January thaw?

In the Minneapolis area we usually have a few days in January where it gets warm enough for the snow piles to melt at least part way down. We call this the January thaw.

This year the January thaw came in February. The last two days were sunny with temperaturesĀ above freezing and most of the snow on our balcony disappeared.

Which, of course, led to this today:

snow

 

Ah, the joys of living in Minnesota in the winter.

TTYL,

Linda

Minnesota Sunset

Many of my friends who are in Arizona at this time of year are posting pictures of the beautiful sunsets that are fairly standard items there.

As you all know, I am not in Arizona right now. I am back in Minnesota.

Where the sunset last night looked like this:

MN sunset

Not as dramatic as those in Arizona, but not a bad view from my comfy chair in our living room.

As long as I don’t go out on the balcony intending to enjoy it. Brrrr.

TTYL,

Linda

House Warming

We were sitting quietly watching a replay of Downton Abbey when the invitation to the gathering arrived.

Quickly dressing in warm clothes we joined our neighbors in the lobbies and on the landings of our apartment building.

There was much excitement as we all waited the arrival of the most important person due to arrive that evening. Yet none of us were anxious to venture out into the very cold weather to be among the greeters.

At last the fireman arrived and turned off the alarms allowing us all to return to our quiet evening.

The rumor is that there was a small fire in the second floor elevator lobby at the far end of the building. It must have already been extinguished before the fire truck arrived, though, as it came with no lights or siren. But they have to determine the fire is fully out before they can turn off the alarms.

It never actually got warm at our end of the building. Other than the warmth we generated hurrying down the stairs in our winter coats, that is.

TTYL,

Linda

Driving Home, Done

We are home.

We left the motel this morning with the snow on the ground that fell yesterday and we had snow on the ground all the rest of the way home but none fell directly on us as we traveled.

But, the high temperature we saw today was 7Ā°. Nothing like the cold I complained of in Arizona.

So cold here, we didn’t bring in much more from the van than we’ve been bringing into motels along the way.

But the forecast is for much warmer here tomorrow so the unpacking will get done.

And we will retrieve our car from the airport where Dave left it nearly two weeks ago.

And we will figure out where we are going to park the van over the winter.

And we will relearn how to live together.

And life will be good.

TTYL,

Linda

Driving Home, New Year’s Day

We are in Kearney, Missouri.

That means we could drive all the way home today.

In wind and snow and cold.

Or we could wait until tomorrow and just have cold.

Or we could wait for the next day and have warmth. And wind.

As much as we’d like to be home now, Dave has just gone down to the motel’s desk to see if we can extend another night.

Ah, the joys of traveling in winter.

TTYL,

Linda