Unexpected Trip

If you would have asked me one week ago that I would spend my New Year's in the Fargo vicinity, I would have thought you nuts. However, despite the -20* F temp and icy driving conditions, that's exactly where I was.

It was so cold (and I can hear your collective chant of "How Cold Was it") that my brother tossed a glass of water up in the air and it dissipated into what looked like a smokey puff and was gone -- it did not even hit the ground. It simply crystalized and vanished.

What was I doing going to subzero temperatures by my own volition? Only love of family could draw me there this time of year. The reason was two-fold. One, my grandmother is gravely ill and I wanted to see her. Two, I have not been home for a winter holiday (meaning Christmas or New Year) in 24 years.

It was time.

When I arrived at SFO to catch my flight, I could immediately tell the natives going home to visit as opposed to the newbies thinking it was going to be like a trip to tropical 20* Tahoe. I did not have the heart to tell the young woman seated next to me that her flimsy shoes and flimsy hooded sweatshirt was NOTHING to shield her from extreme Minnesota cold. See, the natives going home already had on their long-johns, winter coat, gloves, hats, and boots to get from the jetway to baggage claim. We know better.

At the car rental counter they actually handed out instructions on how to drive in arctic weather conditions, and what to do if your car won't start and if your doors, locks, and windows freeze up.

Welcome home....

It was an immediate crash course (no pun intended) in relearning how to drive on ice and snow. It was still predawn dark, it was snowing, and it was morning rush hour on 35W. I did not remember how to get from the airport to my brother's house in Anoka. Thank goddesses I brought Helga from home (my GPS unit) to guide me. My hands clutched the steering wheel as swirls of snow curled and danced across the freeway. Other cars were nonchallantly passing by as it was just another mundane Wednesday morning commute.

I thought to myself, "Shit!!!! These people do this EVERYDAY!"

At that point all of my winter driving skills returned to me. Being my birthday is in the winter, I originally took my driving test at the age of 16 during a blizzard. I could do this.

And I did. By the time I reached Anoka, I was confidently spinning around the corners and giggling to myself like I had hookey-bumpers.

Here's a list of little things I had forgotten about Minnesota in the winter:

1. Full size trucks driving on frozen lakes;
2. Full size condominiums (a.k.a. fish houses) on frozen lakes;
3. Leaving your car running while grocery shopping;
4. Plugging your car in so it will start;
5. Warming up your car for a good 10-15 minutes;
6. The abundance of lefse and venison jerky;
7. Boots;
8. Not exposing any skin to the biting cold;
9. The sound of snow crying when stepped on;
10. Ice on steps.