I’ve never been a winter enthusiast, but over the last several years, I’ve started to embrace the changing seasons and have stopped kvetching about snow and colder temperatures.
Well, I’m here to tell you that my honeymoon with winter is now over.
Last Fall it was predicted that we would have a brutal winter this year. Long, very cold and lots of snow.
For a while, I thought Mother Nature was going to prove them wrong. November and December came and went, it was unseasonably mild and not even a hint of the white stuff.
“Ha!” I thought.
Very short-sighted of me. And naive. I do live in Canada, after all.
January has been a bitch! While there hasn’t been tons of snow, there has been some, and most of it has melted in a day or two, but it’s been freezing cold. I mean extreme. Frigid. Until the last few days. Oh, it’s still wicked, wicked cold out there. Yesterday, for example, it was -28 Celsius with the windchill. No, that’s not a typo. But between yesterday and today, we’ve had 20 centimetres of snow. No, that’s not a typo either.
Winter’s hit, with a vengeance.
Sunday morning a friend and I were going to a documentary screening and talk. The theatre is close by, only a 15-20 minute walk from where I live and I normally enjoy the walk. But when I got downstairs it was snowing a bit and the streets were slushy and covered with snow so I decided to take the subway.
When I got out of the theatre, two hours later, the sun was out and the sidewalks and even the roads seemed clear. I was craving fresh air because it’s been so cold this month I’ve opted for the subway and the odd taxi instead of braving the sub-arctic temperature.
So I decided to walk home.
Not the best decision I’ve ever made. A couple of blocks in and it was back to greasy, messy, slippery slush and icy sidewalks. By then I had passed the subway station and was too close to home for a cab. Cursing myself, I slowly inched my way home, finally abandoning the sidewalk and walking on the roads — which were still slippery but better than the sidewalks. I can’t tell you how many times I narrowly avoided falling.
You’d think that have been enough for me.
Wrong.
Yesterday morning I again decided to go out to pick up some non-essential items. Why? Because the forecast was for 20 centimetres of snow and I figured that today would really be a mess. So despite the bone-chilling cold (-28 Celsius) and lightly-swirling snow, off I went.
My shopping took no more than a half hour. When I was done and went back outside there was major snow falling and the sidewalks were treacherous. Walking home wasn’t an option, I wasn’t sure I’d make it to the subway without breaking my neck so I decided to try to get a taxi.
Good decision except I almost wiped out walking from the entrance of the building where I was to the corner of the street where I saw a couple of empty cabs — only about 6 steps! Looking back at it, it was funny. I must have looked like I was doing the splits in slow motion. Luckily I just managed to stop myself from landing on my butt seconds before it was too late.
Okay, I’ve had enough now. I’m ready for Spring.
I’m totally with you on this
It is just miserable out there!
🥶
Totally agree!
Sounds so very cold Fransi, so I won’t tell you how dry and hot it’s been down here in Geelong, and for that matter, the whole of Australia is going through a hot summer.
I’ve heard about the weather you’ve been having Ivor. We’re all suffering from the extremes, I’m afraid. None of it’s good. Hope you’re managing to keep cool.
I’m coping ok Fransi, Thank you xx
👍😊 Take care Ivor
Plenty of fluids , another hot one tomorrow, 38’C…… wow…. xx
WOW!! That’s a beast!! Definitely plenty of fluids.
Ours is apparently in its way…… terrific (not)
Hope it’s not as bad as ours. Be careful and keep warm.
Thanks. It’s due to hit tonight, but might miss us and we just get the cold wind.
We shall see………….
Good luck! I am home and I’m staying there!
I’ve got darts tonight and we have a vet appointment later this afternoon.
Well drive carefully.
Thanks. We’re clear so far and it’s just cold.
Let’s hope it stays that way. 🤞
😀
Here in Illinois it’s supposed to get -1 today. Plus snow. Can get out of the garage but not back into the garage.
Lovely. What a royal pain in the ass this weather is! Best to take public transportation if you must go out. As for myself, I am not budging today.
We had -2 and dry last night, weather a great ice breaker in the context of conversation. Stay safe and warm Fransi.
Thanks Chris. I am home and not going anywhere. I may just burrow in until March at this rate. 😊 hope your weather improves too.
I’ve only lied through two winters with temperatures that low… both came with unusual amounts of snow and both are unforgettable. Stay warm, Fransi!
Thanks Sue. I’m trying my best — and staying indoors today — maybe ‘til March if this keeps up 😀🥶
Don’t blame you at all, Fransi. The last place I was living when the weather turned that cold was unused to such weather and the house was a quirky affair.. The shower was attached to the upstairs via an outside staircase and pretty much uninsulated. In summer, that was great as the temperatures soared most days, but that year we ended up with a six foot icicle growing out of the drain one night.
Omg!! Definitely not a good set-up for the climate around here. But that said, the cold has been so extreme lately, the week before last pipes were freezing all over the city. It was a real mess everywhere. It even affected the subway if you can believe it.
I can. That particular winter, our mains water pipes froze underground and stayed frozen for six weeks. Nightmare!
WOW!! That would be a nightmare! But ask a politician about climate change and they’ll deny it.
I know… and whether it is a natural cycle or man made…or a combination of both… it is happening whether they admit it or not.
It most definitely is.
It sounds dreadful, Fransi! After all this, I hope you have an early spring. Stay warm and dry.
Thanks Donna. As a good friend of mine always says, “this too shall pass.”
I hear you! Not going to even mention we’re cold down here. I probably would never leave the house in that weather. Can read my obituary already! So, praising you for your bravery ( dead serious) I leave you with a sincere prayer that Winter will pass soon! Time to bring out those daffodils soon!🌻
Thanks Daisy. I am staying put today, but generally speaking, winter doesn’t deter Canadians. We’re used to it. But it does get more difficult to handle as you get older, I must admit.