In the basement

I met someone once who thought it was winter in Minnesota all year long. He or she (I can't recall) was surprised to learn we have summer and sometimes wear summer clothing.

If I met you on the airplane and you asked me what it was like to live in Minnesota, I would tell you about the quality of the people. Or maybe the beauty of our heritage. Perhaps how green it is in the summer. The rolling hills. The beautiful lakes. I would avoid discussing the weather unless you asked me specifically. Then I would say something like, "Oh, it's not that bad. You learn how to dress for it." And I would smile enthusiastically.

And I'd be lying.

It's cold here. Really, really cold.

The older I get, the less I understand how it was that my Swedish great-grandfather came into the harbor at New York City and beat a hasty path to a place that looked just like home. Where were the fliers for Florida? Arizona? California? What about my father's family. They're not even from here. What made them say, "Yes, Minnesota. That's where we shall settle and my great-granddaughter in her first born, family oriented, heritage loving way shall be imprisoned here all her days!"

Maybe that's a little harsh.

But it's cold here.

So I went downstairs today to look at my own graveyard of old coats. I had my mind set on finding a down coat from back when Eddie Bauer made warm coats. It's got a fur hood. I was thinking that's what I really needed -- a fur hood. I dug around a little and was giving Brent a bad time about all his coats in the graveyard when he came over to look, "Well, this one's not mine," he said. "Well, it's not mine!" I shot back. Without saying another word he grabbed the collar to show me the shiny, girly pin on the collar. That's not his. It must be mine.

I have NO memory of this coat. None. This isn't a pair of shorts or socks or a neck tie that you bought and then got shoved to the back of the drawer, it's a COAT. A big, furry COAT. I live in a state where it's possible to have outerwear you don't remember having.

And I wore it some day in the past. I put a shiny pin on it. I don't remember this.

Well, hooray!! It's like new to me! I went shopping in my own basement.