Ten hours out in the cold is just another day on the job for Dan DiCioccio. "I've got on three sweatshirts, long johns, two pairs of pants and then a jacket," said DiCioccio of DiCioccio Brothers, Inc. of Newington.
DiCioccio's crew was installing a septic tank in Vernon while the ground is still warm enough to break. "This has a deadline, hopefully before it gets colder," said DiCioccio.
Across town, Rory Demars of HOP Oil in East Hartford was outside filling heating tanks with oil. "Trying to stay warm, trying to keep everyone else warm," said Demars.
Demars said he's made about 30 deliveries today, more than usual. He said the temperature drop translates to an uptick in orders. "People wait and wait and wait for the price to drop and then when it does get cold, they all want oil," said Demars. "Which is understandable. You try to save your money as long as you can."
Perhaps the happiest one in the cold was a pug named Duncan, happily out for a neighborhood walk in Vernon. "He loves the cold," said owner John Storo. "He's a pug, so he has a hard time breathing in the warm weather. So this is perfect for him."