Winter Whining

Ok, I've been whining about winter a lot lately, mostly through my Facebook status updates. Seriously though, it's been DAMN cold. This morning when I left for work, it was -40C PLUS a windchill to -58C...that's cold, man. My car was not impressed. Even though I had it plugged in, the first turn of the key was nothing more than a "click". The second turn brought weak groan - urrrrrrh, urrrrrrrh, urrrrrrrh...uh oh. Third time was the charm though, and it coughed ever so slightly...stalled, but coughed. Let's try again...urrrrrh, urrrrrh, puh-puh-puh-rrrrr-brrrruuuummmmm, gasp, cough, sputter. One more time, this time with a shot of gas and it rumbled into wheezing fit of running. The engine screamed into the dark of morning - ITS TOO DAMN COLD! However I pushed it to the limit of the day, and it continued to improve, bringing it's reluctant self into a respectable growling purr. Now it was time to check the pedals...gas was fine, clutch was stiff, but the brakes were frozen. Pump, pump, stomp, pump and they were starting to loosen up. The roads are slippery enough up here (BECAUSE THEY DON'T PLOW - and the roads turn into heavily packed snow glass) without having working breaks. I did a 360+ yesterday in the middle of a busy street...luckily there was no one close by when I spun around and landed on the other side of the street, perpendicular to traffic. Of course, the thoughtful souls who inhabit this frozen land kept right on driving, even the one who clearly had seen me spin like a top. Two cars squeezed past me while I attempted to find my way back to the right lane, facing the proper direction.

In any event, I made it safely to work this morning, and on my brief jaunt from the parking lot to the office building where I work, I walked over some litter on the sidewalk (which was also covered in a thick layer of packed snow) and had a little chuckle...there in front of me was a discarded wrapper for a Mr Freeze...now THAT's irony.

Dressing for the cold has proven to be somewhat of a challenge. I found out quickly that my quilted corduroy jacket was not going to be warm enough for a Yellowknife winter, so off I went to Wal-Mart in search of a down filled jacket. I just love the warmth outside, but dammit it makes me sweat inside! I also present the appearance of moulting, and find myself covered in feathers when I take off my jacket. I bought a great pair of winter boots before Christmas with money my parents sent me, so my feet are covered, but found my thighs chilly under my skirts (yes I am STILL wearing them, even in this cold). I went in search of long johns to wear under them, and came home with a pair that were very much too large, particularly in light of my weight loss, so brought them back yesterday hoping to get a smaller pair, but was out of luck - everyone else had the same idea...dammit. I bought a nice lined hat to cover my ears in December, and promptly left it at Marsh Lake in the Yukon...so had to go out and buy yet another one. I have worn a hole in my outer mittens (handknit, of course!) so have to repair that, but not to worry - lots of mittens in my house. I am in the middle of knitting myself a new scarf too, a generous wide one I can wind around my face, as my cheeks and nose get cold walking to and from the parking lot, and when I have to go to the Department offices two blocks away. Tis a lovely shade of Granny Smith green that seems to be so popular these days.

I left my poor sputtering car at my other parking spot for the night, as the office needed someone to take home a company vehicle so they could plow the parking lots (snow that arrived LAST WEEK), so drove home a Chevy van for the night. I have a plug-in at my other spot near the office, so it will be fine. I'll stop by tomorrow and try it out at lunch time to see how it's feeling...poor thing.

Only -33C at the moment, and promises of -5C next week from The Weather Network...I'll believe it when I see it...