A Cold Day Out

Yesterday, we braved the mid-30s temperature, leaving the comfort of our warm home to watch the President’s Day Parade in Old Town Alexandria. David had a grand time taking pictures, and me- I was too cold and my gloved hand could barely snap pictures. But it was still a great day for a parade- old guys in Revolutionary and Civil War costumes, several George Washingtons, lots and lots of scouts, cadets, the hugest horse I’ve seen so far, and a strikingly authentic-looking Abe Lincoln.

The parade started at around 1 o’clock and lasted for two hours. So all those time, I was shivering and yet having a good time still. My all-time favorite sight in any crowd or gatherings are the dogs- all kinds of friendly and attention-seeking dogs. There were plenty yesterday, and some were even decked out in their cute snow outfits (boots and hoodies galore). The hubby thinks it’s ridiculous, but I insist it’s fabulous. It’s heaven of heavens to be a dog in America.

After the parade, the hubby and I strolled for a while on the icy streets of Old Town. We passed by the Carlyle House, a historic 18th century mansion. We went inside the grounds, however, the mansion was closed for visitors. Come spring, the Carlyle House gardens will be lush and lovely once again. It looked so sedate in winter.

The hubby and I hung out for a while in the frozen Founders Park. We were a couple of nuts having a lark in the park, slipping in the ice and sitting on frigid benches that froze our bottoms. Even the Potomac was frozen, too, with patches of thin ice. It was really a cold, cold day out. We couldn’t find a better day to get our noses iced up.

To cap a shivery day out, I made some chicken macaroni salad. Here’s my recipe:
2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
1 cup cooked chicken, cubed
1 celery stalk, chopped

2 hardboiled eggs, chopped
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 tbsp. pickled relish
2 cups mayonnaise
dash of ground black pepper and nutmeg

Mix. Chill. Eat up!!! (Good for a couple of shivery souls… best for warm hearts, too!)