Clouds gone.

By afternoon, bright sun, but then just as it showed up it started going down—and so did the temperature. Now as darkness descends, we are sliding quickly into negative territory. The polar vortex is back.

But, true to form, the weather has been inimical to iceboating. The smaller, shallower lakes froze surprisingly early, and this last snow event has obliterated them—has actually made them dangerous, in that only a thin skim of ice existed before being covered by thick, insulating blanket of snow—and that is a lethal combination.

And now, the deep cold taking over the remainder of this week will freeze all the middle-sized lakes. This might seem a good thing except that another big snow event is forecast for Friday. And once the middle-sized lakes are gone all that will remain are the big ones—Geneva, Green, Mendota, and they are all farther away. Anyway you slice it, Goldilocks seems adverse to sailing fast.

Pax and I made the mistake going for a walk in the prairie this afternoon. It was cold, and getting colder. The snow was deep, and the traction bad. Half way around our regular loop I started to wonder if we'd make it back by dark. And Pax kept having major problems with snow wedged between his toes.

Lucky for us, we are now sitting around the (fake) wood-burning stove, and soaking in some warmth.