How's the weather?

It's a funny thing. All of my friends from Ontario are always complaining about the weather.

Right now, it's oppressively hot there.

It's always too hot or too cold or too wet or too snowy or too thunderstormy or too earthquakey (which I know isn't the weather, but it's part of the whole "too-whatever" mindset). I never have to look at the Eastern Ontario weather report because fifty or more of my friends have already informed me through their facebook status updates. My facebook feed fills up with these complaints.

It's worse than Farmville! At least now I can block Farmville!!

You'd think that, of anyone, it would be my northern friends (from the Yukon right across to Nunavut) that would complain about the weather. After all, we live in a barren wasteland permanently covered in snow and ice.¹

*cough* *cough*

But I almost never hear complaints about the weather from my northern friends. Instead, when the topic is raised, weather is spoken of with glee or, dare I say, reverence.

Some examples?

"I love these beautiful, long, hot, summer days!"

"I just got back from a walk. It's freezing cold out but the sky is so clear!"

"It's snowing! Yippee!!!"

"Raining again. Good for stopping those forest fires."

So what is it? Why the difference? Is it the humidity?  It our northern weather just plain better? Is it something about our expectations?  Is it something engrained in the northern mentality? Something engrained in the southern mentality?

Please, someone, help me to understand.

¹A common - but erroneous - stereotype that many people (including friends of mine) have.  This stereotype is usually shattered when they come to visit.

Extreme Weather Warning...

I checked out the weather on the Environment Canada site a few minutes ago. OH MY GOSH! IT'S RAINING FIRE!!!

Freaky Friday

Eight? EIGHT?! It's supposed to be EIGHT DEGREES CELSIUS on Friday?!?!?!?!? (According to Environment Canada)

I checked and I doubled-checked. There is no little negative sign in front of the eight. We're talking above-freezing temperatures here.

That's just messed up.

I wonder how many -35^oC-adjusted people will get sick now because they'll be so hot when they go outside that they start walking around in T-shirts.

Seasonally Adjusted

After a few weeks of walking the dog and changing car batteries in -35^oC to -40^oC weather, my body didn't know what was going on yesterday when it warmed up to a balmy -26^oC.  I was out kicksledding and had to shed layers. I was still wearing my snow pants, but on top I had on only a t-shirt and hooded sweatshirt and I was comfortable!

I'm not looking forward to the +4^oC that Environment Canada is forecasting for Thursday...

I love cold weather (except for when I have to drive).

I love really cold weather. I really, truly do. If you know me well, that probably doesn't surprise you, but whether you knew that or not, you're probably wondering why I love really cold weather.

I love really cold weather because:

• The sky gets amazingly clear and the stars shine brighter and the sun shines stronger (even if the sun is low on the horizon);
• Extended periods of cold help to kill off the invading pine and spruce beetles;
• Ice fog sometimes forms and gives everything an enchanted look;
• Sundogs sometimes make an appearance;
• It's fun to grow a beardsicle (having a beard is a prerequisite);
• It feels neat when I blink and my eyelashes stick together;
• It feels neat when I sniff and my nostrils stick together;
• I know how to dress for it and actually feel comfortable, even when staying outside for extended periods of time (including overnight).  That makes me feel like I belong to some sort of special club;
• While I don't like actually doing it, I love the idea that you can burn your skin on cold metal if you're not careful;
• You can hear things over greater distances;
• The snow gets all crunchy and sometimes makes a neat styrofoam sound when you walk on it; 
• The air smells fresher; and
• It gives everyone something to talk about.

There are other reasons, of course, but the main reason why I like really cold weather is because it makes everyone slow down and pay attention to the world around them.

I will admit, however, that cold weather sometimes causes something that I don't like.  I don't like it when my car won't start (because of a crappy battery), which is what happened tonight as Fawn and I were trying to get to Big Band practice (we have a gig on Saturday night at the Transportation Museum).

I called my neighbour, Mike, to see if we could get a boost.  He said, "Just take my truck."  We couldn't take his truck because we had to bring Halia with us and can't put the car seat in it safely.

"Just take my car then," he said, "I need to go pick up Joanne now, so I'll take the truck and you take the car."

I have great neighbours.  I loaded my trumpet into the car when my neighbour informed me that his truck's front tire was flat.  Ack!  We were already late for practice.

"That's OK!" I exclaimed, "I have an air compressor!"

I ran to the shed and filled the compressor.  I loaded the compressor onto a sled and pulled it out to the truck.  I plugged in the stiff hose, but it didn't go in properly and the compressor valve opened, emptying its contents.  "I need an extension cord to plug in the compressor..."

"Nah, I'll deal with the truck tomorrow," says my neighbour, "We'll boost your car tomorrow, too.  I'll drive you, pick up Joanne, and come and get you from practice later."

Did I already mention that I have great neighbours?