Marching On.

Terrible pun. I know. But it seems appropriate now that I can (almost) officially say that I have survived my first "real" winter. The snow is melting quickly. Grass is starting to reappear and we've even seen the sun for a few days. Things like "above freezing" have driven me to wear shorts and flip-flops. They say March is deceptive because often times the sun comes out for a while, the snow melts and it seems like spring has finally arrived. Then the freak snow storm hits. Blizzards in April. That's not cool. I'm hoping for the best but bracing for the worst. My snow shoes are still easily accessible. Just in cases.

Winter actually wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. It helped that LOST returned to television a few weeks ago. AND I have had quite the slough of visitors over the last couple of months. You know that people who will brave arctic conditions to pay a visit really love you. Jason came out at the end of January and we went WAY up north to cheer on our friend, Ray Sanchez, as he completed the ridiculous Arrowhead Ultrathon. Who the heck runs 135 miles in Minnesota? In January. He finished though. And then started making plans for next year. And Jason had his first experience with cold temperatures that can actually kill you. I would tell you what he said about the cold the moment he felt that first blast of breath-taking air...but I'm trying to keep things kid friendly around here.

Marie was here last week. My southern goddess celebrated the second anniversary of her 29th birthday in the frozen tundra. I introduced her to Paul Bunyan. His Ox. She got to harass Chad for a few days. And she got to meet Kara. I have to say that having my southern "person" spend time with my northern "person" was a little scary. There is potential scheming there that I'm not sure I'm comfortable with...I might be too much of a control freak for that.

Ryan and Ben and the girls were here for a few days. Laney is getting big. Buggy is so old. And she loves her Auntie Nels. Sometimes I find it rather hilarious that I'm the one living in Minnesota and Ryan managed to stay put 0n the west coast. It's probably better that way. I miss her terribly, but I don't think Brainerd is ready for the Nels and Ry show. That can only end in someone being incarcerated (probably me) and what could only make a genius script for a made-for-TV movie.

Anyway...there's the recap for the last several weeks of freezing temperatures. It's 36 degrees today. And climbing. Remember a few months ago when I was whining about how COLD is was when it was in the thirties? It's amazing how a few weeks of negative temperatures can completely overhaul perception. I'm afraid to go home in the summer...I might actually melt. And...it appears I might have become an actual Minnesotan.

Well...not according to my driver's license. I'll hold out on that as long as I can.