Winter Lingers

 The snow is not as unpleasant as you would think. The roads are rarely sheets of ice. It is not really a big deal here with a few inches of snow. I sincerely hated it here the first six weeks. I was cold, unhappy, and desperately homesick. Things are getting better. I am settling in. My son will be here before I know it for a visit. Spring is just around the corner. I hope. 

The light here is different. It feels darker and gloomier than I imagined. This may result more from my general disposition than reality. My general disposition could be influenced by the ridiculously dreary nature of my current environment. I have heard it is beautiful up here in the spring and summer. I am not sure I believe them.

I cannot imagine how people survived up here before modern conveniences. I cannot fathom how anything was accomplished at all. Everyone keeps telling me this is a mild winter. It is horribly cold. Bone chilling. Teeth rattling. You feel as if your soul is being stabbed with 1000 frozen stakes. 

Okay, it is probably not actually so bad. There have been several pleasant days. I am just recovering from the -15 degree temperatures from this weekend. I was miserable. It hurt to breathe. I am fairly certain my eyelashes froze off. My toes are still a little cold.

People really should not live up here. To be this cold cannot be good for the personality. It may explain why people up here are not as friendly as they are at home. It is just too damned cold.