From the Desert to the Prairie

Today, for the first time ever, I was unable to open the window of my car because it was frozen shut. There was too much ice, and the poor little motor in my window just couldn’t do it. Yes, folks, this is my first winter, and I don’t like it one bit. This whole season thing has taken me quite by surprise. To make it worse, it seems undeniable that this is one of the mildest winters in recent memory! What will I do when winter sets in for real?

Fall had its perks, but the short days, dreadful weather, and ice that stays in the shadows to surprise you when you slip on it are just are not fun! I hail from a place where there are two discernable seasons: hot and less hot, and right now is the wonderful, glorious, spectacular less-hot season in Phoenix—and Facebook posts keep reminding me that I am missing it. There are so many new things to deal with in this climate! The newish, often-challenging job at UIP is cake compared to the meteorological issues! Just off the top of my head, here is a list of things I’ve had to obtain since moving to Illinois that I’ve never had to own before, and most things on the list I never even realized other people had to buy.

Cuddl Duds

ear muffs

fur-lined boots

ice scraper

lawn waste bags

non-AZ driver’s license and plates

rake

snow shovel

yak traks

My feet haven’t even slipped into my comfy flip-flops in weeks, if not months, and it is such a strange adjustment! The cute, fashionable mittens that were always just right for riding my bike in the cool, December, Tempe air now don’t even cut it for a walk out to the car to scrape the ice of my windshield. I know I am lucky to be able to ease into winter with unseasonably reasonable weather this Champaign-Urbana winter, but, I must ask, when does winter end?