"Why don't you stay?"

Growing up as a kid in Las Vegas, I can distinctly remember walking from an air conditioned house into the blazing heat of outside. It honestly felt as though a giant fist of heat was catapulting into my lungs. The feeling of walking into an invisible hot wall is still vivid in my mind 26 years after it happened. It probably happened over and over again - and it has always been my distinct impression that it is entirely possible to drown in hot air.

Suffocation while walking.

I was reminded of this possibility only in the last few days while walking in -23 degree weather during a windchill of -45C (that's -49F, but does it really matter?). Even taking a small breath makes it feel as though fire is ripping down my lungs. Again, it literally hurts to breathe.

And any sane person would not go outside in this weather. RKZ parks underground and is able to ride an elevator to his office (from the garage to office without experiencing the freezing air). Of course, by "sane" person, I mean anyone WITHOUT a 2 1/2 year old child who possesses limitless energy and desire to "get out of this house!" Buck and I have not slowed our schedule for a minute. We have been on the go all day, really. The only difference is the extra 15 minutes it takes to bundle Buck in his full snowsuit, mittens, hat, hood, snowboots and scarf. I also am wearing quite a few more clothes. We drive for 5 minutes to the rec center and the entire process takes place in reverse. Quite a pain, really.

Hence the title of the post, "Why don't you stay?"