Newbie Notes on Minnesota

A friend mentioned I should be journaling my adventures moving from Texas to Minneapolis. Of course I have. I can’t help it. Scribbles here and there on scraps of paper, napkins, actual paper. The best kind of technology. These are some random Cliff Notes.

Although I arrived in March, I had the flu for a month, so I’m not counting that. Except there was a kind soul I met on-line that checked in on me often to make sure I was still breathing. Thank you Theo. The hotel staff was kind as well. Suffice it to say, life in an extended stay hotel is book-worthy material. Of note were the large number of imported construction/trade workers. The state seems to have a major shortage in trade labor, so they come in from other states. This is in stark contrast to Texas. A plumber or electrician could make a fortune here, along with carpenters, and all skilled construction trades.

By April, I realized the housing market was not a buyer’s dream and decided to rent. Which is also out of control price wise. Life in the city. I looked at dump after dump. Granted, moving from my too big of a house in Texas had me a bit more than spoiled. I was exhausted and pain levels are in the high range. But the late snow made me happy.

I settled on the nicest apartment I had seen – mostly because I was worn out from looking and my dog needed more permanent digs. He can’t do stairs, and has adapted quite easily to the elevator (without peeing in it!). The rent is more than I can afford, but the area has a certain charm to it. Hopefully, I can generate some income somehow when my energy levels rise.

The people. “Minnesota Nice” is a myth. Folks are genuinely nice. I have yet to walk the dog without kind words and conversations with random passersby. The people in my building are generous and helpful. Slipping maps under my door of the immediate area. Giving me the local newspaper just because. There is one woman who extols the danger of EMF’s and Wi-Fi, but even she means well.

Then there are the deluded self identified republicans that haven’t quite figured out their party is no longer republican, but a white-nationalist group of trumpsters. Ammosexuals are in the nooks and crannies of life all over the land, hoarding their guns for the civil war/ethnic cleansing they must have wet dreams about.
Thankfully, the majority of people I’ve met are much more aware of what is happening to this country, and more importantly, they care. But I digress.

I discovered cheese curds. The ones with the word “beer” anywhere in the description are best. I promise, they are better than any mozzarella stick you have ever eaten. Beer. Or rather, “craft beer”. I paid $9.00 for a glass from the tap. It was of the high octane variety and worth every penny. Also learned what a flight of beer is. Genius.

The sky is closer here. Not in a Chicken Little way, but so close if feels as though you could almost touch the clouds. During thunderstorms, you can see the cloud tops and figure out if it’s going to be severe without checking a weather app or news. I know it’s a latitude thing, but one I hadn’t thought about.

Right now the days are long. Today being the longest of the year. Sunrise around 5:00 A.M., sunset around 9:00 P.M. Admittedly, I’m not fond of 5:00 A.M., so I’m waiting on maintenance to install a curtain rod for my new blackout drapes. The joys of renting. I could install the curtain rod, but don’t want to look for my drill. I’m guessing the days will be quite short in the winter. Dark is the best time for most things anyway.

Sights and sounds. From my balcony I hear the city. Sirens, hot cars, kids out of school for the summer, busses. They test the tornado warning sirens the first Wednesday of the month. That still catches me off guard. But I also hear birds. A large variety of them. From tiny finches to giant geese, to crows. It’s a medley of birdsong. My favorite sound though, is the whistle of the trains along the Mississippi.

An unexpected sight for me were the rabbits. We are not overrun with them, but they seem quite at home in the city which has enough green for every living thing. My daughter had told me it was greener here than San Antonio. I scoffed, thinking what could be greener than millions of live oaks, the Hill Country, South Texas in spring? Minneapolis/St. Paul – that’s what. It is much prettier than I expected.
There is so much to discover and explore in a relatively small area of landmass. As soon as the boxes stop multiplying (the rabbit effect), I want to discover it all. And then some.

The old mixed with the new. A great skyline, a different kind of eclectic culture, albeit a bit pricey, a fascinating history. I’m getting my hair cut at a place around the corner today. Sharp Shears and Sharp Tongues. I’m not sure if they yell at you while they chop your hair, but I’m going to find out. Walking to get a haircut. What a concept.

Did I mention cheese curds? And trains? And beer?

Yes, the place is growing on me.