Now you are probably wondering why I have included this picture? Well, this is a phenomenon which I have never seen before. Since we have been in Chicago, snow hasn't been a real problem so we seldom see a snowplow but what we do see is salt. Lots of salt. Chunks as big as peas all over the streets. Rather than pushing the snow aside (yes to some extent) Chicago seems to prefer to salt the streets to clear up the light snow. So, the road you see before you, which is black asphalt is powdery white from all the cars driving the salt into ever smaller particles. This turns the streets white! How the plants survive when the snow is pushed aside is beyond me. This powder covers everything associated with the street. Our car turns white and when you brush up against the car, it covers your clothes with white powder. It is impossible to wear dark trousers, for inevitably there will appear white scuffs. I will come out in the morning with perfectly clean and freshly pressed black trousers and by the time I have scraped the car windows I am splotched with salt powder. Try as I will, before we even drive to our area of labor, my trousers resemble a pinto pony! I wonder how much this this powdery salt in inhaled? I just Googled the raspatory afflictions associated with inhaling salt powder!!!! Best I ignore my findings. Just for your information, Illinois used approximately 1,000,000 tons of salt last year with Chicago using 425,000 tons of that 1,000,000 tons. From the look of the roads, I can confirm!
I had to include this screen shot of the weather forecast so that those in Utah (our current permanent residence) can appreciate the cold. The key to this is that we are located next to an inland sea (Lake Michigan) and the cold moist air travels from lake across Chicago. This turns normally cold temperatures unbelievably colder. See the current outside temperature: 0. Now notice what it feels like: -20 with a moist air that goes right through protective clothing. Now the irony of this information is the background picture of this forecast! Beautiful blue skies with a smattering of wispy clouds and an observer on a grassy overlook wearing a simple hoody! Ha! I repeat. Ha! What is amazing is that this is the screen shot I happened to obtain. I wish I had saved the one with the "Feels like" at -30!"
This is Robert, one of our friends. He has a heart of gold but due to his violet and abusive past, is always getting into trouble. We see him usually once a week traveling into the south side of Chicago. He is very responsive to our invitations. He comes to church and participates in Sunday School and Priesthood meeting. Unfortunately he is plagued with adversity. Just last Sunday, though he promised to attend church with us, he did not show up and would not respond to our text and calls. We later found out that the reason was that he was in jail. I won't go into the particulars but he now has to find a new place to live. We hope he moves in with this grandmother. We love this gentle giant!
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