Winter wonderland

Last night the wind had been rattling the windows when I went to bed, and I knew it was a bit on the chilly side in my apartment when I got up this morning, but I wasn't prepared for the weather report I heard when I flipped on the radio after getting out of the shower: sunny--and six degrees.

Even when you live in Minneapolis, that's cold.

I'd forgotten quite how cold, though. My scarf was almost an afterthought; I was wearing my high-necked snowboarding jacket over a wool turtleneck over a long-sleeved T-shirt over a tank top, after all. Still, I grabbed it and wrapped it over my earflap hat as I headed out the door. I was repeatedly thankful I had; it froze to my face on the ride, but as least protected my skin. My hands, even in my huge mittens, suffered the most. They began aching after about 10 minutes, and by the time I reached Cedar, the pain was shooting up my forearms. Even once I got inside at school, it was a good 10 minutes before my hands stopped hurting.

But then, on the ride home, I was fine. I don't know if it was the nine degrees the temperature had risen (up to 15°!), the fact that I'd gotten nice and toasty in the grad office before setting out, or the fact that I was riding more slowly, but I'd call the experience "bracing" as contrasted with this morning's "brutal."

I think I need better mittens. I'm thinking molded plastic.