Cast of Characters

Girl From the North Country
by Bob Dylan

If you’re traveling in the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was the true love of mine.

If you go when the snowflakes storm
When the rivers freeze and summer ends
Please see if she’s a coat so warm
To keep her from the howlin’ winds.

Please see if her hair hangs long
If it rolls and flows all down her breast
Please see from me if her hair hangs long
That’s the way I remember her best.

I’m a-wonderin’ if she remembers me at all
Many times I’ve often prayed
In the darkness of my night
In the brightness of my day.

So if you’re travelin’ in the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine.

My name is Ann, and I am twenty six years old. Girl From the North Country is a chronicle of my recent move to the large and very dramatic state of California, to the City of Angels to be exact, and then, a year later, to Orange County.

Minnesota is my home state, and after living in Arkansas for 6 years for college and post-college, I moved back to Minnesota for a few months to save money for the move. On December 26, 2007, my mother and I drove my car, Mable the Sable, over hills, through a blizzard, across the desert, and over the border to… traffic. A year of living in the big city passed far too quickly — I didn’t even realize it because there are no seasons here — and I recently moved to Orange County to work at what will hopefully prove to be my dream job: working with a non-profit that helps women in another country get out of prostitution.

Life here in California has been crazy and hard and wonderful. It has been a grand adventure, full of many amazing new relationships and walking through all sorts of doors I never imagined would open. This is what being young was made for.

Here are some of my dear ones:

L: is for Lovely. L is my best friend from college and lives in San Francisco. She’s fabulous. If we were in a Lord of the Rings movie together, she would be a princess elf, and I’d be a hobbit with a mug of ale.

The Fam: Niece L and all my childhood Barbies. Niece Lydia is one of the most beautiful people in the world, and I love it that she calls me Aunt Annie. She was born on July 15, 2005.

Nephew E, with the bust of the late Elvis Presley. Nephew Ezra is the funniest baby I’ve ever met. Aw, just look at him. He was born on March 3, 2007.

Dad, Mom, me, brother A, nephew Ezra, niece Lydia, sister-in-law A. I am very close to my family and miss them considerably.

** Keep in mind that no one is forcing you to read this blog. It is for your reading delight and pleasure, but if it ceases to bring those elements into your life, simply stop reading. I am open to discussions and disagreements — I welcome them — but if you’re a hater, you don’t belong here. Along those lines, please note that I reserve the right to publicly reference any comments readers post on girlfromthenorthcountry and any email readers send me in reference to girlfromthenorthcountry. I will handle this administrative power with discretion, but beware. If you send hate mail, I reserve the right to an electronic flogging. **

You can contact me at anniferathon [at] yahoo [dot] com.