It was well below zero last night, and still hovers around the zero mark right now.  But the dogs enjoy going out in the cold.  I bring Daphne in right away, as she has tiny paws, and she wants to come in sooner. 

The chicken is doing good, her water wasn't even completely frozen this morning at minus 5 deg. when I got up.  I put her water near the light bulb and that keeps it warmer.  I've been cooking for my chicken too!  Giving her canned vegetables, since I don't have fresh greens, but what I've been doing, is making cooked cereals, like Ralston, Farina, and Oatmeal, cooling it down to where I can put my finger in it and it doesn't burn.  Then I take it out there and pour a puddle of it out for her.  She doesn't even wait for me to get done pouring it, she's on it, gobbling it up.  I'm sure the warmth is beneficial and there's plenty of moisture in it, too. 

I now know that the other chicken died because of the cold.  It was one day of cold and that did her in, before I got the hotter lightbulb set up in there.  She was also a stressed out chicken, smaller, afraid of everything, and couldn't even manage to eat properly.  All things conspired to take her out before her time at the first cold snap of winter.  (Officially, it's still Fall.)

Last evening, the clan gathered for fiancee's birthday, surprise birthday party, that is.  She didn't know anything about it, and kept crying, for joy, I hope.  We went to Marty's Place North, quite a ways up there, but a beautiful restaurant, with lots of atmosphere.  They put our party at a big round table, in a small round room, several feet higher than the rest of the restaurant.  It was wainscoted halfway up, then glass panels, and made me feel like I was in a ship, for some reason.  From there, a winding stairway led up to the restrooms, etc.  There were stained glass chandeliers, stained glass skylights above, and other diners, both above and below us.  I ordered fish fry again, but most of the others ordered steak and chicken.  But I like fish, too, and knew that we are having lamb again this evening, our latest food love, that John is treating me to.

I gave him a pair of wool socks to wear on his running, skiing, snowshoeing daily regimen, and he was very appreciative.  He had only one pair of wool socks, so these are a boon.  My children are all going to a Packer game at Lambeau Field tomorrow.  It's the most beautiful stadium in the country now, I've heard.  They will tell me all about it when they get back.  They all have many items of Packer-logo jackets, hats, etc. to wear, and they better wear them all.  At least now, with the new stadium, they can go inside and warm up in a heated room and still see the game on a large-screen tv, if necessary.  My daughter said the last Packer game she went to at Lambeau, it was 15 deg. below zero; sitting on ice-clad metal benches, her teeth were chattering so badly, she had to go inside, but it was unheated then, so not much help there either. 

And I?  I plan to keep my toasty boots on all day, even with my bathrobe.  Except for the times I get back in bed and rest, rest.  I picked up the mail on the way home last night, and have plenty of reading material.  Also, I need to contemplate the next bit of my novel, as I've come to another difficult part.  I am thankful that none of my waterpipes burst or even froze last night, my heat tape is turned on, and a small fan blows warm air from around the fireplace towards other pipes.  All is good for now.