Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
That’s certainly true. When my dad came to visit me in October, it was the first time I had seen my family since August last year. And I likely won’t see them until this summer. It makes Family Day and Valentines Day a little less meaningful for sure when you’re stuck in your apartment due to the fear of the ‘Rona.
I cannot say the same for the extreme cold of winter. Its absence very much makes me dread the days, like last week, when we inevitably got hit by a cold spell.
Some of you who have paid attention to my columns might well observe that I grew up in Edmonton on the Prairies. Surely he must be used to the cold? To which I say, ‘of course I am.’ That doesn’t mean I like it.
There’s nothing fun about waking up and realizing it’s -35C out and wondering belatedly if the car you haven’t plugged in has died in the night. Nor realizing later that you can’t plug it in now because the car’s plugin is jammed with ice. It’s certainly no fun to get into your car and realize hoarfrost has even formed inside, causing you to spend several minutes scraping away at the inside of your windshield, cursing your luck.
My driving skills have also been put to the test this winter by the road conditions or, should I say, my distressing talent to get myself stuck in snowbanks. Thank goodness for Cariboo kindness, trucks and tow ropes.
From a journalist’s perspective, extreme cold sure makes our jobs a lot harder. I hardly want to go out hunting for photos in weather that is keeping all the sensible folks inside.
Some Canadians love the winter and look forward to the first snow every year. I’m not one of them. Me, I prefer lazy summer days, a good swim in the river or ocean, sunshine and the sound of wind rushing through leaves. Journeys home to visit family and hopefully one day soon, foreign shores.
I suppose that’s the one good thing about the cold. It makes you value being warm.
But being frozen halfway to the icy wasteland of Helheim? No thank you. I think I’ll stay inside and wrap myself in some blankets, thank you very much.
@patrickdavies
patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
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