Surviving The Polar Vortex Of 2014, Icicles And All

January 7, 2014 at 9:54 pm , by Nick Shell

3 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack,

I think it’s safe to say that this is the coldest weather you’ve ever been exposed to, considering it was 6 degrees on the way to school today.

And really, I think these are the most arctic conditions that Mommy or I have experienced as well.

Just look at the car, if you can through all the snow and ice… and icicles. This is the Polar Vortex of 2014.

(A polar vortex is a large-scale cyclone, by the way.)

Not only is it literally freezing outside, but it’s remaining below freezing- for days straight. We’re not quite used to that here in Nashville.

I didn’t even realize we had an “emergency heat” setting on our thermostat until a few days ago; nor did I really know how to use it.

Apparently, if I know the temperature is going to be below freezing, I’m supposed to turn on the emergency heat to keep ice from forming on the fan outside.

Otherwise, it makes this loud “lopsided washing machine” sound. The emergency heat setting both fixes and prevents this problem.

But without any accumulating snow outside, the Polar Vortex of 2014 isn’t that exciting for you- it just means Mommy has to bundle you up like the little brother Randy on the classic 1983 movie, A Christmas Story.

The pictures of the 2014 Toyota Corolla that we’ve been driving this week really do serve as a great illustration of what life has been like during a polar vortex like this.

I’d say that’s the main way life has been altered this week- in regards to our cars. I’ve had to get up early enough to defrost the snow and ice from our cars; definitely not used to that.

The Corolla is actually the smallest and sportiest car we’ve ever ridden in together, so far. I’m not used to being able to so easily squeeze into the traffic flow on the notorious Old Hickory Blvd East merge from I-65.

When we were driving theTundra during the week of your 3rd birthday, the sheer presence of that huge monster of a truck seemed to intimidate people into letting me merge over. It’s been the opposite with the Corolla because no intimidation has been necessary.

Like a ninja, I have been able to swipe over in front of the car in the left lane before they even saw me coming.

I don’t want to make it seem like the Polar Vortex of 2014 is over; we’re still in the middle of it. But so far, we’ve yet to deal with a dead car battery, busted pipe, or dangerous road conditions. Sadly, I miss 55 degree weather.