Michel and Elizabeth Survive the Polar Vortex of 2014

So it's been cold this week.  But not just regular cold.  Abnormally cold. Our return to Chicago from balmy Houston was greeted with the Polar Vortex paying a visit to most of the United States.

In case you haven't heard, the Polar or Arctic Vortex usually hangs out above the North Pole.  Occasionally it will send its tentacles (yes, tentacles) down through Canada and into the northern US, but it is not usually worth a major mention of any form.  This time, as many of you know, the entire vortex decided to come, plunging much of the country into ridiculously low temperatures.  Here in Chicago, we reached what the media called "dangerously low" temps, which resulted in the city partially shutting down.  (This is unheard of.  Chicagoans go to work and school in the most shocking weather).  At our apartment, our lowest was -16 degrees Farenheit with a wind chill of -41.  I heard it was even colder in other parts of the city.  Predictions were for 60 continuous hours of below 0 degree weather.  On Monday it was colder in Chicago than it was at the South Pole.

After making a last-minute grocery story run on Sunday that ended in us pushing our car over the snow back into the garage, we holed up for the next few days in our apartment, only stepping outside to take a few pictures of the truly spectacular icicles dripping from the roof above our back porch.  Honestly, we had a great time!  Our radiators made our apartment quite toasty, and we spent our time reading, playing games, cooking, and watching movies and the much-anticipated premier of Downton Abbey!  Indeed, we even managed to not only cure all of the diseases but also eradicate them in our first two-person game of Pandemic.  (For you, Pändas and Alexanders!) 

That being said, the world outside our apartment has been a pretty weird and spectacular place for the last few days!

Our friend, Matthew, sent me these pictures of the effects of the Polar Vortex on Chicago:

And enjoy these pictures from around our apartment:

There was close to a foot of snow in the courtyard that had accumulated after several days of snow over the holidays.

 Icicles on the back porch!

 At one point, this icicle extended all the way down from the roof to connect with the icicle on the bannister of the stairs.

This is after part of the icicle broke, but you can see the mound of ice on the bannister to which the big icicle connected.

 

 The windows in the sunroom completely iced over.