Crane watching

Yesterday's Arctic express combined with 2.5 inches of snowfall has cast one mighty chilly blanket over Old Town. Despite that, a brief stroll around the area verified what we all already know: The weather outside is may be frightful, but during business hours, construction never seems to quit. Cranes move materials into place at the arena and hold aloft welders working on its uppermost north-facing outside walls. Eastbound drivers on Douglas dodge the orange cones and heavy equipment under the train overpass while construction workers climb above and below the downtown streets. The pace of progress in the area is impressive, weather or no. That said, I can't help but feel sorry for the guys working those jobs and wonder if they ever get warmed up after such long hours in the bitter cold.