There hasn't been many surprises in my eight months in Austin.

Except the weather.

Upon my arrival, I was warned by a few townsfolk about the weather. I explained that I had lived in Illinois nearly all my life and was used to the climate in the Midwest.

"Yeah, but this is Minnesota."

I shrugged it off at the time. But now I understand what was meant by those comments.

Last week, I had a few friends help me lug a hide-a-bed to my upstairs apartment. It wasn't an easy task, especially since the contraption had a steel frame -- not one of those cheap plastic jobs.

Upon completion of the task, I was sweating profusely. It was a workout.

A couple of days later, I heard that we were going to get snow. I thought that there's no way we can get snow after that heat wave.

And look what happened.

So, of course, my ear is more into listening to what locals have to say about the weather. Apparently, the summer months aren't going to be enjoyable.

I'm used to stifling heat and humidity. Bring it.

So those comments didn't surprise me. But when I told folks I would sometimes head "up north" for a few weekends this summer, more opinions were weighed in.

"You ain't ever seen mosquitoes until you go up north," I was told, not being told specifically what "up north" meant.

Did it mean the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area?

"The Cities? Nah. That's called the Cities. Up north is, you know, past Brainerd."

Oh.

"You know. Leech Lake. You ever been there?"

No.

"We'll, I guess you could call that up north too."

Anyway, I was told that my frying pan used for flapjacks would double nicely as a flyswatter, to keep the mosquitoes at bay.

The problem is I'd have to find a pan large enough that would work.

I asked a few people where would I could buy a pan that would do the trick.

"Up north."