Things I didn't know about Grand Forks #24

This is super overdue, but, seeing as how Josh and I only complain about how cold we are these days, you need to know something. When Josh left at the end of August, I was hating Grand Forks pretty intensely. Then October came, and I had the most beautiful day I've ever seen. I had a moment walking from my car to the office where I felt like my heart would burst with gratitude because Fall had finally come.

So I took this picture:

Everything about that day reminded me of the best things about Oregon and my favorite season. I finally felt at home.

Then, literally three days later, this happened:

my drive to work

my view from my office

Autumn lasted three days! 

I have learned that winter here does not look like what I had imagined-- huge snowdrifts, snowplows, and winter sports. Instead, it is intensely cold. It snows a little bit, then melts a little bit, then freezes, so while there isn't a lot of snow, there is a lot of ice, and the snow never goes away. 

Also, they don't salt their roads or their walkways. We got a university-wide e-mail about the proper way to walk on ice, including not wearing high heels, walking with a wide gait, shuffling, and curling your toes under. We talked in staff meeting about the proper way to fill out a workplace accident complaint because they don't shovel the sidewalks! 

North Dakota, I don't understand you.