A Year Ago...

...I had finished shoveling out my car and was dealing with the aftermath of 20+ inches of snow.

As was the entire Chicagoland area.  Which I talked about here.

Today it was in the 40's.  Earlier this week it was almost 60.  I left my apartment before 10 in the morning without a coat.  In January.

This winter we have had days that look like this:

What you can't see is that it's about 60 degrees here.  In the middle of January.

Last winter:

Yes.  This was taken at about the same location.

It's astonishing how different these two winters have been.  And, in an odd way, there was something kind of cool about going through a winter that felt like winters you always hear about.  I could kind of appreciate how much some people love winter.




Okay.


I'm kidding.



You can stop looking at me like that.

Blizzardgeddon

, Chicago had snow envy.

Stop laughing.

Are you done laughing?

I'll wait.

Done?  Good.

Seriously, there was intense snow envy going on.  [cue whiny voice] But we always make the headlines!  We always have the worst winter storms!  It's not fair!


I swear, the weathermen were peeing all over themselves with excitement.  Well, I'm pleased to announce, the storm did not disappoint.  [No, I'm not really pleased.]  This ranked as number 3 of the top 5 blizzards to ever hit the city of Chicago.

It started last night when I got home from work.  Never before have I ever considered laying down in the snow and just given up until last night.  Oh, my God it was like crossing Antarctica!  The wind was HORRIBLE!  Snow was up past my knees (okay, that's not too hard seeing as I'm 5ft).  I almost contemplated sitting in my car because it seemed easier than trudging onward.

Yeah, I know it doesn't look like much.  If you look closely, there's a bench.

Once I made it inside I changed into my insanely warm jammies and wrapped myself around a heating pad I looked out my window and saw this.

So, I went to bed and woke up to a blissful winter wonderland.




















Yeah - I laughed at that too.

 So, I went to go sweep my car off.

And was greeted with this GIANT mound of snow from people shoveling out their cars.  And clearing space for the pack mules to make their deliveries.

I think it was probably 6 or 7 feet tall

These pictures don't do the snow justice - it really looks MUCH worse

God bless the grounds crew.  They were out ALL DAY clearing the paths and parking lots.  I'm going to make them cookies.  Or brownies.  Or a 5 layer, buttercream frosted cake.

 These are both pictures of the river by my place.  10 bucks if you can tell me where the snow ends and where the river begins.

Another shot of one of the pathways that cuts through.  The snow was about 2 feet on each side.

No, that's not a snow covered Beggar's Canyon it's a ground level view of one of the pathways.

Tomorrow we're expecting -40 windchills.

How divine.

Coldest Day of the Year

My alarm goes off.  I notice that it's cold.  I mean, REALLY cold in my bedroom.  This isn't that much of a shock because it's the coldest room in my apartment.  I contemplate wrapping myself in my blankets like a cocoon and walking out in my living room.

I throw on my bunny slippers and brave the hallway.  Not shockingly, it is a normal temperature.

Not gonna lie - they still make me smile

I check Weatherbug to find out that we're under a Wind Chill Advisory.

How.  Fabulous.

For those who don't know what this means (and, seriously, I'm pretty sure most of you do because you're my friends and family) basically it means that even though it says it's a balmy 0 degrees outside it FEELS like it's 

-25.  Or, basically, like Mr. Freeze walked up and gave you a wicked right hook to the face.

But, I digress.  So I get myself together.  Throw lunch in a bag.  Say goodbye to Norma Jeane (my chinchilla) and open the door.

I'm greeted by a punch of frigid air to the nostrils.  Everything freezes immediately and I utter a string of words that would make a sailor blush.  I walk to my car muttering the whole way about the winter and how much I hate it.  I get into the car put the keys in the ignition and...................nothing.

Yep.  

A whole lot of nothing.

My car is dead. 

No turnover.  Nothing.  

Niiiiiiiiiice.

Is it summer yet?

Merry Christmas!!!

It's kind of strange to realize that Christmas is here (and nearly gone) already!  Perhaps this is because I work in retail and we plan for Christmas early.

In June.

No, I'm not kidding.

Anyway - just wanted to say


MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Cookies, cookies, cookies!

If you want to feel Christmasy in a flash...just put up a live tree and bake cookies!  Let me tell you, your place will smell FANTASTIC!

Especially if you make Snickerdoodles!





















Or chocolate shortbread!























Or mint chocolate chip cookies (aka Grinch cookies)!




















Or cut out cookies!

So...need a little Christmas?  Spray the Pine-Sol (or, you know, get a real tree and real pine smell) and bake up some cookies!  You'll be feeling Christmasy in no time!

Merry Christmas to me!

I got a tree.

Yes, a Christmas tree.  A real one - for the first time in almost twenty years.

I had kinda given up on getting one, to be perfectly honest.  I figured because I was working so much that I just wasn't going to get to it this year.  But I was pleasantly surprised!

Monday night (when it was frozen tundra temperatures) I texted my best friend if she wanted to go get my tree that night.  She said no but that she was free Tuesday night.  So I thought, "What the hell?  I have nothing going on Tuesday night.  Let's go get a tree!"

Side note: no, it wasn't much warmer Tuesday night.

Anyway, we get to the tree lot.  I realize that A) I know nothing about trees and B) I have no stand for my tree.  Thankfully, the man at the lot couldn't have been nicer.  He helped me pick out a really nice tree (8 feet for $45!) and cut it to fit.

My best friend and I get to Meijer.  We scrounge around for lights and a stand.  They only had one.  And it's for trees no larger than 7 feet.  Weeellll....we'll just say a little prayer that it works.

We get back to my apartment, unload the tree and get it upstairs.  Smartly - we moved the furniture BEFORE the tree arrival.

Get it in the corner.





















Put on lights.






















Garland.





















Ornaments.

Ta-da!





















My FIRST Christmas tree!

Winter Driving

So, I drove out to my parents for dinner in the midst of a winter storm.  Watching the weather you would have believed that it was the storm to end all the storms.

Pfft.  Please, it was an awful lot of hullabaloo about nothing.  At least where we were at.  I mean, sure.  There was some blowing snow but as long as you use your brain (you know, the electric jelly located between your ears) it was fine.  Just don't go too fast and you'll make it to your destination all fine and dandy.

Having not driven in winter weather out to where my parents live - in the middle of cornfields - in quite some time I was a tad nervous if I would forget how to drive in the snow.  Honestly, this is one skill that I do not want to get rusty on.  Mostly because I figure that I would remember at some point while almost dying and pull the car over and listen to my heart pound in my ears...baBoombaBoombaBoombaBoom....

I am pleased to say, that it is like riding a bike!  Well, I'm sure it is if I could actually ride a bike.  But, I digress.  And that's another post for another day.  Short of a few rough patches, I made it out there alright.  Sure, I had to go about 35 on a 55 mph road...but in these conditions that's alright!

For those who don't drive out in the country during the winter all that often, roads can kind of be rated on how fast you can go:
55+ : Snow, what snow?
45 - 55: Eh, be a bit cautious, but you're alright
40 - 45: Okay, things are getting a bit dicey...just pay a little more attention
30 - 35: Roads are not great, but just keep both hands on the wheel and you're okay
20 - 25: Holy crap...radio off, cell phone silent, hands gripping the steering wheel with ninja grip
15 - 20: Mother of God...you're still allowed to drive in this?  Time to start singing "Jesus Take The Wheel"...
10 - 15:  Start praying.  Jesus, Buddha, Brahman....they're all your buddies now!
5 - 10: WHY ARE YOU DRIVING? Park the car, walk home.  It's not worth it.

Winter

I wanted to post this before I remembered exactly how much I hate winter.  Right now, it's still kind of novel and pretty.  That should all change promptly tomorrow when I leave for work.  The temperature is supposed to plummet and the winds are supposed to pick up.  Hooray.  But, before then, I want to at least acknowledge that some people do enjoy winter.

The white streaks are not an error (well, fine...maybe a "user" error).  It was snowing at a pretty good clip and my camera capture them this way.  I think it looks kind of cool. 

 I realize, that it may also look slightly "Narnia"-esque...

As I said - I am not one of them and never will be.  But, for a moment, it is kind of pretty.