How Cold Is It going to Get???

Someone asked me the other day how I liked North Dakota weather or the winter now.  Well, all I can do now is just grin and bear it and imagine the warmth of spring, if there is actually a spring. 

What's funny, or ironic if you will, is when Jay and I sat down over a year ago and evaluated the different regions in the ELCA we selected this region.  In December of 2008, Jay had to submit his paperwork for assignment after graduation.  Yes, six months before his graduation, he had to submit paperwork, 20+ pages with detailed questions, that inquired about his gifts, his expectations, what type of ministry he felt called to, and where in the country he preferred to go. 

Now, we were informed the paperwork was a tool to help place him where his gifts, talents, and called ministry could be beneficially used and there was NO guarantee that we would get our first or, for that matter, any of our preferences.  As we evaluated each region, we weighed various things.  I'll be honest there were several variables that we looked at, which included, homeschool laws/regulations, location/distance to my family, cost of living, and compensation - have to be able to survive. 

Believe it or not, region 3 was our 1st preference.  Yes, we preferenced the region which includes North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota.  But prior to putting it on paper, we looked at all regions and narrowed it down quickly to three areas/regions we thought our family would like to live.  One region we preferenced included the fine state, way north, Alaska.  Now you have to understand, within the region we could preference none or up to three synods.  We talked about how cool, really, it would be to live in Alaska and we contemplated ranking the Alalskan synod. 

I have to say, after a few weeks in North Dakota's bitter cold, living in the "freezer" if you will, I am so glad that the other variables outweighed on the cons list for Alaska that we didn't actually preference that state because the novelity of living in Alaska would have worn off really quickly after a few days in the negatives. 

Which brings me to my current feelings about North Dakota weather.  I have to say, I am not one that enjoys the hot humid summers that the south offers - I've lived in Orlando in the midst of summer, NO thank you.  You can only strip down so far - can't run around in your birthday suit, plus no one wants to see me in anything revealing - trust me!!  Well, the midwest has two strikes against it - the hot humid sweltering summers and the wet snow and ice conditions of the frigid winters.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know . . . the winter weather in ND, SD, and MN makes the news for snowfall, blizzards, and frigid temps.  BUT ND and SD don't have the humidity that makes the summers uncomfortable and the snow wet and the air uncomfortable.  So what were we thinking???  At least that is what we were thinking.

Since we've been here, ND has had record highs in September, below average temps in October, average temps in November, below average in December, and so far in January below average and possible record breaking lows. 

As I sit and type this post, it is -16, yes, 16 below zero, air temp and with the windchill it is -31.  Now tonight, the actual air temp is suppose to be -31, that is 31 degrees below zero BEFORE the windchill is factored in!  HOLY CRAP, that is cold!! 

We did get another 6.3" of snow yesterday - sorry no pictures, snow is snow and they all look the same.  That's not such a big deal.  Snow is snow; however, with the high wind gusts the snow doesn't stay in one place, it blows and drifts.  So it makes driving difficult, at least in our subdevelopement in the rural area and in the country.  I can't imagine what the country roads are like in the plains or where the country is more open.  At least in our subdivision, there are some hills to help displace some of the wind, but maybe that is what makes it bad, too.  Some of the drifts on our road are 2-3 feet deep.  That doesn't sound like much, but when you don't have a four-wheel drive vehicle it makes it difficult to get in and out. 

As of this morning, I have to officially say, I am NOT a fan of North Dakota winters.  Upon leaving to go out and deliver papers this morning, my van was frozen to the garage floor.  Seriously, it took over 10 minutes, chipping at the ice on the garage floor, to get the van unstuck.  Then there were the huge drifts to pass through to get to the main road.  Once in town delivering was fine, it was just getting there.  All the roads in Lincoln were plowed and cleared.  Then returning home, instead of traveling downhill through the huge drift, the vehicle had to go uphill through the drift.  Let's just say it didn't happen the first attempt or the second.  After getting stuck and digging out TWICE, while a neighbor drove pass and offered no assistance, it only took us twenty minutes to get from the main road to the house (on a clear day it only takes a couple of minutes to climb the hill).

Oh one last thing.  I'm really surprised more people don't homeschool out here because of the winter weather.  This morning on the radio, the announcer was talking about what roads and which areas were on a "No Travel Advisory" he would rattle off some town names and then say Bismarck north, more town names, Bismarck south, more town names, Bismarck west, more town names, Bismarck central, Bismarck metro, more town names, and Bismarck east, blah, blah, blah.  Come on - can't you just say BISMARCK and leave it at that .  Then none of the schools are closed or delayed, they are starting on time, but the rural buses are either running 1-2 hours late or not running at all. 

Okay, so there is basically a "no travel advisory" for all of Bismarck but school is still in session.  Mandan has no buses running, but school is starting on time.  Definitely a different approach than what we are accustomed to.  Maybe after a few years and a couple of North Dakota winters under our belt it will make sense.  I'm also thinking a four-wheeled drive vehicle (if I win the lottery).