Home Is Where the Ice Is

During my visit with my sister the past few weeks, she conveyed to me she loves living in Hawai'i, but sometimes faces bouts of being homesick.

If she lived on the mainland, I doubt she would live within driving distance, or even the same time zone for that matter, of where our folks still live in Eastern Iowa. But I imagine the feeling is more of a psychological one. If she is overcome with homesickness, she would be able to feel her support groups are more easily accessable.

After stepping off the plane this weekend and feeling a cold burst of air rush through my flip-flops I sent her the following text message as I was walking through MSP terminal:


"If you are feeling homesick, go to weather.com and type in my zip code. Then go the freezer, take out the ice bin and dump it down your pants."


After an inch of snow yesterday, I walked to my bus stop this morning to await in the following temperature.

As predicted, my mood is quickly shifting from supreme relaxation to irritated anxiety as I'm relearning how to cope with a gleefully-Scandanavian winter.

Unmindful, I was surly with Aly this morning as we got on the bus. As a classy bus riding citizen I whispered in angst, "There is not ONE redeeming quality of a Minnesota winter."

I usually get upset with Aly for placing the back of her hand against her forehead, sighing vainfully and making an over-dramatic statement such as this. I felt awkward as I said it, and felt even more sheepish when the woman sitting next to me in a faux-lamb skin cap and full-bodied, purple Vikings jacket shot me a glance over her Field & Stream magazine.

As a result of my third winter here, my mood about the seasons can be read like a map. We've amateurly diagnosed myself with seasonal depression.

Seasonal affective disorder (ironic the acronym is SAD...) is described as the winter blues.

Bullshit. It's the winter malaise.

You tell people you have the "blues" when you appear in a Lilo & Stitch cartoon. I tell people I have the "malaise" because each morning I wake up when temperature is below 0 without windchill pushes me inches closer to putting on my quitters, filling my closet with down blankets and climbing inside until the ice melts.

I always ask myself what is it that calls people to make their home on barren ice. That, and I've made myself a deal that for every put down, I need to give three put ups. Like elementary school.

So what do I like about winters in Minneapolis?

1. Sledding. Ice is fast.

2. Not having to give Otis a bath. 2 feet of snow does wonders for wiping grime off a dog.

3. Anticipation of the summer.

Stay warm.