I know I've gone on and on in my last few blogs about how mild this winter has been in Minnesota, but it just becomes more and more ridiculous the further into winter we are. For instance, today- February 6th- the temperature is projected to reach 36 degrees. This winter (even throughout the entire month of January) has been able to stay above freezing frequently enough for there to be zero snow on the ground. Not that we've had much snow, anyway. I wouldn't be able to actually give you an exact average temperature for Minnesota in the month of January, but when the month is approaching I usually brace myself for below zero temperatures for weeks at a time. There were days this last month where people went outside without coats. It's been strange.
It has been difficult to check the winter activities off my bucket list, but I finally was able to find a cold enough stretch in winter for the ice to be frozen enough to go skating. Funny enough, the next week the ice turned to puddles. I'm definitely not complaining, it's just strange. I put most of these things on my bucket list to help me get through winter, but there has barely been any winter to
"get through." This was the last thing on my list that requires cold weather, so it can hurry up and be spring when I get back from the vacation I'm taking the next couple of weeks. :)
Last year, Brian told me that I could stay inside all winter, but I was required to spend one day outside with him skating. I didn't even want to do that-- last winter was so brutal that I just wanted to curl up by the fireplace until it was over. But eventually, he convinced me, and he brought me to Centennial Lakes-- a cute little park in Edina. And, surprisingly, I really enjoyed myself. I used to like skating back in elementary school, and it was kind of fun to try it again. Brian has been in hockey for years, so he skated laps around me, but a few times he took my hands and sped across the lake with me while I attempted to not fall over. It was pretty fun.
I kind of envisioned this year would be similar. My sister told me that she really wanted to do this with me, so I invited her over for a girls' sleepover on Friday, and then we met Brian in Edina. And it was a pretty similar experience. The ice was perfect. We skated around dusk, so we were there while the sun was up, and left right after they turned all the Christmas lights on. It was very pretty.
Amy hasn't skated much either, so she and I kind of shuffled our way across, while Brian skated laps around the entire lake. Eventually he grabbed onto both of us and dragged us to the other side. :)
There isn't much to say beyond that. I really enjoy spending time with my sister-- I definitely don't get to see her enough anymore. The three of us ended up getting frozen yogurt together afterwards. Yes, frozen yogurt, not hot chocolate. The natural choice after freezing outside for an hour or so. If you've ever been to Menchie's though, I'm sure you would understanding how addictive it is under any circumstance.
I have to say, if every winter in Minnesota could be like this one, I would definitely not be upset about it. I don't exactly enjoy cold weather. But it's good for me to find activities like this that I actually enjoy, because eventually we will have winter in Minnesota. It's inevitable. And, when it does come, I at least have one thing I can look forward to. :)
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