Warm in the Cold
After 22" of snow in the past few days, the roads are a lot better than I would have thought. They REALLY do know how to deal with the white stuff up here in the Great Frozen North!
I've done a lot of shoveling and digging the car out, but when we looked out the door this morning we were SO thrilled that our kind, kind neighbor had plowed our sidewalk and walkway up to the door. THANK YOU!
The morning was devoted to some computer catching up, making airline reservations and shifting money from one account to another to cover credit card bills. I called Gerry's doctor's office and asked them to please prescribe him something for the pain, which they did, so I ran over and picked it up, did some grocery shopping, dropped off the prescription at the local CVS (where the Scunci is on sale for $29 - I'm so bummed that I bought a stupid old Shark yesterday at Target, I just don't like it as much...) and after only 10 minutes the prescription was filled. Amazing.
Then 6 blocks down the street to the hardware store for some wood screws, then back 2 blocks to the restoration hardware for my favorite hand cream (No Crack in shore, I've been saving up this purchase for a day when I wanted to treat myself!) and home with my treasures. I practically SHOVED the pain pill down Gerry's throat - I hope he can feel a little relief soon.
Hannah's such a help - she met me at the door and carried in my groceries, did the dishes and is just in general so great to have around. Both kids are pulling their weight with the extra work.
Throughout the whole day, every interaction I had with folks was so pleasant, so great! It occurred to me that for 2 weeks now the erosive frustration of trying to foresee what idiotic thing is going to PO some clerk (so that they'd hold up an order or just heave and sigh with annoyance as they helped me) is missing in our lives here. Dealing with annoyed folks was just such a regular excercise in frustration in NJ.
Viva la pleasasnt Minnesotan!
Tomorrow I tackle the PAX system in our room - oh, and I'll fix the bed that fell today...
I've done a lot of shoveling and digging the car out, but when we looked out the door this morning we were SO thrilled that our kind, kind neighbor had plowed our sidewalk and walkway up to the door. THANK YOU!
The morning was devoted to some computer catching up, making airline reservations and shifting money from one account to another to cover credit card bills. I called Gerry's doctor's office and asked them to please prescribe him something for the pain, which they did, so I ran over and picked it up, did some grocery shopping, dropped off the prescription at the local CVS (where the Scunci is on sale for $29 - I'm so bummed that I bought a stupid old Shark yesterday at Target, I just don't like it as much...) and after only 10 minutes the prescription was filled. Amazing.
Then 6 blocks down the street to the hardware store for some wood screws, then back 2 blocks to the restoration hardware for my favorite hand cream (No Crack in shore, I've been saving up this purchase for a day when I wanted to treat myself!) and home with my treasures. I practically SHOVED the pain pill down Gerry's throat - I hope he can feel a little relief soon.
Hannah's such a help - she met me at the door and carried in my groceries, did the dishes and is just in general so great to have around. Both kids are pulling their weight with the extra work.
Throughout the whole day, every interaction I had with folks was so pleasant, so great! It occurred to me that for 2 weeks now the erosive frustration of trying to foresee what idiotic thing is going to PO some clerk (so that they'd hold up an order or just heave and sigh with annoyance as they helped me) is missing in our lives here. Dealing with annoyed folks was just such a regular excercise in frustration in NJ.
Viva la pleasasnt Minnesotan!
Tomorrow I tackle the PAX system in our room - oh, and I'll fix the bed that fell today...
11 Comments:
Pax system as in Pax WARDROBE system? I hope you get help by one or two more people... I have a Pax wardrobe in my bedroom, and if I had to set it up by myself, I would have gone insane.
Oh, and a cordless screwdriver helps a lot, too.
They call it "Minnesota nice". We've seen it in everyone we ever met from there
Having moved from NYC to Dallas just over a year ago, I know what you mean about waiting for the clerks to get annoyed with you. In fact, I found that it took me awhile to 'unthaw' from the annoyed shopper to the happy smiling shopper; it seemed like we were in a foreign land... And now, I love going shopping, even to Wal-Mart where everyone says hello, thank you and come again! I didn't realize how unhappy everyone was in the greater NY area when it came to shopping, but I certainly do now!
Enjoy Minnesota, it may be cold, but the people will keep you warm!
Regards,
Jody
I lived in NJ for 5 years, and moved from there to the South - it's AMAZING how different people are. When I'd first arrived, someone in a store asked me how I was, and I was like 'Excuse me??'.. she said it slower for my benefit haha. The entire pace of life is just so different out of the Northeast - and even if you grow used to and live in the pace there, it's nice to slow down when you get somewhere else.
So glad you got some pain meds for your hubby - here's helping that even a bit of relief is good, and that they don't knock him out too much so he'll keep taking em!
Anne (who is terribly excited it's less than 1 week until you're in Georgia!)
I'm so sorry to read of the loss of your cat. Even at 14 years, it's hard to lose one of your furry kidlings.
I'm glad you've found a warm home, even in a very cold place. I have heard that Minnisotans are very nice people, kind and friendly........sort of a northern version of us southerners...
I hope your husband feels better, back pain is very hard to bear, as it affects you in ways that, unless you've had it, you can't foresee.
Target accepts items for return. If you don't like the Shark, Target will likely be more than willing to take it back. Go dig the packaging out of the trash and see if you can find your receipt (if you can't, they'll give you a store credit. It's not like you'll never buy anything at Target again.)
I grew up in Montclair NJ and have been in Denver and Portland, OR for the past 20 years. I remember being astounded, as you are now, by the kindness and downright chattiness of total strangers. Get used to it and enjoy! It's genuine, and it's the way the rest of the country (except maybe LA) lives.
Once here in Portland a city bus driver picked me up unrequested in the middle of the street and when I told him I was trying to catch the bus ahead of him he CHASED it. I swear. Furthermore, the people on his bus got invested in the chase. Hilarious.
Be prepared to be freaked out next time you visit NJ by the abrasiveness you never used to notice.
Cheers! Love your stuff!
I'm so glad that you have been finding out that there really is something called "Minnesota Nice". I am a life-long (47 years) Northern Minnesotan (39 years in Duluth and that last 8 in the country) and it's always gratifying to me to hear newcomers notice it. I'm glad that you have survived your first big snows here without too much inconvenience. Take care and I hope your husband heals quickly and your family recovers from your sad loss soon.
Tracy
I have alot of empathy for both you and Gerry regarding his back because my husband's has had health issues in the past and I know it's very difficult for the spouse of the ailing person as well. BUT! Things sound like they are really moving along for you all!
When my husband and I moved from California (his home state) to Connecticut (my home state), he was ready to move back after the first month because he said everyone was so RUDE! After 12 years he still feels the same way about the majority of people.
I think everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and I'm happy you all are experiencing that now.
I am a Floridian currently in exile in NJ. Recently my best friend (born & bread in NJ) moved to NC. She could not figure out why everyone was staring at her. I had to point out that they were not staring, just making eye contact. She just was not used to it.
The snow must love you! We hadn't gotten much more than 7-9 inches this winter and since you moved here we have gotten over 2 feet of snow. I was really missing the snow, so I must thank you from the bottom of my heart;o) Also, I saw that your house was built in 1918. My barn was built in 1918, too. (The house is much older, but the previous barn burnt down after a lightening storm that same year-or so I heard from a man in his 90's that grew up a few miles south of our house) I'll try to post a really nice picture of the barn on my blog sometime this week. Enjoy the sunny, white weather this weekend and good luck putting your wardrobe together!
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