I have some old friends back in Ontario who I neglected to touch base with over the Christmas holidays.
They traditionally send me Christmas greetings along with a small family newsletter, guiltily reminding me when I receive it that I haven’t written them anything.
That’s generally how it has worked in years past, but for some reason, this year I’ve procrastinated, beyond the holidays.
The other day I got this whimsical idea to send them a little note, where I’d grump about the winter weather here in the Similkameen. It would go something like this:
How are you guys this year? We haven’t been up to much – just working, eating and sleeping.
I was glad to see December 21 come and go, though – that date is important, because the days are getting longer and spring isn’t too far away.
It’s only January, and I’m already sick of winter. We’ve had, probably at least 10 centimetres of snow so far this year. Granted, it wasn’t all at once, which meant that I had to plow the driveway twice so far this winter – but that’s twice too much, in my opinion.
It’s been cold here, too – we had a week back in early December where the temperature dropped to, like minus 12 degrees Celsius for several nights in a row. Since then, we’ve hardly had a day where the temperature has risen above four degrees Celsius.
I could use a trip south, but it doesn’t look like we’re going to make it this year.
Hope eveything is okay with you guys back in Toronto…
I gave it second thought and decided not to be so cruel.
Besides, in their update to me they had mentioned their basement being completely ruined after a flash flood that took place in Toronto last August. They may not take my letter in the spirit it was intended.
The way things are going in Toronto this winter, I figure it would probably be best to handle the subject of weather with a little more tact when corresponding with my eastern friends.
During the recent continental cold snap I’ve seen news stories discussing the validity of the climate warming theory, as might be anticipated.
I have always had a tendency to reserve judgement on the issue. I recall in the mid 1970’s, after a couple of severe winters in Ontario, a headline in the Toronto Star claiming the beginning of another ice age, as espoused by experts of the day.
I also have some education in geology, so have somewhat of an understanding of the climate changes that have taken place on Earth over millenia, how they occurred and how long they lasted.
Over the years, I’ve also come to the conclusion that man might not be quite as powerful and intelligent as he thinks he is, especially when it comes to controlling natural events and processes, so climate change, if and how it’s happening, is something I don’t lose much sleep over.
I figure I’ve got things of a more immediate urgency to worry about – like the snow that’s falling outside the office now.
If that stuff keeps up, I may have to plow my driveway for the third time this winter.
