Cold snap

I’ve been in Ottawa for ten winters now and have grown a little spoiled by the mild winters – well certainly, mild in comparison to Saskatchewan where it got so cold my eyelashes would freeze on my walks to school. When I moved to Ottawa, I couldn’t understand why people complained of the cold. But it’s a damp cold, they’d say. Well, it may be a dry cold out West, but it’s a dry cold that drops below -50˚. And you can’t tell me that kinda cold ain’t cold.

But today, with a low of -30˚ and a wind chill of -39˚, I am reassessing how mild Ottawa winters really are. We went for a walk this afternoon – with Miya bundled up “snug as a bug in a rug” in her fleece wool-lined stroller and cozy blanket, but with both V and I freezing. We came back to find that the locks on our doors had frozen shut. Now that’s a first, even for a girl from the prairies.

Luckily the neighbours were home, so Miya and I took shelter next door. I suggested to V that he go to CanTire and get some lock de-icer, but by sheer strength and persistence he managed to get the lock unstuck and let us back into our home.

But despite everything, I actually don’t mind the cold – when I’m dressed for it, that is. I was in the military while living in Saskatchewan and we used to go on exercises in the middle of winter – which involved living and sleeping outdoors. I loved it. We had fantastic gear – albeit very heavy for hauling around in sleds – like triple-layered, down-filled, fleece-lined sleeping bags, complete with a hood. We had huge parkas, immense mittens and thick boots. It was great fun romping around on snowshoes, pitching tents, mucking trails. I discovered a whole new appreciation for winter.

And here in Ottawa, I love the winter snow – deeper and fluffier than we ever had on the dry prairies. While V might curse it while shovelling the driveway, I love the thick blankets of snow on the ground, on houses, on trees. It may be cold outside, but it sure is beautiful.