Just heard this morning that we have had 50 days of below zero temperatures here in St. Paul/Mpls. It is fifth in the coldest of winters - That isn't counting the windchill either. The coldest winter was in 1875 or 1879 at 60 days. Now we can look forward to breaking that record. Sort of makes the cold weather a challenge, eh? Hey, if I have to go out, I go out, if I can stay in, I stay in. I saw robins in the neighbor's tree yesterday and I know that "If winter's here, can spring be far behind?" Spring always comes, it goes with the world as it was created.
I went to the cemetery (first anniversary of my husband's death). Went out to Fort Snelling National Cemetery. It was a beautiful clear sunny day, the temp was about -11. I just had this urge to go. So I did! There was a path where people could walk. Not yesterday. I figured (brain frozen that I am) that the path would have been plowed out for people to walk through. Au contraire! I didn't wear my boots, I had my Mary Janes on. Did you know that velcro freezes and doesn't stick to the soft furry stuff? I lost my shoes three times. I put my rose into the snow, told my husband, it was too d--- cold out here (no trees whatsoever) and I was going home. Got in the car, took off my scarf, my gloves, and my shoes. Drove home in my stocking feet, the car got up to 80 degrees inside and it was so nice and cozy warm. I am so glad I went anyhow. It really gave me the warm fuzzies knowing that I walked through 3-1/2 feet of virgin snow to visit my husband's grave. More to the point, I'm 75 and for all intents and purposes I should have known better, right? Funny what a frozen brain and the uncontrollable urge to go to the cemetery can be to a person. But I did tell him that I wasn't going to do that again.
We can be tired of winter - but haven't we had fun talking about it, the cold weather, the ice, everything that comes normally with a winter? And as soon as that last icicle has melted off the eave, we will have forgotten all about it. I know because I thought last year was bad. It wasn't as bad as this year and this year won't be as bad as next year. So we Minnesotans love it or leave it and I am staying right here, thank you very much.
I'm having fun with winter - we only have 17 more days left of winter, but guess what? March and April can be worse than February and March here. IT'S HIGH SCHOOL TOURNAMENT TIME!!!!!! Party hearty folks. It'll be a long time before the next first snowfall!!!!!!!
Enjoy the day. Edie