I had to scrape off my windshield this morning. It isn't the first time this season, as frequent visits to my parents in Wainwright has meant a few early mornings, and Wainwright was build in a slough. The humidity that makes summers there a sticky and disgusting experience also seems to mean things start frosting over more quickly there than here.
Either way, waking up this morning and finding my car encased in ice wasn't the most pleasant thing. I dug out my winter coat, put on a pair of mismatched gloves, and did my best to clear my windshield, cursing up a storm because that ice was pretty stubborn for first-of-the-year ice.
While scraping away, a variety of thoughts crossed my mind.
I wondered about the viability of my tires in this weather, when the ground was probably just as icy as my windshield. I remembered the wise words of the mechanic who changed my oil a few weeks ago who told me that my tires wouldn't last a day in ice and snow, and I wished wildly that I had sucked it up and invested in snow tires over the weekend when I really should have.
I wondered about antifreeze and if I had any in my car somewhere. I daydreamed about the cute matching scarf-and-hat-and-mitten set I always intend to buy when winter hits, before I give up and just wear whatever is warmest, no matter if it comes in complementary colours or not.
Mostly, though, I gritted my teeth and became more determined than ever to somehow find myself on a tropical beach in the Virgin Islands this winter.
My friend and I have been obsessively planning a tropical cruise vacation for the past few months, ever since her promised visit from Ottawa to Bonnyville fell through (coincidentally after a car emergency left her choosing between wiping out her savings or be forced to survive Ottawa public transit — a fate worse than skipping a trip to visit me, for sure.)
We've got our deposit down on a tiny, closet-sized room on a ship departing Miami in February, destined for various beaches and resort islands. Our room even boasts a porthole, a fact that excites me far more than I can express.
We've spent so many hours on the phone while pouring over maps of the ship and choosing where we'll spend our days onboard that I am eternally grateful for having a Top Five long distance calling plan, of which she is, of course, one of my top fives.
We've discussed the pros and cons of each excursion from the ship, debating snorkelling adventures over horseback riding in the rainforest, making up charts and graphs to weigh the financial investment over the enjoyment factor.
Each day that gets colder and more infested with ice and snow is just one day closer to palm trees, beaches, and drinks with little umbrellas in them.
So bring it on, winter.
Just ... not until I get some snow tires, OK?
