I wasnít ready for this.
Waking up Sunday morning to a fresh blanket of snow on the ground and icy winds swirling at my window was about as welcome as a punch to the kidney.
Five days away from November and Iíve already had to use to snowbrush/ice scraper on my car. Where is this global warming thing I keep hearing about?
This year will mark my third winter living outside of balmy and tropical Southern Ontario and Iím starting to think that I may never quite get used to when winter arrives ìup here.î
I guess I can expect to see a lot of costumes like ìfat Draculaî and ìpuffy Batmanî on Halloween as kids will be wearing their snowsuits under their costumes
Iím slightly more optimistic about this winter, especially considering my last two were spent north of the 55th parallel in Thompson, Manitoba, where once winter arrives itís there to stay. Iím still holding on to the hope that southern Albertaís first snowfall isnít the last time Iíll see the grass until April.
Gone are the days of my youth where an ìearlyî snowfall was the middle of November, which would be melted away when temperatures went back up the next day and an autumn rainfall washed the white stuff down the sewers.
Speaking of autumn, thatís a season I feel Iíve been cheated out of for the past three years. This four seasons concept seems kind of far fetched to me.
How long is the fall season up here? Three weeks ? A month? Please pardon the ìup hereî comment, in my mind Iím still coming from Southern Ontario and am attempting to block out the past two winters in the sub-arctic where the sun rises at 10 a.m. and sets at 3:30 p.m. and a day when itís -25∞C is ìpretty mild.î
Anyway, back to that fleeting season known as autumn. Iím definitely a big fan of summer and it wonít be moved from the top spot as far as favourite seasons go, but fall has always been a close second.
Hockey and football seasons are getting in to swing, baseball playoffs are heating up and the fall weather just has a certain way about it.
The right fall day hits you like nothing else; itís not too hot and itís not too cold, the air is crisp and refreshing without an ounce of humidity; you can throw on a sweater and jeans and youíre set for the day, never mind layers and boots and scarves.
It would be nice if that season lasted a little bit longer. I was saying to my co-workers last week on a beautiful fall day, ìthis would be such a nice day for a game of street hockey.î Fast forward five days and itís looking and feeling more like pond hockey season.
I donít do well with this sudden season change and Iím very certain Iíll come down with a bout of some kind of sickness very soon as I have the last few years.
Let me ease into winter when Iím good and ready, none of these overnight surprise arrivals.
Perhaps this global warming concept hasnít quite caught on in Canadaís more northern regions just yet, I wish it would hurry up though because this winter in October thing just isnít doing it for me.
