Brrrr and Tackling the New Year

If you have read a paper or listened to the news this week you are aware that we have entered a new ice age in the north east. It has been cold to say the least. Surprisingly, I have not been as bothered by it this year. It is more of a pride thing when you say things like, "yeah, I walked into the lab this morning and it was -20 with wind chill". It would have been a fun week to teach cold stress in environmental physiology. Simon and I are bundling up, making cozy winter foods including hot whiskeys (see below), and contemplating some cross country skiing.
I've been really busy with work trying to get a new grant out in Feb, and a grant revision out in March. We will see how it all turns out. Some of the results from the preliminary results from our pilot projects are turning my world upside down. It is fun to think about things in new ways, but challenging none-the-less.
Simon has been really busy with the beginning of a new semester. On top of that he ended up with a nasty cold this week. He even took my suggestion and stayed home for a day. He was feeling better but is still congested.
Okay, so here is the recipe for a hot whiskey. This is an Irish favorite and perfect for a cold remedy or a cold day.
1 shot of good ol Irish whiskey
~1/3-1/2 cup of very hot water
1 slice of lemon
1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar or honey (any sugar will work in a pinch)
2-3 whole cloves
Mix the whiskey and hot water together, stud your lemon slice with the cloves and drop into your delectable liquid (squeezing the lemon if you desire) and mix in the sugar. Enjoy! You can alter the amount of water to your desired strength.
I told my mom about this little gem, but she wasn't too keen on the idea. I once made one of these with scotch too. It was also good. The key is really the lemon and the cloves.