Hey! Wait a doggone minute – here we are smack dab in the middle of the Dog Days of Summer (meteorologically speaking, from July 3rd to Aug. 11th) and when I woke up this morning, the house was downright nippy. Once again, I nudged the thermostat up a smidge for the little nipper, a/k/a my canary “Buddy”, since he, unlike his big sister, could not don a warm sweater. I appreciated my hot coffee and warm oatmeal this morning and while I enjoyed my breakfast, I wondered if there was a wind chill factor out there today? I do know it was 56 degrees when I left this morning for my walk. I scooted out of the house around 7:30 and I guess I should have worn a jacket, and figured I had layered-up enough, but I was cold … in fact I was thinking gloves and a hat would have been appreciated. That’s because the sun never appeared the entire time I was out walking. In fact, I was pretty far from home and glanced up at the sky to see some darkish clouds were looming overhead, and I was sure I would get pounded with a cold rain before I made it back home, but I was lucky. In fact, it looked dull and dreary, just like a November day with a snow sky, don’t you think? I suspect not too many people have lined up at the DQ for a Blizzard or at Wendy’s for a Frosty today. Yesterday I went to Meijer to their big sale to start stocking up on my pantry items for Winter (not a moment too soon it appears), and, as usual, I wore my pedometer and racked up three miles. Today I went for a long walk and then over to pay the property taxes at the City Hall and my whole excursion was 4 ½ miles. I personally am lovin’ this cooler weather as I’m not a real hot-weather fan, but … please Mother Nature hold off on the wind chill, ice and snow for a while yet, okay?