L'hiver.

Winter is finally upon us, mes amis. 


And yesterday was particularly magical. And I felt like I wanted to describe it in detail because, well, I haven't done that in a while. And I enjoyed it so very much.




I shlumped up in bed a little after seven. Our room faintly glowed with that cold morning light that strains to penetrate clouds and window treatments. I shoved my fingers through the venetian blinds, bending the plastic slats to peer out into the neighborhood with bleary eyes. The sky sagged low with deep gray clouds, sprinkling the earth with dusty flurries.


When your days starts out as cozy as this...it usually means it is going to be pretty magical.


I stumbled out into the kitchen to start the kettle, and begin warming up mini Eggo pancakes with maple syrup. I'm not much of a frozen food person, but when life requires it, at least I like frozen breakfast food alright. It's nicer than waking up to a handful of cereal or cold pizza, or something.


Eventually I was dressed,had a travel mug of hot tea in my hand, and was locking up our apartment door. I stepped out into the snowy morning, feeling all snuggly and prepared in my wool coat and lovely knit cowl my sister made me last year. The sun was attempting to make an appearance at the edge of the thick clouds, but only managed to show off a sliver of pink sky off in the distance. With snowflakes dancing around me, and a favorite winter song playing on my iPod, I tromped through the snow over to the bus stop.


By eight, I was in McDonalds in Dinkytown, waiting with one of my coworkers for our carpool to arrive. And then, it was off to work. My coworkers enjoy listening to the Dave Ryan morning show on KDWB every time we drive, which isn't a bad thing, and is usually interesting. But my brain was awash with music, and I tried to concentrate on the lovely songs in my head as we drove, rather than hear about some guessing game they were playing at the radio station to win Lady Antebellum tickets.


Work was fun, as usual. Jazzy was super giggly today, and we had a grand ol' time talking about the colors we saw in our books and in the hallway were we work. Jonathan was a bit of a handful, but I had to give him a little grace. He informed me that his parents had been yelling a lot, and that he shouldn't be excited for Christmas because his dad was mad. I couldn't quite follow the string of events, but I can see why things like that could really disrupt a kindergartner's psyche.


We left after a very positive progress report from Sister Sharon, our coordinator,and after each taking a candy cane or cookie from the treat table. Man, I'm going to miss this place ;)(but not because of the food, though that is a cheery plus...)


I was eventually dropped off back at the apartment, with a couple of those little apple pies from McDonalds in tow. I've actually never bought anything from that location until now, when my carpool driver went through the drive-thru before dropping me off. 
It was a bit of a guilty pleasure moment, because this is not the time of year to really eat more than necessary. But whatever. It was one of those days. 


I moseyed about the empty apartment, munching pies and organizing myself. I made some chicken noodle soup, which was nice. But then something stupid happened. I lifted my computer off the table, and  it still had the charger cord plugged in, which caught on my nearly empty bowl, and pushed it onto the floor, demolishing it. Ted, who had been snoozing under the Christmas tree behind me, leapt out of his skin,and bumped the tree as he bolted from underneath it, sending the tree topper toppling down. All in all, it was a great cacophony of noise and clumsiness. I cleaned up the mess and reassured a terrified cat that, no, the Glassware Apocalypse was not upon us.


Then it was off to film class, which needs only to be described in one word: dull. I won't tell you more about that, since it's not even worth mentioning.


After that class, I had a bunch of hours to burn before French at 6:20. So I strolled across the Washington Ave. Bridge to Coffman, where I indulged in some Starbucks coffee and one of those seductive chairs they have in the fireplace lounge areas. And there I perched, reading my book for African lit class, feeling as classy as ever. Eventually, I moseyed over through the persistent flurries to a meeting with my work coordinator, which was very pleasant. 


It's a novel experience being a college student in a place like this, you know? I found myself drinking in my surroundings as I walked past the Weisman in the snow, carrying a cup of coffee, listening to cozy music, and wearing my snuggly outer gear. Bikers rolled past me through the throngs of people. The distant skyline was nearly invisible behind snow clouds. All these little observations of my current location felt so important. It's like my brain is starting to remind me that this isn't forever, and that I should really enjoy my life here. And I do. I really do.


Anyways, there's that sidetrack.


I stepped back out into the cold after my meeting, and went over to Walter Library to read some more. I sat myself down in one of the few empty chairs in the large main hall on the second floor.

My perch was over by that far right pillar.

As I sat there, reading my book, people-watching, trying not to fall asleep, and texting, a thought came into my head. A thought about thoughts. What if all the academic and worthwhile thoughts that had ever been thought in that library were visible, and we could see the little sentences swirling through the air? I'd bet it'd be pitch dark in there, since the library had been around forever. It was interesting to ponder.

But if you did see thoughts, you wouldn't be able to see this nice ceiling, now would you?

After eventually finding myself just gazing at the soaring pillars with their fancy gold hats, and not reading much anymore, I decided it was best that I bundle up and head on home to get situated for my evening class. So out into the snow I went.


Upon arriving back at the apartment, Ted and I played the always fun game of Brushie Brushie, which basically constitutes me holding out his furbrush and him walking himself past it, and rubbing himself all over it. I then Skyped Whooshie in London, ate port wine cheese with crackers and chili with Leslie. Then the niceness was interrupted by the arrival of departure time for my French class. Boo.


Here, again, is another part of my day that I won't put in great detail. 


BUT.


I will tell you that IT WAS MY LAST REAL FRENCH CLASS....EVER.


Sure, we have three different tests within the next week or two, but I will NEVER have to sit in a classroom for two hours discussing the subjunctive, or prepositional phrases, or...or..ANYTHING FRENCHY. GAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!




So that was pretty magical. 


[I was about to write that it was pretty damn magical, but you might have been offended by that, so I stuck to 
magical. But it actually was pretty damn magical. I think I can say that after 2 years of this stupid stuff.)




Harnar and Leslie met me after class outside Burton Hall (which is very pretty inside, but as silent as the grave, let me tell you). We took a nice lil' roomie road trip over to Target to buy groceries and Christmas lights and what have you. 


A good end to a good day, I say.


And it was still snowing.


Even when I woke up this morning, it was snowing.


Yeah.






And I slept like a rock that night.




The end.




Sorry that was so long-winded....












Songs of the Day:


My Understandings by Of Mice and Men


Canvas by Imogen Heap (!!!)


Eve by Emancipator


Cosmic Love (Short Club Remix) by Florence + The Machine


Painless by Mae