reason #1 to move away from VT

Just swap out the umbrella with an ice-scraper and you have a pretty good idea of how I feel when my car is covered in frost every morning:

I really need to invest in a pair of gloves. Many tears were shed last winter as I stood (inappropriately attired, of course) in subzero temperatures and dug my bare hands through the piles of snow and ice that collected over every inch of my car overnight.

I've always been the kind of girl who will gladly sacrifice comfort for fashion. I live in Vermont and I've never purchased a decent pair of snowboots. I own one pair of fingerless gloves/mittens that I bought at Urban Outfitters last year and clearly are not meant for actual cold weather. All the cute coats that I desire are only warm to a degree (and -20 below is not that degree). Conundrum.

This is reason #1 why K and I have been considering a verybigmove.

reason #1: Vermont winters are unbearably cold (and looooooong).
reason #2: I miss life in the big city (although I could probably make do with a moderately-sized city).
reason #3: K wants to go back to school (as do I, but I am less financially free to do so).
reason #4: I've got that itch again.
reason #5: I hate driving and we have to drive AT LEAST 15 miles to do anything even remotely entertaining... and then we have to drive back. This would change if we lived in Burlington, but that takes us to reason #6...
reason #6: I grew up here. I love Vermont, I love my family, I love my friends, but I don't want my childhood back. I want to grow up and grow out, and for now I know that means removing myself from the little pod that contains my past (and meaning it this time).
reason #7: Did I mention how long and cold Vermont winters are?

Until then, mittens are the priority. Luckily the lack of snow on the ground allows me a few more weeks of frantic searching for coats and boots that transcend the line between prettiness and practicality.