Oops...splash!

Trying to keep water liquid for The 'O' Cats in wintertime is almost impossible.  I use a 6-pack cooler, which is deep, and fill it with a full gallon of water.  The idea is; deep means slow to freeze.

But, it's Michigan, and the bucket starts icing over fairly quickly some days. I've also tried sprinkling in a tiny amount of sugar, under the scientific principle that the sugar crystals seem to retard to formation of ice.  It works, but in the really deep cold, nothing works.

Until now!  Well, I've only tried this since this morning, but I read at Lope for Hope about a trick they use for horses.  Fill a big bucket with water, and then float a few water bottles filled with salt water.

The Hubby gamely filled a small water bottle for me, and I stopped at the water bucket before leaving for the office.  The water bottle went in...then WHOOPS!

Keys and salt-water filled bottle, in the bucket

Yep, my keys went into the water too.  

Fished out

Patty O'Malley doesn't care!

Thank goodness my coat pocket was filled with paper towels (always handy to towel off a wet cat, a wet bowl, or wet feeding station)...or keys.  

Notice my X-Files key chain fob; I've been a die-hard fan of that TV show since the very first episode in 2003, and am delighted they have brought it back for a special 6-episode mini-series, starting this Sunday, January 24! People have even asked me why we did not name our cats Mulder or Scully...but that's an easy explanation; he is a Chucky, and sweet Angel is perfectly named.