One year, when the kids were tiny, we went to Buffalo for Christmas. There was a bunch of snow and cousins to play with and fun to be had and I believe the kids and I stayed a solid two weeks up there. It was also bitterly, bitterly cold and every single time we went outside those two weeks, my sweet Texas-born baby William would burst into tears. Like instantly. Step outside, face crinkled up, real tears and sobbing within seconds. I am reminded of this right now as the full weight of winter settles upon me and I, too, want to burst into tears every time I step outside.
Yesterday, it was -26 with the wind chill. Oh, that's the wind chill, you say. Okay, true, but until you have had a midwestern winter wind come barreling over the plains and punch you straight on, you may not talk to me of wind chill. I find that even I am at a loss as to how to best describe that first assault of -26 wind on exposed and unexposed body parts. Bitter, biting, bracing, polar, vortex, criminal. Adequate descriptors, I guess. Cutting, slicing, and murderous might be better. You can wear as many layers as you want; that wind finds a way in. And settles right into your bones and gives you a weird, instant headache. I have found it has made me religious once again as all of my curse words are preceded by "Holy". This morning, snow was added to the wind and when those tiny pellets of murderous, menacing, maniacal moisture hit my face along with that wind, I did not burst into tears, but I did burst out with "What even is this?"
You may be wondering why I am even outside to begin with because surely school is closed when it is that cold. Some schools did close yesterday, but not mine. It is the Midwest and people soldier on here. That put me in a mood beyond grouchy. Despondent, despairing, depressed. I had forgotten how winter eats away at you and your best intentions to enjoy winter. Grey skies, subhuman temperatures, salt everywhere. Omg. The salt from the roads tracked in every where you go. Puddles of snow-ice-salt slush at your feet. Good intentions to eat better blasted away by bone-chilling cold that demands hot things smothered in cheese and meat and carbs. And not moving from the couch once you get there because you need that heated blanket as you eat your heated carbs.
I am really trying to not let winter beat me, but holy crap, winter is a really worthy contender! We do try to bundle up and get out when the sun is shining. We went sledding recently and that was as exhilarating and death-defying as I remembered! WHOOSSSSSHHHH! You are careening down a frozen hill on a piece of plastic with no real way to stop or steer along with people who stop for no reason mid-hill. And the long hike back up where your heart is pounding from nearly dying and the steep incline march and your nose is kind of runny and your cheeks hurt from smiling and freezing. That was a good day. My person and I also bundled up the other day to hike when it was 9 degrees. We were like Arctic explorers! The only people in the park trudging our way to the frozen lake. I did stand on the frozen lake for a minute which was kind of neat. I was too worried about it cracking because of all the cheese meat carbs; I knew if any part of me went through the ice, I would have to just lie down and die right there.
 |
| as brave as I could get. |
