SURVIVING CANADA'S DEEP FREEZE-2015

With a slow start to winter in parts of Canada in 2014, 2015 has slammed the country with a deep freeze. Winnipeg gets the prize for coldest with its wind chill along with extreme low temperatures. The weather lady on Canada AM suggested people just go back to bed. Hum, nice thought but with the first day back to school and the first real business Monday of the New Year, it is not happening. Even with bundling up well and watching any temperature that could cause frostbite on exposed skin, days like these are tolerated. Trying to keep calm and freeze on is difficult to do. With a severe Ice Storm in Quebec many people there are without power which reminds them of the storm of 1998. Staying off major highways in bad snowy weather is good advice. Layers and more layers of clothes work to keeping warm. Keeping cables in one's car trunk in case they are needed for a boost or help someone else. Having a shovel- mine is a little child's shovel- in case of landing in a snowbank. Of course, other emergency stuff depending on your area and where you drive everyday is very helpful and smart to have. Extra mitts and scarves are handy for those that don't like to drive with covered hands but available. Being inside helps to deal with the cold. However, cabin fever can occur if too long in the same place. So little jaunts to other places like the library, a favourite coffee shop or a seat at the Mall will mix up the boredom. At least with the cold weather, for all Canadians coast to coast there will be something to discuss. Canadians love to talk about the weather. It should be deemed a national pastime!