1.19.2008

The Iceman Cometh

The temperature in Minnesota has dropped to a number that is too embarrassing to admit.

On a quick trip to the store to buy some fresh mozzarella for a homemade pizza were making tonight, the temperature proved a force to be reckoned with. Our car coughed in exhaustion before finally starting up with the scariest, about-to-explode-from-too-much-effort, sort of noise. We hurried to the car, Harper in tow, and drove to the market, a mere .5 miles away. I ran in while Eric waited with Harper in the running automobile (in true Minnesota fashion). Then we zipped back home, letting Harper 'do his business' before rushing inside.

It was during this 'doing his business' portion of the evening that it began to get frightening. Harper ran a few yards away to attend to his business in private, Eric following after him with a plastic bag at the ready. But then Harper wouldn't move. Eric grabbed him by the collar and directed him toward the house, but he only went a few feet. I stood on the porch frantically calling his name. Eric prodded him on. Finally, Harper just froze, refusing to go another step in the too too too too cold Minnesota winter. It was at this moment that I saw the sweetest and most heroic thing I have ever seen.

Eric picked up Harper, all 85 pounds of him, and carried him to the house. It was too cold to be outside and it was too cold for our sweet dog to walk any further. Left to his own devices, I believe he would have hunkered down in as small a ball as he could manage and given up. But, instead, Eric picked him up and carried him home.

And believe me, he has been the most grateful dog since.

7 comments:

mamasteph said...

What a sweet story! What a lucky dog Harper is, to have such loving parents!

Bubba said...

Ahh, thats cute Eric! haha, but seriously, I commend you guys on functioning in that cold. I love the cold but the other day at work it was 6 degrees, nothing compared to what you guys see, and I couldn't even go out to snowboard.

Biggie T said...

I feel just like Harper and want to stay inside. This weather is too cold for man or beast!

D. SKye Hodges said...

I admire you guys for being able to cope in that foul weather. Can you imagine living in MN "back in the day"? How's life without the microwave?

M {3 said...

Do they make Welly's big enough for Harper? I think he would look awesome in a nice navy and baby blue polka dot. I guess we are at least built for it up here, Steph said Sunday during their cold spell the church was freezing. Those southerners know nothing about insulation!

mamasteph said...

Hey! It was 22 degrees for us outside on Sunday!!! That is pretty cold for us now! We acclimated to the southern weather, way more quickly than any of us expected! :) And I hate to admit it, because I know come summer, I will be begging for it to be cooler!

napalmbrain said...

It's never too cold to be embarrasssing! That's a great story. The cold is never embarrassed to bring out such warmth among us ambulatory creatures.