Your nipples are safe...for now.

I must rescind my comments that if Jake visits Chicagoland with only the winter attire he has now he would lose the function of his nipples. The weather has taken a different turn than I expected.

The highs for this week will stay above freezing, and there is no snowfall to speak of in the forecast. What's left of the white flaky manna from the Winter Wonderland above is slowly falling victim to the relatively high temperatures and finding its way into the ditches, sewers and storm drains. And by tomorrow, most of the ground will be green once again.

I must admit it will be a "breath of fresh air" to be able to walk anywhere without having to do so with caution; to step out of your car at the grocery store without worrying about slipping into the splits.

Don't get me wrong, it's a blast to hear the crunch of snow when you're walking on it. But the novelty of it soon departs. For every crunch one makes, the snow is compacted and usually forms a sort of ice sculpture in the shape of your footprint. This is especially so on concrete sidewalks and steps.

Anyway, sorry Jake, it will not look a lot like Christmas this weekend in Chicagoland.