Spring is actually here – date-wise, that is. And Mother Nature is sending little signals too. Have you noticed that it is still light out at 7:00 pm?

Spring is Peter’s favourite time of the year. In early March he started looking lovingly out the window at his vegetable garden. Sadly, it was covered in those piles of dirty snow left over from that big dump we had in January. Not to be deterred, he found some garlic heads left over from last year’s harvest, and planted them in an out-of-the-way corner of the living room. Since he didn’t have any way of separating the seeds in the old plastic containers, he cleverly found some old playing cards and used them to divide up the space. For several days he watched over them, like any proud parent, as they slowly stuck their hopeful little tips out of the soil.

Next, Peter turned his attention to the front porch where he had carefully placed Christmas decorations in our 2 large pots, creating lovely Christmas arrangements. By March the arrangements were looking a little out of place, but they were frozen solid. Finally this past weekend a few tugs worked, and Christmas is now gone until next year.

Then Peter made up his shopping list and headed for a garden centre where he spent a wheelbarrow full of money on seeds and fertilizers. He even scored some elusive curly kale seeds. (Last year we had to settle for Russian kale, not a wise political choice this year). Then he unearthed his old gardening clothes and went outside to do some fertilizing. Today he is looking for another project – maybe he’ll find my hair dryer so he can thaw some frozen ground.

And for me? My job is to oversee the flower gardens. Two years ago I planted some exotic tulips, orange with yellow centres and a fancy name like “Emperor.” And they were very regal – until the squirrels ate them. Last year I found a great spray called Super Hunter that did the trick. So, in the fall, I ordered some more bulbs and planted them with some bone meal and a generous handful of hope. Now every day I go outside with my magnifying glass to check for signs of life.

Meanwhile I’ve been reading some garden literature. Did you know that there are people called “plant influencers”? You can find them on tic toc or You-tube, or Instagram. One gardening site on You-tube has over 40,000 followers. The influencers tell you what plants are trending; what plants you absolutely need in your garden to stay current. Houseplants are especially popular right now.

It seems that gardening has become a hobby for the very rich. One plant that was mentioned, “Thai constellation monstera,” sells for $800 for a 6-inch beauty. These plants are often hard to find, lasting only a few hours on social media. Once you get your hands on one, then you need equipment such as humidifiers, grow-light systems, and special fertilizers. Imagine how you would feel after having spent all that money on your special flower, only to have it wither…and die!

As for Peter and me, we are mostly sticking to tried and true. Think tomatoes, squash, geraniums and of course garlic. As soon as the ground thaws completely, we’ll be digging in.

Sue

I could not go another week without devoting a post to the brave but desperate people of Ukraine.

Toronto is among the most multicultural cities of the world. Immigrants and refugees are welcomed here by the first monument they see: the Monument To Multiculturalism just outside Union Station. This memorial, designed in 1985 by Francesco Perilli, was intended to show man and doves crossing through and connecting the 4 meridians, creating a world of peace and respect.

Canada is a country built on the labour and loyalty of immigrants. Think of all the Chinese labourers who worked tirelessly in the 1800’s to build our trans-continental railway. A monument on Blue Jays Way is dedicated to those workers and the hardships they suffered as they worked to open up our country from sea to sea.

Think of the Irish peasants who, suffering from the potato famine in 1847, came here for a better life. The monument dedicated to them is built on the waterfront near Billy Bishop airport. The sculptor, Rowan Gillespie, has depicted faces torn by hunger and sadness. Once settled, the Irish immigrants had an advantage over other ethnic groups because they spoke English. They tended to settle and get jobs in the cities and towns where they landed.

Italian workers came too, many of them after the war ended in 1945, when construction jobs were plentiful. They often arrived courtesy of the family class immigration rules – where family members were invited to join their relatives who had already established themselves in Canada and had found steady employment. A touching monument to these Italians can be found on St. Clair Ave in the area where many Italians first settled. The inscription reads: “famigilia, lavoro, communita.” Family, work and community are part of the Italian tradition.

How do the Ukrainian people fit into this history? Ukrainians have been settling in Canada for a couple of centuries. Who has not passed by a Ukrainian Catholic church, or eaten perogies, or admired the intricate painting on those delicate Easter eggs? Who does not recognize the names of famous Ukrainian-Canadians such as politician Ray Hnatyshyn, astronaut Roberta Bondar, or hockey legend Wayne Gretzky?

Canada has the third largest Ukrainian population, after Russia and Ukraine. According to the 2016 census, there are about 1,400,400 Ukrainians living in Canada, many of them in the western provinces, and the rest in Toronto and Montreal. The first recorded Ukrainians arrived here in 1892 where several families moved to Edmonton and began farming. During world War I, a dark chapter in our history, Ukrainians were sent to work camps for the duration of the war. When they were released, they found good-paying jobs and built worthwhile lives, despite their ill treatment.

Already there is a park in Toronto dedicated to Ukrainian immigrants. An obelisk, erected in 1998, sits on a patch of land running along Scarlett Road north of Eglinton. We are ready to welcome more Ukrainian immigrants. We have the support systems: reception centres, ESL programs, welcome wagons. We even have the park!

Another inspiring monument to immigration sits at the foot of Yonge St. Sculptor Tom Otterness created this loving family vignette in 2007: dad holds 2 suitcases and stares loving at his wife, who cradles their tiny baby. Their faces are full of hope. Let’s give this same opportunity to those Ukrainian families headed our way.

Sue

You didn’t realize this was a porn site, did you? Me neither. I originally heard about massages from a divorced friend. She said she went once a week for treatment. I just figured she was missing her ex-husband. Then I got a little more experience.

My first personal encounter was with a chair – a massage chair in a shopping mall. A clerk was giving a demonstration so I figured why not?I sat down gingerly and the chair began to rumble. I searched frantically for handles so I could hang on. Then I began to feel the pulsations up my spine and around my neck. It was heavenly. When the clerk tried to get me out of the chair, I pretended not to notice. When he tried to sell me the chair, I got the message and left.

Then I went for a pedicure and there was the chair again! I eagerly climbed on. The associate turned on the chair and dialed up an appropriate setting. It was great while she worked on my toe nails. Then she started massaging my feet. Even better! She kneaded toes, soles and heels. Then she moved up my legs and stated working on my calves too.

Soon after that I went to a new hairdresser and discovered a new treat – a scalp massage! First the washing, then the conditioner, then the massage. I could feel my brain waking up and asking “Where have you been all my life?” When I got home and told Peter about my experience, he looked a little nervous. He seemed somewhat relieved when I told him that all these masseuses were female.

Around Christmas I was feeling some neck pain, particularly after long walks. So I went to my family doctor who prodded, and poked, and prescribed – guess what? Massage! I called a local wellness clinic and was assigned a therapist – named Charley. I met Charley and we hit it off. Charley is an immigrant from China who had lived in Shangzhou, a city Peter and I had visited while on a trip to China about 10 years ago. I showed Charley some pictures of our trip and he opened up about his life in China. He had been an orthopedic surgeon and now here he was in Canada pounding on people’s backs. How lucky I was to have such expertise working on me.

Charley had me stand up straight while he did a 360 walk around my ancient bones. He pronounced his verdict: my neck was seriously “deformed” from years of slouching. I asked him if there was some way to turn back the clock. Maybe he had a time machine in the closet? Out loud I wondered why my parents didn’t tell me to stand up straighter? I could almost hear them looking down from above: “We Did tell you but you were too busy slouching around to hear us.”

Then the treatment began. First Charley worked on my back and spine. Then, after what seemed like mere seconds, he had me turn over and slide up so he could work on my neck. The kneading and rubbing continued. Time flew by and then it was over. Charley asked me if I wanted to come for another appointment. “Is the Pope Catholic?” I asked.

When I got home, Peter wanted a full report. Now he seemed really nervous! I explained to him why I desperately need this treatment. And it is making a difference. After several appointments, my neck is only partially deformed. Charley is turning back the clock on my old body!

And Peter is glad to know I still need him – in a different way.

Sue

PS No pictures since this is not Really a porn site. Hope you aren’t too disappointed.

Well February was a month we are all glad to see in our rearview mirrors. Covid is hanging around far longer than we expected. Its mandates of masking and vaccines have caused far more disruption than we imagined. Just ask the residents of Ottawa about how they liked having their freedom taken away by “freedom fighters.” Climate change continued to surprise us with more extreme cold and more snow to shovel. And then Putin decided to shake up what little peace we had in the world by attacking the poor citizens of Ukraine. Things could hardly get worse.

But there was more sadness ahead for me and Peter. Many readers know that my birthday was last Tuesday (and the family had celebrated the week before in Niagara Falls). It was a biggie. As a matter of fact I am now halfway through my time in Seventy In the City. In only 5 more years I will have to retire. Either that or change the title. But who would want to read a blog called Eighty In the City? Would there even be time in our lives for any adventures after visits to doctors, medical labs and hospitals?

Anyway on Tuesday when I woke up, I was greeted with cards, phone calls and facebook birthday messages. Things were looking good. Then I went to say good morning to our 2 resident mice, Agnes’s pets, Missy and Sissy. Sissy was all cheerful and wished me Happy Birthday right away. But dear Missy was not looking well. She was hiding in her little hutch and shivering. Oh oh… She was well into her life span of 2 years: a “junior senior,” you might say. I bent down and spoke in her ear: “Missy, do not die on my birthday!!”

Well she paid attention. She lived for 2 more days. But on Thursday morning she had had enough. She lay down quietly and closed her eyes. “Good bye Missy,” I whispered. Peter and I made plans to keep her in a box in the shed until the spring thaw would allow us to bury her with dignity. Then I sent an email message to Agnes in New Zealand.

Agnes shed many tears, as you can imagine. She finally facetimed us to share stories. Her 2 concerns were: first of all, that we keep Sissy happy despite being alone. And second, that we keep Missy’s body safe so that Agnes can bury Missy herself when she returns to Canada in the summer.

So, following orders, I have been visiting Sissy often, asking her how she is doing. She seems OK – content in the cage that she knows well after living there for 18 months. She still loves her Christmas gift tubes that traverse the cage. And she has been using little bits of brown paper to insulate the hutch so it will be warm in the absence of her room-mate.

That leaves us with the other dilemma: where to keep a mouse body in the warm weather until the burial? Dear readers, if you have any freezer space you are not using, could you rent out a corner? Just a tiny corner would do.

In the meantime, our thoughts shift back to the people of Ukraine. Let’s all hope that March is a better month.

Sue

Thank you dear readers for being so generous with your travel suggestions. We thought long and hard about where to go for a family weekend adventure that was not too far to travel, not too germy, and yet not too boring. Where in Canada could we go?

On Saturday morning we packed one suitcase with pyjamas, long underwear, scarves and mitts, and hats. We loaded everything into the car and headed west, south, and then east. In an hour and a half we were there. We joined 2 other families: 2 of our sons, their wives, 2 dogs, and one grandchild, Gavin. We also took along a newcomer who had just arrived in Canada from the Philippines last week.

So where did we go? You may have guessed already. Canada has many beautiful places to visit: the Rockies, the Maritimes, the North. But one place that is close and yet among the most magnificent scenery in the world is in our own back yard – Niagara Falls. By late afternoon we had all arrived and settled into the only doggie hotel in the entire town – the Old Stone Inn.

After unpacking, we met in one of the rooms for some wine and planning. Having 2 dogs with us meant extra challenges, such as restaurants. The first night we found a local Japanese place that did takeout, and we ate on the beds in one of the rooms, being careful not to get noodles or soy sauce on the sheets. When dinner was finished, we looked at each other and said: “It’s time!”

Time to visit The Falls. Just a short walk from our hotel, and down a steep hill, and there they were – stunning, powerful and lit up in gorgeous colours. Despite having grown up in the Niagara area, I still find The Falls mesmerizing. And so did everyone else. The newcomer was in awe. Even the dogs were intrigued. They kept climbing up on the wall and staring over the edge, while their owners held tigthly onto their leashes . Despite the biting winds, we could barely tear ourselves away. But eventually we walked back up the hill to our hotel.

The next day we woke up early so we could get going on the day’s adventures. The first item on our list was the Sky Wheel. It is not unlike the great London Eye, with enclosed cars which keep out the wind while providing magnificent views of The Falls from above. Then we walked back towards The Falls for a different, daytime, view.

This time we walked all the way to the power plant and the greenhouse. Unfortunately the greenhouse was closed due to Covid, and the show at the power plant looked a little too technical for Gavin and the dogs, so we took a pass and walked back to the hotel, for a total of 20,000 steps. All this beauty and exercise too!

On our last morning, after breakfast together, we decided to travel in tandem to another important spot, (in Canadian history), Brock’s Monument. The monument was closed so we didn’t have to climb the 280 steps to the top, but we did admire the view of the Niagara River from this vantage point. It’s hard to imagine how The Falls have retreated 7 miles over the last 12,000 years, from the edge of Lake Ontario to where they are today, in the middle of the Niagara River. In just 22,000 more years, The Falls will have continued their backwards journey and disappeared into Lake Erie.

As we climbed into our cars to finish the homeward journey, one couple said they were going to take a detour – back to The Falls for another look. Who could blame them? As for you, dear readers, you have only 22,000 more years to visit. Don’t miss out!

Sue

When our son Daniel and his family moved to The Beach, we noticed that they lived not too far away from a stunning building. They told us it was the “Palace Of Purification.” We were intrigued.

After some clandestine trespassing and a little googling, we discovered that it was the R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant. And it does almost look like royalty could live there. The idea for a water treatment plant on the shores of Lake Ontario was floated around beginning in 1926 but it took architects and builders 15 years to work out the details, and the plant wasn’t finished until 1941. It still produces over 30% of Toronto’s drinking water.

We studied the architecture further and discovered a new (to us) architectural style – art deco. Art deco was meant to be a symbol of hope following World War I. The style is sleek with interesting rectangular forms. It is anything but minimalist, as the forms are broken up with curved ornamental elements, sometimes fanciful, sometimes representing the purpose of the building. Some art deco structures you might be familiar with are the Chrysler Building in New York, or the Supreme Court Building in Ottawa. The first impression is very streamlined and modern but, if you look closely, you will find touches of whimsy.

There are other art deco buildings in downtown Toronto so, on a recent Lucy Cleaning Day, we went to see them. Our first stop was at College and Yonge, where we found the Toronto Hydro Building. One of its ornamental elements is a coat of arms with the words “industry, intelligence and integrity,” the motto for the original City Of Toronto, in 1834. There are also unusual details along the roofline, including faces staring down accusingly at the pedestrians below, reminding us to “Turn Off Those Lights!”

Farther down Yonge St we discovered an old (Toronto) Dominion Bank, built in 1930 and now converted to a restaurant. The details on the outside describe the past through carvings of agriculture, industry, shipping and even Queen Victoria. On Bay St, we found the Canada Permanent Building, one of the original “skyscrapers” at a remarkable 18 storeys high! The Canada Permanent , 1931, has a magnificent arched entranceway and elaborate brass detailing inside.

The most unique building we found is on Adelaide St – the Concourse Building, 1928. Described as a canvas for elegant details, it gets its reputation from Group OF Seven artist J. E. H. MacDonald, whose mosaics decorate the front entrance and surrounding archway. Aboriginal-inspired decorations line the edge of the roof. We had to be creative in order to find a photo spot to capture this elegant roof-top design.

The Concourse Building is on such prime property that in 2017 most of the building was torn down, leaving only 2 facades now tucked into the bottom corner of a modern 40-storey glass and steel tower. While we were delighted to see that the facade had been saved, we lamented the abundance of glass and steel buildings monopolizing the downtown core. There is a sameness to them that is cold and inhuman. Bring on more art deco!

Sue

PS. Thanks to everyone who wrote in last week with suggestions for safe, covid-free travel. We heard from someone who has been enjoying winter in Hawaii, a couple who flew to Germany but paid more for business class, just to have the extra space away from germs, and another family who are waiting for summer so they can safely visit their cottage. And we heard from 2 people who suggested a visit to the west coast. Next Tuesday you can read about where we decided to go.

I bet Shakespeare had no idea he had penned a quote for us to use during this pandemic. But it sure comes in handy when you are planning anything these days. Just ask restaurant owners. “Will you be opening up to full indoor capacity any time soon?” Ask the school kids. “Will your school be closing any time soon?” And ask the travel agents around the world. “Will it be safe to travel any time soon?”

Peter and I are avid travelers. We have climbed Mount Fiji, walked along the Great Wall of China, sailed down the Amazon, visited every continent except Antarctica. Our last trip was to the Galapagos Islands back in November 2019. You can imagine that we, like so many others, have itchy feet these days.

When things appeared to be looking up last November, we booked a trip to Portugal. It was with a hiking company, the same small business owners who took us to the Galapagos. (I wrote about that trip in a post on November 26, 2019). We had originally booked the Portugal trip before the pandemic and we were scheduled to go on March 14, 2020. Well guess what happened the day before – March 13, 2020? Lockdown!

This past November things seemed to be looking good so we signed up for Portugal again – for March 2022. There were lots of considerations, mostly having to do with insurance. But we started to get excited about having a break from snow, and a chance to explore a new (for us) country. Portugal is a winter destination for many Canadians because of the warm weather and the relatively inexpensive lifestyle. We thought it might be an alternative to Florida in the coming years, especially if You Know Who gets elected again.

Then Omicron hit the scene. We watched in shock as the infection numbers started going up and businesses started closing down. Portugal became one of the hot spots in Europe. Our final payment deadline for the trip approached – January 10. What to do?

Then the hiking company sent a timely message – our final payment deadline had been moved to – TODAY! February 8. Relief…. except…we still had the same questions, only delayed a few weeks. Would the flight be cancelled before the trip, due to staff shortages? If it went, how would we manage to breathe for 7-plus hours in our N95 masks? If we got sick in Portugal, (not a simple question at our age), would there be room in the hospitals for us?

Although our trip would focus on an outdoor activity, hiking, what about restaurants? Would we have to do take-out in our hotel rooms? On our days off, would tourist attractions be open or would we just have to wander around by ourselves? And, most important, would there be Shopping??? We spent a lot of time pacing and worrying. To be in Portugal or not to be, that was the question.

A few days ago we opened our email and there it was – a message from the hiking company: IMPORTANT UPDATE! We held our breath: The Portugal trip had been cancelled. A huge wave of relief swept over us. We weren’t going, and somebody else had decided for us. The perfect ending.

Except… Now we are trip-less! If you know of any safe Canadian place to go without too much risk, please send a comment. Quick.

Sue

PS Sorry there are no images of Portugal to share with you.

On our recent Friday excursion, Peter and I decided to do something to celebrate. But the weather outside was chilly – minus 14. We got up early to get dressed. It takes a while to put on thermal undies, two pairs of socks, mittens, scarves, warm boots, heavy jackets, and hats. We also wore our N95 masks – not only for covid protection bot also to keep our cheeks warm.

Finally we were ready! We hopped on the subway and then took a bus, going west along Queen St to Augusta Ave where we got off and walked north through Kensington Market. I had never been to Kensington Market before. The description of Kensington as a bohemian, vibrant, diverse neighbourhood had me intrigued. I was not disappointed. The boutique stores sell fruits and vegetables, sex toys, tattoo services, flowers, cannabis, vintage clothes, and baked goods. Something for everyone!

The neighbouhood has gone through many iterations since its beginning in the 1920’s. In 2006 it was named a National Historic Site with bylaws such as building height restrictions, meant to keep it as a city treasure. Artists and writers make their home there, and tourists come from all over the world to walk its streets. It’s a far cry from the early Jewish Market where new immigrants displayed produce from hand carts in front of their homes, and where chickens roamed freely until they were sold.

As Peter and I strolled along, we came across a CTV news journalist who was soliciting opinions about Covid. We stopped and Peter stepped in front of the mic. He was only to happy to describe our life since Covid: unable to travel outside of the country, we have spent countless hours exploring the city’s neighbourhoods on foot. Kensington Market is just one of them.

After Peter’s tv debut, we continued north along Augusta Ave to College and our final destination – the new T& T store on College Street.

T&T is a chain of supermarkets that is familiar to us because some of our kids shop there. T&T, named after the founder’s two daughters, Tina and Tiffany, was started in 1993 by Cindy Lee who wanted to provide familiar quality ingredients for Asian people. Her flagship store is in Burnaby BC, and there are 26 other Canadian stores now, 3 of them in the GTA.

The new store was decorated with bright Chinese lanterns and shelves of New Years gifts such as gold “lucky money.” We were looking for noodles and found an entire aisle devoted to them: flat, curly, vermicelli, rice, stick, air-dried, seasoned, and more. We stared in awe at the produce, many products like lettuce root unfamiliar to us. We tried to count the different kids of soy sauce and lost track.

Then we found the hot table and decided it was time for our Chinese New Year lunch. After filling our plastic containers with vegetables, pork ribs, fish balls, and of course noodles, we looked for a place to eat. Oops – no in-store dining! We were directed to the store entrance one floor below, where we found a counter and stood beside it to eat.

Then Peter started to get anxious. He hurried to find a garbage can and then quickly re-dressed in hat, scarf, gloves and coat. He eagerly led me towards the subway and home. When we arrived, he sat down in front of the TV, and turned on the CTV news. And there he was – hardly recognizable in his mask and Russian Cossack hat. His speech had been edited to about one sentence. But hey, it was fame!

Gong Hey Fat Choy everyone.

Sue

Sometimes, when we’re stuck inside due to snow storms or freezing temperatures, our minds wander forward to summer. We can’t help ourselves!

As I have written on this blog before, Peter and I love to spend summer days sitting on the lake in our kayak, a kayak that is now hanging, sad and lonely, in the garage. We see it every time we take the car out, and it reminds us that summer is ahead sometime. Recently we also noticed, as we drove across the Gardiner Expressway, a bright red canoe perched on the Toronto skyline. What is that red canoe doing there? Is it waiting for summer too?

One day last week we decided to investigate. We fond the place, called “Canoe Landing Park,” (2009), situated on a piece of land just east of Fort York. The canoe is labelled “Tom Thompson Canoe.” Tom Thompson would never ride in this boat. For one thing, it has a concrete base and a door in the side so tourists can climb in. It is definitely not water-proof. But it sits high up above the Gardiner, staring longingly towards Lake Ontario.

There are other water-related items in this park. Beside the canoe are a couple of white boxes, named “iceberg benches” keeping with the water theme. Just looking at them made us cold. We didn’t even try sitting. A sculptural version of a beaver dam is also near the canoe: a concrete semi-circle, filled with water, and shrubs nearby. It seems to be expecting some lost beavers to come along and stat gnawing.

Another art installation is named “Bobber Plaza.” Brightly coloured fishing floats, ie bobbers, stand tall, but hide sprinkler heads beneath. During the summer this plaza becomes a water park. Bobber Plaza, along with the canoe, the benches, and the beaver dam, was created by Canadian actor, novelist, and artist, Douglas Coupland.

Copland, who just celebrated his 60th birthday, has written for several prestigious publications, including the New York Times, has twice been a finalist for the Giller prize, and has created several notable art installations, especially in Vancouver. You might know the digital orca on Vancouver’s shoreline near the Convention Centre. If you want to see another of Coupland’s works, just walk about 2 blocks west from the canoe along Fort York Blvd, to find his monument to the War of 1812.

Canoe Landing Park takes on added significance in September because it is a memorial to Terry Fox too. A map shows the route of the “Miracle Mile” – 2 laps of the path equal one mile. Walkers and runners are asked to keep in mind that Terry Fox completed 3,339 of those miles! The path is marked by little red leaves along the side, and billboards with photos of things that Terry valued while on his journey. At the beginning of this path, visitors can find a touchstone, topped with a heart-shaped rock, which was picked up by Terry’s brother at the site where Terry ended his walk over 40 years ago.

Our visit to this unique park did not make summer come any sooner, but it cheered us up to see art work inspired by Canadian icons, and that red canoe waiting there, so full of hope.

Sue

Recently a reader, living in Italy, asked “How do you Canadians manage to cope with winter?” Well, after living through the latest cold snap, followed by a big dump of snow yesterday, that question is probably on everybody’s mind. How DO we do it?

Here’s what I’ll tell her: First of all, we have 2 of everything: 2 sets of clothes, 2 books of recipes, 2 groups of activities. In the winter we abandon shorts and sandals, and switch to cute furry ear muffs, boots with traction, mittens instead of gloves, and cozy thermal underwear. We also make good use of all the spare geese around by turning them into goose down duvets and coats, so expensive that there are armed guards outside Canada Goose stores.

When it’s really cold we even wear some of these clothes to bed! (Well not the boots). It becomes automatic- allowing extra time in the mornings and evenings to get dressed and undressed. We also spend extra time in the bathroom – untucking and pulling down, then pulling up and tucking in – all those layers.

Our eating habits change in the winter too. We cover up the BBQ, and switch to hot soups and stews. One favourite ,chili, can really be quite hot with lots of spice. We don’t make winter visits to ice cream vendors; instead we go to the coffee shop and order hot chocolate. Our alcohol habits change from icy margaritas with little paper umbrellas, to hot toddies with cinnamon sticks.

We are trained to take care of our health in the winter. No insect repellant needed. Instead, we cover our bodies with moisturizer to prevent dry, itchy skin. We usually amp up our vitamin C intake and make sure to get our flu shot.

As for ” What do we do with all that time between December and March?” Instead of fluffy beach reads, we switch to longer serious tomes well suited to sitting near a cozy fire. Outside, we put on our high-traction boots and go for a walk in the snow, sometimes stopping to make a snowball and aim it at an unsuspecting partner. If we are feeling really childish, we lie down and make snow angels.

For the more athletic types, there is snow-shoeing in the woods, skiing downhill or cross-country, and curling or playing hockey. There is also a new sport – winter golf – making the scene. The little white balls are exchanged for bright orange-red ones, visible on a snow-covered fairway. And then there is skating.

I wrote about skating in my last post. It seems that skating was a winter activity in the past lives of many of us. One reader wrote to tell us that the reason skaters prefer to travel in a counter-clockwise direction is because it’s easier to turn left than right when on skates. Who knew? Another reader wrote about a vivid memory of her mother sending her out in skates that were too small and hurt her toes, maybe permanently. A third reader shared memories of being a teenager and skating, but mostly looking to meet boys, on the weekends. One more reader wrote to say she had been an avid ice dancer in her youth. Another reader sent pictures of 2 outdoor rinks made by her 2 sons for their kids. Both boys had grown up with their own rinks made by their father every winter.

And that’s how we Canadians manage to live through the winter months. Despite the added burdens of Covid this year, most of our winter activities can still take place. And we have the advantage of Zoom and other online activities when we have to stay inside. We Can Do This!

And now I am going outside to make some snow angels.

Sue