The Christmas season is officially upon us, and as I wander around this lovely city, I am filled with profound feelings of thanks, of brotherly (or sisterly) love, feelings which I can no longer hold inside of me. In order to release the karmic goodness I am feeling inside, I have composed several small love notes, in the hopes that the addressees may feel some small part of my love for them as it is released into the universe.
Dear #46 Bus Driver:
Thank you ever so much for always being late. The schedule says you come at 4:13; you almost never come before 4:20. This discrepancy in time always makes for a pleasant experience, because then I get to stand at the bus stop, reading my book, while the wind wends its whistling way through my jacket and scarf, until you show up. The one time I tried to wait a little longer before going out to wait, you came right on time! You sure got me then, you sneaky little devil! I had to sprint across the street in boots, but that was okay, because I could call it exercise. So thank you, #46 Bus Driver, for giving me the chance to shiver or sprint off those few extra calories every Tuesday and Wednesday. What would I do without you?
Lately Yours,
Claire
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear University Station LRT Boarders,
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for giving me a true "public transit" experience every time I ride up to campus. It makes me feel so loved and accepted, the way you all try to board the LRT before I step off - I feel like a real city girl now! I had always wondered what it would be like to be trampled by a herd of stampeding bovines - I now feel as though I have a pretty good grasp on how it feels, so thank you for giving me that life experience.
Yours from the Floor,
MatWoman (a.k.a. Claire)
P.S. - And I'm sorry about all the times I used my elbows as weapons to clear a path off the train - it was an involuntary reflex of my sudden-onset claustrophobia.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Weather,
I will never forget the kindness you have shown me this past week. I thought, after the -35 night we had, that you hated me. I know I didn't feel kindly toward you at all. The snow, the wind, the cold...it was just too much. I know you wanted to give me a true Canadian winter experience, but it was a bit harsh for a poor little Cali girl like me. Thank you for realizing that it was too much, too soon, and bringing the temperature back up to hover between 4 and -4. I promise, now that I know what true cold feels like, I won't complain (much) about the lovely days you keep giving me. Hugs and kisses if you can make it last until I go home!
Warmly Yours
Claire
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Cats,
You guys are the best pets ever! How did you know I wanted those earrings gone? I was thinking, "Gosh, I sure do hate these little cz studs that I wear all the time. If only they disappeared, I wouldn't feel like I had to wear them every other day," and you read my mind! Thank you for stealing them off my bedside table and using them as a play toy while I was downstairs - if I'd seen you take them, I might have felt obligated to stop you. I would only caution you - next time you steal my jewelry, make sure you dispose of it thoroughly - I found one earring and back at the foot of my bed. If I hadn't, I might never have known what happened to them!
Yours in Affection,
Claire
P.S. - Good job on hiding the other one, though - I have no idea where it went, and I've looked all over! You guys are good!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Honky-Tonk Ba-donk-a-donk,
Thank you for making pants shopping such a pain it the a- >a-hem<, bum. I love the way you make it so, if pants fit me around the waist, they're too tight in the front because you pull them back so far, and when I go up a size to accommodate you, they fall off the minute I sit down. It's been super fun trying to find pants that fit me properly and don't cost a boatload - impossible, actually! But I do love a challenge! So thanks for that!
Fittingly (or not) Yours,
Claire
P.S. - Sorry I keep trying to get rid of you. But good job hanging on, despite my twelve pounds of lost weight!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Wells Fargo Dimwit Banker Lady,
Thank you for cancelling my debit card when I called to tell you to take the purchase shield charges off my account. And thank you for lying to me and telling me it wouldn't take effect until I gave the submission go-ahead. The fact that you don't know your own company's policies regarding cancelling a service makes me feel all warm and snuggly inside, secure in the knowledge that you are part of the company that manages my money. Thank you for making it impossible for me to access the funds that my dad loaned me to see me through until I go home. It's nice to have money in the bank, with absolutely no way to get it! And tell your company thanks from me for taking their sweet time getting me a replacement card - it's made this past week really exciting!
Yours in Irritation,
Claire
P.S. - We'll talk more about those service charges later...
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Thursday 24 November 2011
Happy American Thanksgiving!
Okay, so I was going to title this "Happy American Thanksgiving, Yo!" for some nice symmetry with my Canadian Thanksgiving post, but I'm afraid some members of my family might take exception to that, so I refrained.
I have seen the month of thanks everyone is doing on Facebook, and it gave me the idea of doing 30 things I'm thankful for in one swell foop. So, in no particular order of importance, here are 30 things I am grateful for at this point in my life.
1. The Gospel (duh) - but really, nothing stretches you and makes you grow in your testimony than challenges and trials, and the past three months I've had many of them. I have gained a deeper appreciation for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, the scriptures, President Monson, my local bishopric, and the power of prayer. I hope the lessons stick.
2. My family - here and at home. I miss my family back home a lot, but the separation from them has been eased by the family I have up here - particularly Aunt Cath and Auntie Li and Uncle Walt. I'm thankful for the chance I have to get closer to them, and how they take good care of me. And my parents are rock stars, because at 28 I should be on my own and independent, but they continue to help me out in many different ways instead of telling me to grow up already. Love them! Also my siblings - we actually all like each other and like hanging out together, which is awesome! And JD will be home when I get there! Woo-hoo!
3. My Land's End down stuffed jacket that's good to -35F. It was -35C over the weekend - which translates to -31F. I needed that sucker.
4. Starbuck's peppermint hot cocoa. Try it. Love it. Crave it.
5. My agreeable, fuzzy heating pads who only occasionally try to kill me on the stairs. Really, for cats, they are very chill, more like dogs.
6. Facebook. Laugh all you want, but that has become my free, direct line to knowing what's going on in people's lives back home, so I can make snarky comments on it. Also, it's a great workaround for the international texting limit on my cell phone.
7. My Es-cah-pay. Fords are awesome, and my car is handling the cold like a champ. I've outfitted her for it, but the -35C night happened before I got a block heater, and she started up anyway. Good little car.
8. The Walking Dead. One of the few shows that's managed to keep my attention.
9. CouchTuner free online TV. All caught up on Psych and The Vampire Diaries - for free!
10. Nice girls at church. They make all the difference.
11. My calling. I play for the ward choir now (it's like deja vu all over again...).
12. Supportive professors. I've heard horror stories of evil and heartless university professors, but so far I haven't had one. That could change...
13. Ian Somerhalder and Wentworth Miller. Their beauty just makes the world a better place.
14. Mahjohng titans.
15. The military. I went to a Remembrance Day (that's Veterans' Day for the Yanks) ceremony at the Butterdome a couple of weeks ago. Five minutes in and I was a snorfling mess. They had vets from every conflict from World War II and up to the present. It was very touching, and I think sometimes as Americans we forget that Canada has our back in war, but I was forcibly reminded of that fact, and I am grateful to ALL the vets in BOTH countries who have served to defend my freedoms.
16. My boots. They're pretty. They keep my feet warm. I just like them!
17. Wonderful classmates who have become my friends, and have a lot of support, advice, and encouragement to offer. Most of them are PhD students, so they know the ins and outs of Master's Degrees, and they are free with their wisdom. And we all have good therapy venting sessions together.
18. Choir opportunities. I get to sing in a Messiah choir this year. How cool is that?
19. Bonding opportunities provided by video game playing. Mock if you will, I'm stoked that my CoD crew will all be together when I get home.
20. Public transit. I walk out my door, across the street, and up three houses. I get on the bus, ride for five minutes, get off the bus, walk across the street, board the LRT, ride it for fifteen minutes, get off, walk up and out, and about fifty feet to my building. Don't have to worry about parking, traffic, snowy roads, none of it.
21. Mobile technology - it's given me the foundation for my Master's project.
22. My hair is finally long enough to style curly, and my fauxllet is less noticeable.
23. Contact lenses. My eyesight is so bad, my glasses are practically coke-bottle thickness. Thankfully, I have eyes that will accept contact lenses.
24. Books. Do I need to explain?
25. Music. (See above.)
26. Pepperoni pizza. One of mankind's greatest innovations.
27. Indoor heating. Once again, -35C over the weekend. How people survived up here BEFORE indoor heating, I do not know. I'm just grateful I wasn't one of them.
28. M is almost done renovating the basement. Hallelujah!
29. SnorgTees and their awesome t-shirt designs. I have them as a scrolling background on my lappy, and watching them during class makes the time go by faster - and provides entertainment for those sitting nearby. It's the little things.
30. I get to go home for Christmas - 2 1/2 more weeks!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
I have seen the month of thanks everyone is doing on Facebook, and it gave me the idea of doing 30 things I'm thankful for in one swell foop. So, in no particular order of importance, here are 30 things I am grateful for at this point in my life.
1. The Gospel (duh) - but really, nothing stretches you and makes you grow in your testimony than challenges and trials, and the past three months I've had many of them. I have gained a deeper appreciation for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, the scriptures, President Monson, my local bishopric, and the power of prayer. I hope the lessons stick.
2. My family - here and at home. I miss my family back home a lot, but the separation from them has been eased by the family I have up here - particularly Aunt Cath and Auntie Li and Uncle Walt. I'm thankful for the chance I have to get closer to them, and how they take good care of me. And my parents are rock stars, because at 28 I should be on my own and independent, but they continue to help me out in many different ways instead of telling me to grow up already. Love them! Also my siblings - we actually all like each other and like hanging out together, which is awesome! And JD will be home when I get there! Woo-hoo!
3. My Land's End down stuffed jacket that's good to -35F. It was -35C over the weekend - which translates to -31F. I needed that sucker.
4. Starbuck's peppermint hot cocoa. Try it. Love it. Crave it.
5. My agreeable, fuzzy heating pads who only occasionally try to kill me on the stairs. Really, for cats, they are very chill, more like dogs.
6. Facebook. Laugh all you want, but that has become my free, direct line to knowing what's going on in people's lives back home, so I can make snarky comments on it. Also, it's a great workaround for the international texting limit on my cell phone.
7. My Es-cah-pay. Fords are awesome, and my car is handling the cold like a champ. I've outfitted her for it, but the -35C night happened before I got a block heater, and she started up anyway. Good little car.
8. The Walking Dead. One of the few shows that's managed to keep my attention.
9. CouchTuner free online TV. All caught up on Psych and The Vampire Diaries - for free!
10. Nice girls at church. They make all the difference.
11. My calling. I play for the ward choir now (it's like deja vu all over again...).
12. Supportive professors. I've heard horror stories of evil and heartless university professors, but so far I haven't had one. That could change...
13. Ian Somerhalder and Wentworth Miller. Their beauty just makes the world a better place.
14. Mahjohng titans.
15. The military. I went to a Remembrance Day (that's Veterans' Day for the Yanks) ceremony at the Butterdome a couple of weeks ago. Five minutes in and I was a snorfling mess. They had vets from every conflict from World War II and up to the present. It was very touching, and I think sometimes as Americans we forget that Canada has our back in war, but I was forcibly reminded of that fact, and I am grateful to ALL the vets in BOTH countries who have served to defend my freedoms.
16. My boots. They're pretty. They keep my feet warm. I just like them!
17. Wonderful classmates who have become my friends, and have a lot of support, advice, and encouragement to offer. Most of them are PhD students, so they know the ins and outs of Master's Degrees, and they are free with their wisdom. And we all have good therapy venting sessions together.
18. Choir opportunities. I get to sing in a Messiah choir this year. How cool is that?
19. Bonding opportunities provided by video game playing. Mock if you will, I'm stoked that my CoD crew will all be together when I get home.
20. Public transit. I walk out my door, across the street, and up three houses. I get on the bus, ride for five minutes, get off the bus, walk across the street, board the LRT, ride it for fifteen minutes, get off, walk up and out, and about fifty feet to my building. Don't have to worry about parking, traffic, snowy roads, none of it.
21. Mobile technology - it's given me the foundation for my Master's project.
22. My hair is finally long enough to style curly, and my fauxllet is less noticeable.
23. Contact lenses. My eyesight is so bad, my glasses are practically coke-bottle thickness. Thankfully, I have eyes that will accept contact lenses.
24. Books. Do I need to explain?
25. Music. (See above.)
26. Pepperoni pizza. One of mankind's greatest innovations.
27. Indoor heating. Once again, -35C over the weekend. How people survived up here BEFORE indoor heating, I do not know. I'm just grateful I wasn't one of them.
28. M is almost done renovating the basement. Hallelujah!
29. SnorgTees and their awesome t-shirt designs. I have them as a scrolling background on my lappy, and watching them during class makes the time go by faster - and provides entertainment for those sitting nearby. It's the little things.
30. I get to go home for Christmas - 2 1/2 more weeks!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
Friday 18 November 2011
Crazy Cat Lady
Today as I was sitting down to read my book, I politely inquired of Gus whether he would like to be my lap cat for the evening (he did). As he got comfortable, the variably-named-little-girl cat (no name has stuck so far) jumped up, and I informed her that, while she was welcome to sit on my lap, it was Gus' turn for pats, so she had to wait. Upon reflecting for a moment that I had just spoken to both of my cats with more civility than I normally afford actual human beings, I realized something.
I am becoming the crazy cat lady.
You know the one. She's the nice lady who lives down the street, gives out lots of candy on Halloween, doesn't have children (or they're grown), who starts off with a couple of cats she refers to as her children, speaks to them like they actually understand her, talks about them for hours with anyone who will listen, has all sorts of photos of her cats...next thing you know, she's hoarding feral cats, living in a bath robe and slippers, and refusing to answer the door because one of her babies might escape.
While I haven't quite descended that far into madness, I have come to realize that I fulfill a good portion of the criteria:
1. I gave out handfuls of candy at Halloween - we had a lot, and there weren't a lot of kids out that night, I was trying to get rid of it.
2. I have no children...yet...
3. I spend most of my days, not in a bathrobe, but in my sweats and slippers (it's cold here).
4. I have to be very careful answering the door, because the cats are convinced that outside is a veritable Xanadu of wonders and delights, and Gus has already escaped 3 times (just to the porch, but still...)
5. I can talk about the cats for a long time..."They're so cute! And they love to snuggle! And they're so funny! And they hardly ever meow!...."
6. I speak to the cats as though they understand me - "I'm going downstairs now, want to come?" "I could use a lap cat right now, are you interested?" "Please refrain from sticking your claws in my pants, thankyouverymuch" etc, etc.
7. I have a LOT of pictures of my cats. I doesn't help that my cell phone has a good camera on it, because when I see the cats in a funny position, or looking particularly adorable, I have to document it. Now, I'm going to share them with you. Enjoy!
I am becoming the crazy cat lady.
You know the one. She's the nice lady who lives down the street, gives out lots of candy on Halloween, doesn't have children (or they're grown), who starts off with a couple of cats she refers to as her children, speaks to them like they actually understand her, talks about them for hours with anyone who will listen, has all sorts of photos of her cats...next thing you know, she's hoarding feral cats, living in a bath robe and slippers, and refusing to answer the door because one of her babies might escape.
While I haven't quite descended that far into madness, I have come to realize that I fulfill a good portion of the criteria:
1. I gave out handfuls of candy at Halloween - we had a lot, and there weren't a lot of kids out that night, I was trying to get rid of it.
2. I have no children...yet...
3. I spend most of my days, not in a bathrobe, but in my sweats and slippers (it's cold here).
4. I have to be very careful answering the door, because the cats are convinced that outside is a veritable Xanadu of wonders and delights, and Gus has already escaped 3 times (just to the porch, but still...)
5. I can talk about the cats for a long time..."They're so cute! And they love to snuggle! And they're so funny! And they hardly ever meow!...."
6. I speak to the cats as though they understand me - "I'm going downstairs now, want to come?" "I could use a lap cat right now, are you interested?" "Please refrain from sticking your claws in my pants, thankyouverymuch" etc, etc.
7. I have a LOT of pictures of my cats. I doesn't help that my cell phone has a good camera on it, because when I see the cats in a funny position, or looking particularly adorable, I have to document it. Now, I'm going to share them with you. Enjoy!
A lap full of cuteness...until they start fighting.
Even the variably named little girl cat knows General Conference is important (this was the first day we had them, too).
I don't understand the fascination with the tub...but they only want to get in right after someones gotten out, and it's all wet...I thought cats hated water?
If they're not at my door, they're at Cathie's.
Preferred perch atop the piano.
They REEEEEEALLY want to go outside...
Okay, the angle stinks here, but Gus is drunk-slumped against the wall, sound asleep. You'll notice his hind leg is falling off the step.
Aww, sleepy kitties are so CUTE! Especially when they make little smacking noises like they're nursing!
I don't have a cat, I have a fur rug that occasionally moves of its own volition.
Maybe it's the enclosed space she likes?
I was not the only one concerned about yesterday's snowfall.
I kid you not, this is her preferred holding position. I try to hold her normally, and she flips upside down and stretches out. I tuck her up under my arm in a football carry, and she just hangs, totally relaxed, until I put her down. I don't get it.
It doesn't help that, until I get my citizenship, I have no job, and lots of free time. I spend a lot of time at home, with the cats. And they are sweet cats, very personable but quiet - they seriously hardly ever meow at all, highly unusual, and still spend a good deal of time sleeping, which they are happy to do on your lap or feet, if you need a mini heater. But I'm starting to wonder if all this quality cat time is slowly driving me insane...
Now if you'll excuse me, the variably named little girl cat is requesting some snuggle time.
Alright, Fine, O-KAY!!
I realize it's been a while since my last post - nearly a month - and I can only plead excessive schoolwork and poor time-management on my part. I'll try to be better, but don't hold your breath.
A little FYI: typing up a literature review on Halloween night - very stupid. Stupid, stupid Claire, with the bad planning and everything, and of course, just as I get a good rhythm going...trick-or-treaters. POOR PLANNING! Anyway...
I've tried to hold off writing this post. It's been rolling around my brain for about a week, but I didn't want to admit weakness. I tried to be strong, to not whine, to have a stiff upper lip and all that...but I can no longer deny the truth.
I'm freezing up here.
What, you didn't hear that?
I'm freezing up here.
C'mon, you must have heard that!
Alright! Fine! O-KAY! I'M FREEZING UP HERE!!! You were all RIGHT, and I am a WUSS, and silly for coming up here in the winter, and I will proclaim it loudly to all and sundry that I was dumb, just make December 12th get here so I can come home and thaw!!!
In other news, it is currently -14 C outside (that's 6 F for you Yanks), and the projected high for tomorrow is -18 C with a low of -29 C (that would be 0 and -20 F). Did I mention it's been snowing all day? Because it has. Lots and lots of snow - except according to Cathie, this isn't that much snow. It seems like a lot to me. This is on top of the light dustings of snow we got last week that did not melt AT ALL, so the new snow is just piling on top. I supposed I should be grateful it's powdery dry snow, but I'm not quite to that place emotionally yet. I was lying awake at about 7:30 this A.M., debating whether I was ready to get up, or sleepy enough to roll back over and doze off, when my dear sweet friend J, who delivers papers, felt the need to inform me that it was going to snow all day, and have really bad wind, a message he concluded with "So prepare for winter in Edmonton!". I don't think it's possible to fully prepare for Edmonton winter, not for this CA girl, at least. Oh, I've got snow tires (thanks, Uncle Walt!), and an appointment for a block heater for my car, and a parka good to -35 F (thanks, Aunti Li for telling me to get one, and thanks, Daddy, for buying it!). I even have TWO pairs of boots, my Uggs from UT (thanks, Mum!) and my birthday boots (thanks, Cath!). I have scarves, and mittens, and gloves, and even a couple of beanies (thanks, Michael, for letting me steal one of the Army beanies Eric gave you!). So physically, I am prepared. It's the whole mental/emotional area where I am unprepared. Seriously, I don't think it's really possible. It's worse when you're told that the REAL cold comes AFTER the snow...I dimly recall some of that from my BYU days, but it wasn't cold on this level, not really.
It's really, really cold here. Did I mention that?
Also, the dry powdery snow that seems to be standard fare here is different from what I am used to in UT. The snow in Provo wasn't super wet, but it was wetter than here, it melted fairly quickly, and I never had trouble telling the difference between the road and the sidewalk there. Here, everything's just WHITE, and you have to be very careful to drive where you see tire tracks, because odds are that's the road, but on some side streets it's touch and go because there's little traffic, and the snow fills in the tire tracks quickly, which wouldn't matter if the sidewalks were all raised up high like back home...but they're NOT. I went visiting teaching tonight...and I drove. It was an adventure, thankfully not one that involved damage to objects, but it was close.
Also, I'm cold. In case you were wondering.
But I think I figured out why everyone drinks coffee at U of A, or at least a factor of it. Starbucks cups are not well insulated, and even with the cardboard slipcovers, your hands heat up fast. So if you forget your gloves, or don't want to mess with them, you can pick up a nice hot coffee and get a handwarmer! I know this because I discovered Starbucks' peppermint hot chocolate, which is almost nuclear when I get it, and I figure the coffee is of a similar temperature. I am fast becoming addicted to it, it's so yummy, and I not only get a handwarmer, but I blend in and disappear, fitting in so comfortably with the college crowd that I feel like an undercover spy, because I, too, have a Starbucks cup in my hands.
I think the cold may be affecting my brain. I told you it's cold here, right? Like, freezing? Actually, technically, below freezing? Because it is. Thought I should mention it.
It's so cold here, I've actually broken my cardinal rule of never allowing the cats to sleep on my bed, because when they do, they make it nice and warm, and then I kick them out right before climbing under the covers. I draw the line at allowing them to sleep in here all night, but I will shamelessly exploit them for heating-pad purposes. Because it's cold.
Need proof? These pictures show the same creek, less than a month apart.
A little FYI: typing up a literature review on Halloween night - very stupid. Stupid, stupid Claire, with the bad planning and everything, and of course, just as I get a good rhythm going...trick-or-treaters. POOR PLANNING! Anyway...
I've tried to hold off writing this post. It's been rolling around my brain for about a week, but I didn't want to admit weakness. I tried to be strong, to not whine, to have a stiff upper lip and all that...but I can no longer deny the truth.
I'm freezing up here.
What, you didn't hear that?
I'm freezing up here.
C'mon, you must have heard that!
Alright! Fine! O-KAY! I'M FREEZING UP HERE!!! You were all RIGHT, and I am a WUSS, and silly for coming up here in the winter, and I will proclaim it loudly to all and sundry that I was dumb, just make December 12th get here so I can come home and thaw!!!
In other news, it is currently -14 C outside (that's 6 F for you Yanks), and the projected high for tomorrow is -18 C with a low of -29 C (that would be 0 and -20 F). Did I mention it's been snowing all day? Because it has. Lots and lots of snow - except according to Cathie, this isn't that much snow. It seems like a lot to me. This is on top of the light dustings of snow we got last week that did not melt AT ALL, so the new snow is just piling on top. I supposed I should be grateful it's powdery dry snow, but I'm not quite to that place emotionally yet. I was lying awake at about 7:30 this A.M., debating whether I was ready to get up, or sleepy enough to roll back over and doze off, when my dear sweet friend J, who delivers papers, felt the need to inform me that it was going to snow all day, and have really bad wind, a message he concluded with "So prepare for winter in Edmonton!". I don't think it's possible to fully prepare for Edmonton winter, not for this CA girl, at least. Oh, I've got snow tires (thanks, Uncle Walt!), and an appointment for a block heater for my car, and a parka good to -35 F (thanks, Aunti Li for telling me to get one, and thanks, Daddy, for buying it!). I even have TWO pairs of boots, my Uggs from UT (thanks, Mum!) and my birthday boots (thanks, Cath!). I have scarves, and mittens, and gloves, and even a couple of beanies (thanks, Michael, for letting me steal one of the Army beanies Eric gave you!). So physically, I am prepared. It's the whole mental/emotional area where I am unprepared. Seriously, I don't think it's really possible. It's worse when you're told that the REAL cold comes AFTER the snow...I dimly recall some of that from my BYU days, but it wasn't cold on this level, not really.
It's really, really cold here. Did I mention that?
Also, the dry powdery snow that seems to be standard fare here is different from what I am used to in UT. The snow in Provo wasn't super wet, but it was wetter than here, it melted fairly quickly, and I never had trouble telling the difference between the road and the sidewalk there. Here, everything's just WHITE, and you have to be very careful to drive where you see tire tracks, because odds are that's the road, but on some side streets it's touch and go because there's little traffic, and the snow fills in the tire tracks quickly, which wouldn't matter if the sidewalks were all raised up high like back home...but they're NOT. I went visiting teaching tonight...and I drove. It was an adventure, thankfully not one that involved damage to objects, but it was close.
Also, I'm cold. In case you were wondering.
But I think I figured out why everyone drinks coffee at U of A, or at least a factor of it. Starbucks cups are not well insulated, and even with the cardboard slipcovers, your hands heat up fast. So if you forget your gloves, or don't want to mess with them, you can pick up a nice hot coffee and get a handwarmer! I know this because I discovered Starbucks' peppermint hot chocolate, which is almost nuclear when I get it, and I figure the coffee is of a similar temperature. I am fast becoming addicted to it, it's so yummy, and I not only get a handwarmer, but I blend in and disappear, fitting in so comfortably with the college crowd that I feel like an undercover spy, because I, too, have a Starbucks cup in my hands.
I think the cold may be affecting my brain. I told you it's cold here, right? Like, freezing? Actually, technically, below freezing? Because it is. Thought I should mention it.
It's so cold here, I've actually broken my cardinal rule of never allowing the cats to sleep on my bed, because when they do, they make it nice and warm, and then I kick them out right before climbing under the covers. I draw the line at allowing them to sleep in here all night, but I will shamelessly exploit them for heating-pad purposes. Because it's cold.
Need proof? These pictures show the same creek, less than a month apart.
This is October 17, 2011
This is November 14, 2011, and does not show all the snow we got today.
And finally, the view from my window this morning, at the start of the barrage...
and now...
you'll notice my parking place is completely gone now.
Aaand, it's still snowing...>SIIIIIGGGHHHH< it's gonna be a long, looooonnnnnggggg, LOOOOOOOOOONNNGGGG winter................>sniffle<
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