Step 8. Winterize. Or at least try.

Friday: 18 degrees.

Sunday: 10 degrees.

Monday: 7 degrees.

Thursday: 4 degrees.

Saturday: 0 degrees.

Tuesday: -3 degrees.

And so it begins. Hark, the long, long winter of our discontent.

It is hard to take pictures of the temperature. How do I show you the dry, crisp air? How do I convey the new wonders of having to scrape ice from my window? Of having to run the car for 10 minutes before driving? Of playing outdoor soccer in 0 degrees in a t-shirt, shorts, and neoprene leggings? Well, granted, I could have taken a picture of that last one. Rather, though, I have an amazing picture of they mythical ice buffalo, harbinger of winter. I captured this elusive beast on film outside of the local college, a few DAYS after a banquet:

That's right- days. The beasts local habitat is now cold enough for the ice beast. Even though we have yet to have a covering of it, the snow is starting up in earnest, coming out to give a sprinkle every few days. This picture doesn't quite capture the blizzard like conditions, but it's more snow then you'll be seeing in Vic any time soon. My hands are getting all cracked and dry from being outside in this weather.

Even though we have yet to have a covering of it, the snow is starting up in earnest, coming out to give a sprinkle every few days. This picture doesn't quite capture the blizzard like conditions, but it's more snow then you'll be seeing in Vic any time soon. My hands are getting all cracked and dry from being outside in this weather.

Uncertain of how my truck will hold up in the weather, I have been trying to make sure that the both of us are ready for whatever is coming. I decided to try taking the bus so I was familiar with the service in case the roads were too scary for me one day. Taking the bus was fine. But, because I'm an idiot, didn't think that showering before I headed out into -2 degree weather was a bad idea. My hair froze into little brown icicles while I stood on the side of the road, completely unprotected from the wind.

And that was just -2! Wait till is is -40! Yesterday was my first day of actually wondering how I plan on lasting 6 months of snow; I sang Christmas carols to myself till I felt better. I took my truck in to have winter fluids put in, but they didn't have the shop time they thought they would, so I drove home dejected. I was supposed to have my automatic start put in this week, but that fell through too.

I am trying to winterize myself, too. In the last week I have bought all kinds of winter stuff. I got a windshield scraper, fleece gloves, and 5 pairs of wool socks! And check out this sweet ninja balaclava, which I did NOT buy:

This whole post was going to be about getting my vehicle done, and that did not happen. And I failed to take any pictures of the many many social things I did recently, like friends over for a movie, a great local research conference, outdoor soccer. But hey, here is one of the Halloween Party for women I went to. Notice that I did not carve a pumpkin- I don't agree with pumpkin murder, with creeping into the pumpkin's home and taking it's life and then pulling out it's guts and cutting it up. That, and I didn't want to get my hands cold.

So yeah, this blog is a bit hit and miss. Sometimes you get to see dead animals, other time nothing in my week goes according to plan. So there. I am headed out of town for 2 weeks now, to go hunting in BC. I'll post you later!