But, the "samples" I give away, may lead to more customers. So I guess I'll give away the few things I've planned on, and start selling the rest.  I've even decided to set up a Facebook page when I get more "inventory" to sell my wares.  

Right now, I'm cranking out headbands made from our school colors:  Red, black, and white.  I'm making red headbands with white and black flowers.  They look like this, except different colors...

                                

I figure I can surely sell those, and so I'm stocking up on as many of them as I can...and then I'll focus on making more hats and stuff that takes longer to make.  

I've already got a couple of people interested in new hat style I came up with.  It looks like this...

                                

                                

I love the way it came out, but it takes quite a bit of yarn and a lot more time than the other slouchy hats I make.  But, I got a few interested people when I posted this, so I'm going to make more.  This one has already been "claimed" by a friend.  

I've also made a couple of hats that I'm going to donate to a girl that has leukemia.  I saw a posting on Facebook asking for hat donations, so I donated two that I've already made.  

I really need to make one for myself that I will keep.  Each time I make a hat that I really like, I end up giving it away to someone else.  But, I have a scarf/headband set that I made for myself a few weeks ago that I will keep and use until I make myself the hat I want.

Maybe this year, I'll actually be able to get a good stock of stuff ready to sell for next winter.  If I actually stick with it, this time, I could actually make a few extra bucks.  I refuse to charge exorbitant prices for stuff, but anything I make is profit.  When I look at some of the prices stores like Walmart charge for scarves and hats and headbands and gloves (yes, I can make them too), I always laugh.  They charge crazy prices for stuff I can make for the price of a ball of yarn.  

So, why not sell the stuff to people, cheaper than they can buy it in retail stores? 

I'd rather avoid getting in to custom ordering.  Just because that's pressure that I don't want.  I like the freedom of making what I want, when I want.  Of course, stuff like headbands and hats don't really take that long to make, so I'd make some custom headbands and hats if the buyer buys the yarn. 

Anywho, all this rambling is taking away from the time I could be sitting and actually crocheting.  Which means I should get to getting.  I'll be sitting and waiting on that phone call telling me that school is cancelled again tomorrow...maybe it will come, maybe it won't.  But either way, I'll be ready for either scenario.

Have a good day, everyone, and be sure to stay warm!!