Jackman-Atkinson: We think we can

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Published on Thursday, January 23, 2014

By: Kate Jackman-Atkinson

myWestman.ca

In my mind, this is the hardest time to be a Manitoban – we’re in the depths of winter, it’s dark and it’s cold. Living in Manitoba at this time of year separates the weak from the strong.

Manitoba is known for brutal winters, but this winter seems to be especially cold and snowy.  Last month, with a mean temperature of -21°C, Winnipeg posted the second coldest December since 1893, over 10 degrees colder than the month’s normal mean temperature of -13°C.  For those wondering, the coldest December was recorded in 2000, when the mean temperature was -22°C.

But December is different than January. In December, we have neighbourhoods lit by Christmas lights and decorations and the excitement and preparation for the festivities of the holiday season and the new year. In January, it’s back to work, back to school and back to the cold, without the distraction of sparkly lights. At this point, I see pictures from the summer and have totally forgotten what my yard looks like under all that snow.  Or what grass is.

But, things are looking up– the days are slowly getting longer and each day brings us closer to spring.  By the end of January, it’s starting to feel like we’re winning the war, even if we aren’t winning the day-to-day battles.

The way I look at it, we just have to survive a little more than a month. We just have to make it to the end of February.  Sure March always has its share of bad weather, including at least one snowstorm, and you really can’t consistently plan on being warm and outside until late April or even May. 

But March is when things really start to turn around. In March, we will have a couple of stretches of warm days that melt the piles of snow and we will see some dirt and maybe even some grass, even if it will inevitably be covered by another blizzard.  You can count on being able to go outside without a coat for at least a few days in March.

So, the question remains: how to make it through these next few weeks? There are a few different schools of thought.

Many people have winter activities such as curling, skating or skiing to pass the time. Having something to do in the winter is extremely helpful. It gives us a reason to get out of the house and maybe for a while, forget about the weather. I envy the curlers and hockey players; they actually look forward to the winter! The easiest way to make it through the next month is to keep doing the activities that have helped us survive winter thus far.

For those without winter hobbies, there are still ways to make winter fun.  Why not turn winter chores into games? For example, you could keep track of how many times have you have shoveled your driveway, how many times you’ve been stuck, how many times you’ve slipped and not fallen, how many times you’ve slipped and fallen.  With a little creativity, there are lots of ways to make the bad parts of winter fun. 

However you chose to make it through the next month, good luck!