New Year, New Coat

I live a long way from my parents, so Christmas gifts tend to be in the form of gift cards. They are rather easy to ship. This year, one of the gift cards I received was from a men's wear retailer. So, with it I procured a new winter coat.

As a matter of full disclosure, after 33 years of living in Manitoba, I don't find winters in Ottawa all that long or cold. However, I was getting rather lazy and not dressing for the weather.

Not only does this coat look great, it's so warm. So now, being outside is so much better than it had been for a while. The other great advantage is it fits properly. Most of my winter clothes are from my Winnipeg days, when I was noticeably heavier.

The new coat is making it easier to convince myself to go out and face the elements. So far I've worn it as cold as -20C with only a shirt under it and it's been really comfy.

There are two secrets in my mind for beating the winter blues. First, you have to exercise. You have to get the blood flowing. You have to move. You have to keep the food travelling through you. You need that mental feeling like you are not turning into a blob. Secondly, you have to get outside and breathe fresh air, even when it's cold.

It's easy to hibernate. It's easy to say it's cold, snowy, and slippery. However, when you get out and enjoy it, not only do you feel good, you make some great memories. We don't really make any memories watching re-runs on Netflix. Don't get me wrong, there are times that I enjoy Netflix but I'll save those for the days that are really cold and stormy.

So, if you live somewhere where the snow accumulates over the winter, do your best to stay active and go outside. It will make the days fly by and you will enjoy them a lot more. In about 3 weeks the sun is going to start to feel a lot warmer, that always warms people's spirit and makes the days that much better.

Still Winter

After living most of my life in Manitoba, one of the aspects I really like about living in Eastern Ontario is winter starts later and ends sooner than the Manitoba winter. This year it seems to not be the case. It has been a long, cold, blustery, unpleasant winter.

It seems that if it isn't really cold and windy we are receiving another foot of snow. There have been very few warm winter days. It is early March, we should be starting to climb out of the deep winter nap but there is no end in sight. The long term spring forecast is so bad the head forecaster for Environment Canada has turned off his phone and disappeared.

Think about that for a minute, winter was so bad the guy responsible for telling us what the weather is going to be like has shut himself out from the world. He is not responsible for creating the weather. He is simply responsible for trying to figure out what nature is going to do. Although we do, we really can't hold him responsible for what nature does, yet the prognosis is so bad that he does not want to talk to anyone. That's a sign this has not been a good winter in Canada.

There is an upside. In my life I always try to look for an upside. It can't stay cold forever. The snow will melt, the grass will turn green, and we won't have to wear a jacket to go outside. Granted, it won't be for a while and unless we get a five day torrential downpour and all the snow is washed away, we are going to have snow on the ground for quite a while. However, when winter finally departs, we will get on with enjoying the outside world.

My parents always told me that winter helps you appreciate the summer but I really think we can do without a winter like this. It kills your motivation and makes you not want to do anything. It won't last forever but the sooner we get on with spring, the happier everyone will be and I don't think anyone in Canada will disagree with me this year.

Sickies

I think everyone in Ottawa is a little bit sick. Everyone I talk to seems to have the sniffles or their stomach isn't quite right. I haven't seen it this widespread in a long time. I have a few ideas why.

It's January. There probably isn't a worse month in the year. It's cold, it's dark, and the gym is full of people who will not stick with their New Year's resolution. I have yet to find something good to say about January. It seems that this lousy month breaks your spirit.

The weather has been all over the place. It's been record setting warm and fairly cold. There has been a lot of rain and snow. It's been windy a lot. Everyone's body is confused.

There seems to be a lot of stress in the Nation's Capital these days. Since the Government of Canada is a major employer and the Parliament is trying to reign in spending people aren't sure if they are going to have a job or any resources to get the job done if they are still employed. It wears people down.

Now not all hope is lost. It will get better. The days are getting longer and eventually the weather will get warmer. NHL hockey is back and it is a good distraction from the grind. Everyone can't stay sick forever.

So, everyone needs to live some life. They need to get out and be active. They need to socialize. They need to get in a groove.

I haven't felt quite right for a week and a half now but that's not going to stop me from living and getting better.

The First Warm Day of Spring

If you live in a city like Winnipeg, one of the best days of the year is the 1st warm day of spring. I'm not here to discuss there merits of everybody wanting being outside in a few clothes as possible, enjoying the weather, I want to discuss, why this day matters.

Living in Winnipeg is like living in Siberia. It is cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I question why should I put up with the winter that Winnipeg deliverers without debate. This is harsh, and usually, worse than advertised. Most of the inhabited world does not even fathom the typical January day in Winnipeg.

My point isn't about personal comfort. I live downtown, in an urban area. As such, I see many people who suffer. I pass on spare change when I have some, I don't wish ill on anyone.

Why would you produce an urban area, which is a false beacon of hope to the unequipped, in one of the harshest climates in the world?

The dead of winter in places like Winnipeg is deadly.