A Chill Wind, It Blows

Who knew that going into the third week of November you could have temperatures reaching into the 50s in Minnesota? For a time, it seemed as though perhaps winter would not come this year. And while this thought gave rise to fears about the phantom of global warming, it was still pleasant to be outside.

That fantasy was shattered today. Puddles left behind from yesterday's rain have turned to sheets of ice, which for the first time this season did not melt at high noon. Today was our first real taste of winter for the year, and judging from the forecast (a dubious source of information) it has finally settled in for a long stay.

Having grown up in Minnesota, you would think I would be used to this by now. In fact, there once was a time when I looked forward to the winter. It stood for good fun like sledding and throwing snow balls and drinking hot chocolate. And of course there was Christmas, who couldn't love that?

But now I look at the winter and all I can think about is my inability to enjoy the sun and cursing the wind as it cuts through you like an icy razor. In fact, we only get see the sun for about 9 hours in a day. Most of that time is spent behind a computer in a cubicle. No more shorts and sandals, now I must encase myself in bulky, thick pieces of cloth just to get from one warm building to another, shivering uncontrollably the whole way.

Perhaps it has been my past adventures that have turned me from my heritage Minnesota ways. I spent the better part of December last year basking under a glowing summer sun with the sound of the ocean waves crashing behind me. To lay out on a hot beach in the middle of December was nothing short of utter bliss. I enjoyed that. Perhaps too much.

I suppose, though, that it is only appropriate. Just as the coming of this past summer gave me a feeling of optimism and confidence, so must its passing dash my hopes and leave me with a lingering, though dull, sense of dread. I can already feel the chill...