Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Winter.




And so it begins......

Winter.

In Minnesota.

Uffda....

Let me start by saying i am not one of those people. You know the ones, the ones that sit and complain about the cold weather, like all. the. time. The ones who use every opportunity to complain about the cold, the snow, the wind, the ice, the winter.

I've never been a fan of those people.

I feel we have a responsibility to be loyal to our State.  Equal to the one we should have for our family and our friends.

"Stop rippin' on her" i think. Yes, she's cold, we get that, we know that, and we accept her for who she is. But she's not all bad. She gives us 4 beautiful seasons, transforms the landscape into an artists dream every fall, gently soothes us to sleep in the spring with her gentle rains and warms us to perfection in the Summer.

I love her.

I love my Minnesota.

It where my roots are, so it's where i am.

But for the first time, in 33 years, last night when i let my dog out before bed, and i opened the screen door to feel the winds whipping up snow at my face, and heard the intense jingle of my wind chimes.....its like the cold actually settled inside me.

And it was an ugly feeling.

I closed the door quickly and tightened my robe, this could be a long one, this winter we must endure yet again.

And as i slid into bed and pulled the covers high up to my chin i started to think, nay, to panic about the impending doom we Minnesotans were about to embark upon.

And i tried, i did, i tried to be positive. I tried to be loyal. I tried to find the silver lining. But i couldn't.  All i could think of was why the heck did our ancestors stop here--it must have been Fall. It had to be Fall. Because only fall could intoxicate a person enough to make them stop and set up camp. Darn you beautiful Fall. Darn you.

So as i lay there, shuttering as the wind beat aggressively against my window, i started to think about the fact that our van is just cold blooded. She's a stubborn ol' girl who likes to run cold. (or at least that's what Jeromy and i like to say to make ourselves feel better as our teeth chatter when we are in it) That van just doesn't heat up. Like literally.

And ya know what else?

 I lost the filter to my wet vac and that really started to bug me!! If i could just get a new filter, then i think i would feel better about this winter. Right?

Which lead me to thing.....

Are the chicks okay? Are they too cold? Shoot. Another winter laying in bed wondering if they're gonna make it.

Yea, ya wanna hear more?

My entryway mat was soaked from all the boot travel yesterday!! And that stunk.

More you say?

My van got so stuck in the driveway yesterday!! And that caused me to flash back to last year when i got stuck and i seriously think i was going to have a nervous break down, cursing the snow and screaming as i froze and dug my way out!!

This is too soon. It just can't be that time of year again.

I'm a lady. I like to take things slow, Winter.

And this is much too fast. 



And how is it that the kids gloves, ALREADY, are like constantly soaked? I can't keep up with this.

And the bottom of my freshly washed socks?  Ohh, they're damp because i accidentally stepped on that entry way rug!!

And ain't  NO ONE LIKES DAMP SOCKS, girrrrl!!!

At least all the kids snow pants fit them exactly like Steve Urkel's pants fit him. So that's great.

Not yet, Winter, just give us a few more weeks.

Here i sit, after a weekend with my husband away hunting, and then a snow day, and now a 2 hour school delay. My kids are standing on that wet entry way mat, because they went outside, "just to test their pants" and ended up playing in the snow like crazy people (aka: kids) and now....THEIR MITTENS ARE SOAKED!!!!! So there i made them stand. For the next 10 minutes, till that every lovin' bus gets here. And the dryer is a hummin' as i attempt to speed dry those darn $1 knit mittens.

Winter,


Its not you.....


....its me.......



......actually, its you.  Its most definitely you.

I've tried. I have.

We all have.

As i drove to my Moms house yesterday morning, all my precious cargo in tow, i thought, "i am a straight up cuckoo bird." It seems whenever the weather gets real bad.....i get in the van. That cold blooded hog.

I stopped at Holiday to get a few donuts and as i opened the door to that unfamiliar (and yet so familiar) gust of snow/wind hit my face, all i could do was gasp for air and run inside.

Inside, i saw other Minnesotans, we gave each other the eye, the "i know, right?" look. It felt special.
Its that same moment that i feel so often, in  the winter,  in Minnesota. Pride.

I'm proud to be a Minnesotan. I am. We're tough as they come. Dumb, maybe. But super tough.  I mean, we're much likelier to get MS someday,  but we're tough. Have i mentioned we're tough? 'Cause that's all we have for the next 6 months. We're tough.  So ya better hang your hat on that one, 'cause its here to stay.

After my special love moment passed inside Holiday,  i got back into the car and though, Yep, we ARE in these trenches together people. We're a team. And i love you.

But as i drove a bit further i thought, Team?? These people are crazy, these people aren't my team, these people could very well become my MURDERED with only one turn of the wheel!

So i stopped thinking and just focused on the road. And then flicked off the next person to drive past me. Just to let em' know who's the boss out here.

 (just kidding, Mom)


Winter.

I'm not saying i wanna break up.



....I just need some space.