Winter Wackiness

Winter is officially here. Of course, here in Canada, winter weather is expected much before the end of December. I heard someone say that Canada does indeed have four seasons; they are 1) Almost Winter, 2) Winter, 3) Still Winter, and 4) Construction. (hee, hee, hee….still makes me laugh!) However, after many years in northern climates, I have come to the conclusion that my body is just not made for this kind of weather. I have several quirks that I have noticed in relation to the colder weather.

First, my fingers and toes go into revolt when the cold comes. I have increasing episodes of numbness and constricted circulation, especially in my fingers, during the winter months. Though this can easily happen during prolonged outdoor activities, it has often occurred indoors, too. I’ve read about Raynaud’s Syndrome online, but I don’t actually have a doctor’s diagnosis…just a pretty strong motivation to buy good boots and mittens, to layer up, and to stay as warm as possible!

Second, my sleep is definitely affected by temperature. Mike and I purchased our wonderful California King sized bed a couple of years ago when we moved to Quebec. We love it and the great nights of sleep it offers! We also love piling on the blankets when the weather turns cool. Right now, our bed sports our polar fleece sheets (a must for winter sleeping!), a thin fuzzy blanket, a down comforter, a bedspread, and a quilt with flannel backing. Still, curled up in bed under all those cozy covers, I often cannot fall asleep until I perform one warmth-saving activity. I actually must tuck my pajama pants bottoms into my socks so there’s no draft on my legs—or else sleep eludes me!

Finally, I have noticed that my weight seems to change with the weather. I am not actually sure if this is weather-related. It could be that the cold makes me shiver a lot. It could be conditioning from being raised in a family in which wrestling demanded certain food changes as the sport’s season commenced. It could be that I am busy with holiday preparations and just tend to eat less this time of year. But I’ve noticed for several years now that I tend to shed a few pounds just as winter begins to bring its chill—usually bringing my lowest weigh-ins of the year. (This phenomenon does provide a delightful freedom to indulge in all kinds of special Christmas treats!)

The kids are well aware of my aversion to the cold. It came up in conversation recently. Andrew vehemently declared, “Mom does not like winter because she does not like the cold.” Ethan followed up with this: “What Mom likes about winter is skating and Jesus’ birthday.” “And making really big snow angels!” said Abby.

Indeed, I won’t escape winter. And I might as well find some things in it that I do enjoy.
And I’ll definitely be keeping my wool socks, insulated underwear, ski mittens, and -40° boots. Oh, and I do love a good quilt wrapping near a fireplace, too!