It seemed as if the weather would never warm back up.
I grew up, went to school and graduated college in the deep south. I went twenty-one years of my life without ever encountering snow. When I was offered a job in Minneapolis, Minnesota, I was excited for the change in weather and landscape. I moved over the summer, when the daily outdoor temperature climbed into the mid eighties. While there was a bit of humidity, it was nothing compare to what I was used to. I visited Minnehaha Park, Loring Park and the Minneapolis Scupture Garden. I ran the River Road Trail, admired Stone Arch Bridge and spent some time biking Midtown Greenway. The Mississippi River offers the opportunity for swimming, kayaking and paddlo boarding. The scenery around Minneapolis is truly gorgeous. There are lots of great restaurants and wonderful shopping. I was delighted with the weather in my new area. The apartment I rented didn’t even include an air conditioner. I never had difficulty sleeping or relaxing because of sticky conditions. When the temperature dropped in the fall, I was excited to wear my new sweaters. I was not prepared for the brutal winter weather. That first year, the city accumulated almost six feet of snow. The weather never climbed above freezing for three straight months. There were temperatures in the negatives, and the wind chill made it feel even colder. I ran the heater at maximum capacity for more than half the year. It seemed as if the weather would never warm back up. I couldn’t bundle up in enough layers to keep warm. I needed to buy a snow brush and ice scraper for my car. I needed a wool coat, heavy boots, hats, scarves and gloves.