The Nuances of My First Winter

Also published as "The New Iowan," The Chronicle, January 14, 2010


One of the greatest features of my new life in Iowa is having free time. In California, I was constantly working or driving in traffic. Since moving here in July, I have rekindled a love for knitting, baking, and reading. I have also found time to slowly learn how to cook, something that does not come naturally to me.

There are some less-obvious time fillers that are unique to my new lifestyle, especially during my first winter. Each one may be a detail in my day, taking only moments or minutes to complete. Nonetheless, these are some of the things I had never thought about doing a mere six months ago.

Warming my dishes: whether a coffee mug or a dinner plate, I have found the need to make sure dishes are warm. An old house means cold cabinets in my case, so everything gets microwaved or drenched in hot water. Otherwise food and beverages are cold in minutes. Instead of immediately pouring a cup of coffee, I enjoy the seconds of anticipation while running my mug under the steamy faucet.

Waiting for hot water: it may only take a few seconds to warm up, but I tend to immediately stick my hands into ice cold running water and attempt to wash them. I don’t know why I’m in such a hurry, but I need to start taking my time! Ice water is not so bad for wetting a toothbrush, but it is not ideal for rinsing one’s mouth.

Starting the car: when I drove older vehicles in California, it was common to spend ten minutes warming up the engine. Even with a newer car here in Iowa I have found myself going out to start the engine, and more importantly the heater, before leaving for work. I’ll never forget the fall morning when I suddenly realized that a windshield defroster did just that – de-frost. In California “defogger” would be a more accurate term. Even on snow days at home I’ve found the importance of starting the car to make sure it will start the next day!

Bundling up: maybe this is an obvious one, but in California I might have thrown on a scarf for fashion. Here I am finding the purpose behind scarves, gloves, and hats. I’ve also learned first-hand what wind chill actually means! Layering almost doubles the minutes it takes to get dressed in the morning. Maybe with practice I will learn how to quickly jump into my clothes.

There are other silly things I sometimes do in this climate – a dozen jumping jacks before getting in the shower, toe crunches inside my boots, or draping my clothes over a chair in front of the corn burner – and I hope some of them are first-winter adaptations that will phase out in the years to come. I’m sure native Californians and Iowans alike might find my routines laughable. But hey, I’d rather spend a few minutes each day doing crazy things to stay warm than watching my life pass me by while working overtime!


Copyright Rachel Burns 2010