Old Dawgs Manage a Cold-Weather Walk

Most of the year in coastal South Carolina, the articles of clothing and accessories that should be handy at all times include:

Swimsuit.

Sunglasses.

Beach Towel.

Flip-flops.

So when a winter storm named Janus comes calling in January, a fair amount of rummaging through closets, dresser drawers, and even trunks is required to find items such as these:

Ski mask.

Gloves. 

Extra thick socks.

Long-sleeved jerseys to be worn in layers.


After about a half-hour of searching, I was able to come up with all the above items this morning preparing for a walk in subfreezing temperatures with moderate winds. I uncovered them, that is, if you overlook the mismatching gloves. They may not have passed a fashion inspection, but they kept my hands warm.

The big coat encasing all the layers was Washington Redskins-issue, still the best doggone dawg-walking coat I have got, even though I've been trying to switch my fan allegiance to the Carolina Panthers.

Sadie the Superdawg was none too patient as I was spending much time trying to find serious winter gear. She paced back and forth and occasionally barked at me. Sadie's no dummy; she senses a good walking day, and knows darn well that a wind chill of 15 degrees is far better for a hike than a heat index of 115.

Finally, we made it out, and though I was bundled about as thickly as the kid in the classic "Christmas Story," I felt the sting on my ears and cheeks. For her part, Superdawg was invigorated and led us to tack an extra mile on our usual trek.

It was a good day. We saw no other walkers this morning. We were the rugged dawgwalkers out subduing the winter monster about which The Weather Channel warned us so gravely. No, we didn't have the snow that our friends in Virginia and DC had to contend with, but the wind chills were a formidable foe. (It actually would have been fun to have a few inches of snow crunching under our feet and paws.)

When we were done, Superdawg was ready for an afternoon's nap, catching rays by the backdoor while her master resumed slaving over a hot computer. Here is sweet Sadie sleeping as soundly as I wish I could:
               
                                                       © Robert G. Holland  2014