Frozen
Here in Central Canada, we are going through a really cold spell. This polar vortex as it's being known for, is also slowly moving accross the midwest states. Last night our temps dipped to -40C which is the same in Fahrenheit. With wind chill, it was closer to -50C. I did a bit of searching last night and discovered that Antartica was warmer than we were ( -31C).
Imagine that, the South Pole was warmer than our central position (Manitoba) and we are close to North Dakota too. It's not as if we are up in Northern Manitoba but it sure feels like it.
It's been cold for awhile at temps hovering around -30C but -40C was overwhelming! I had to go outside and care for my poor horses, and barn cats that have no choice but to endure the cold. I confined the horses to their stalls and the cats have cozy shelters to curl up in but there is no heat (all the doors and windows were closed up tight).
My eye balls were hurting in the cold this morning and my nose would have developed icicles if I hadn't been forced inside to warm up.
I've had a little trouble concentrating on writing posts and updating pages lately. My sinuses are not feeling comfortable with all the the temp changes. I wake up at about 5 am, with a slight headache every morning and have to get up. I actually enjoy getting up at this early hour though.
I make some strong coffee for myself, blow my nose a lot, meditate on some Biblical scripture, say some prayers for my family, friends and more and then I enjoy a TV show called Grand Designs at about 6 am.
My husband gets up around 6:30 am, sometimes earlier and so begins the day. Yesterday I forced myself to finish a post I was writing for one website. It was a very difficult article to write because I really know so little about science. It was an article about Terpenes in plants.
I learned a lot but it was not easy to write. I struggled with it for a week but finally finished it. Today I have to write a post for my dog based website and that will be much easier. My goal is to start and finish it today.
I made some new goals recently to motivate myself and wrote the goals on a white board that is propped up on my desk. I have not entirely been meeting those goals but I am trying. I am unthawed and ready to work but my mind is wandering to a possible snack and a cup of hot coffee.....
For all of you in the path of the Polar Vortex, be prepared. You think it's cold now? It's going to get colder! Thankfully it will not last long, by tomorrow we will be a much warmer -22C or so.
Cheers from your fellow Canadian friend
Madeleine
P.S.- I finished my post today, despite many distractions. Time to celebrate with another hot cup of coffee and a small snack!
Recent Comments
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We're in Winnipeg and definitely feeling the wrath of mother nature!
My car & my neighbor's car won't start. I have been out for a while trying to jump start our cars.
I cannot feel my fingers & toes anymore despite having mitts & winter boots on!
I'm really looking forward to spring & summer!
Stay warm fellow Canadians!
Cheers!
Jhie
Ha Ha, I feel your pain Jhie! Winnipeg was even colder than we were this morning right? I believe you were at minus 41C this morning.
When I got up at 5 am, it was a bit warmer at -38C. My husband chose to leave our car in the heated garage at the office where he works, because it barely started at home, even being plugged in.
I had to drive him yesterday and to work this morning with our truck, which we have room for in our garage. Chin up, this weather will pass soon. In a few months, we'll be plagued with mosquitoes!
Mother Nature is going crazy! I should say that man is making Mother Nature go crazy!!! I am upstate New York, close to the Adirondacks also experiencing really cold weather. I travel frequently to New York City and we are expecting the polar vortex to hit hard there as well, until next Monday when temperature will rise to 50F!!! For now, all we can do is keep as warm as we can. I am sorry for your cats and horses though :(
Yeah 50F sounds blissful to me! I love cool temps like that, not too cold and not too hot. I am not a 'summer lover', but prefer Spring, Fall and even parts of winter. Our summers are short and hot, and very buggy. Yeah, my horses and barn cats are not overally happy, but as long as they have shelter and always have food and water in front of them, they will survive. Those internal furnaces of theirs will keep on 'burning'. Hang in there :) Think warm thoughts.
Hi Madeleine,
Thank you for your post,
I am in Ontario and we are a bit warmer here at -35 and 40 degrees this week. Very cold. I hope it gets warmer but for now I will try my best to say warm. I hope you do the same as well. Have a great day!
Regards
Pam
Thanks Pam :) Hang in there fellow Canadian :) It will pass soon, and before we know it, we'll be having Spring weather, complete with mud and dirty snow everywhere!
Thanks you too :) Heading outside now, dogs need some exercise and horses need to spend some time outside (have to let them out). Back into my snow pants, heavy parka, two toques, heavy boots and gloves :)
We live in northeast Texas. When it gets down to freezing, it's cold! Hopefully, it'll warm up soon. Keeping you all in my prayers.
Thank you :) I have a dear FB friend in Texas who is absolutely horrified at the temps that we are having here. She simply cannot even imagine the extreme cold! I remind her that everything is relative. I cannot tolerate extreme heat, I would rather deal with the cold.
Thank you Dave, I will try. I have to wear double toques these days to spend time outside to minimize the stress to my sinus areas. It would help more if I could cover my entire face but with glasses, they just fog up on me and then I can't see a thing LOL!
Hey Madeleine, I am in the central US. I have never seen it this cold before. It was -22C last night with wind chill at -32.
I am so happy you posted because I just wanted to share this with someone. LOL
Never ever have I been this cold.
You keep safe out in the cold.
Laura
Thanks Laura. I was reminded by an American FB friend that we've had other Polar Vortex episodes back in the 80s and the 90s. I don't remember a lot of weather details from the 80s but I do remember an exceptionally cold winter in the early 2000s. I was operating a Pet Hotel and had to take the dogs out 4 times per day.
It was a consistant -35C for many days and the dogs and I had to come back inside every couple of minutes. The dogs were so cold that some could not relax enough to do their 'business'. I was putting dog jackets, sweaters and boots on many of the dogs.
Hopefully your cold weather passes by quickly. It's already warmer here at -37C LOL!
Feel sorry for you folk on the other side of the pond. Just been watching the weather you have been getting, over here on sky news. A reporter in Chicago reporting temperatures of -40. Geez, that's cold, we think we have it bad when it gets to - double figures can't imagine what it's like at -40. Keep warm keep safe hope it blows over for you very soon.
Thanks :) It's really okay as long as our home stays warm. We have not had any electrical failures this month, hopefully it stays that way! A friend of mine had some water pipes freeze in her basement yesterday. It's an unfinished basement, with minimal insulation. She broke the pipe trying to unthaw it and then had to call the plumber. Not having a good day!
Warm thoughts for you! You're making progress. I tried to write something intriguing but scientific and close to my heart, called neuromuscular anomalies ...might have ended up confusing the audience. I find terpeney things interesting, and glad you knuckled down to do it. I hope you are feeling better with the octane booster coffee, and I have to tell you I jumped right on this post because I thought it would be the cartooney Frozen for my 4 year old. Ha!!!! Brain washed by her is awesome.
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Hi, Maddy and yes, those are extremely cold temps. I live on the west coast so I won't talk about that any more😊🤐.
One thing I heard a while back was that there was a shift in the far the axis when the big quake happened in Japan and the weather scientists believe that this may be the reason for some of these weather extremes.
If you are interested in that sort of stuff check out BP Earthwatch.com. The owner does a lot of stuff about weather around the world and he is a believer as well. Pretty interesting stuff.
Anyway, all the best and I hope the weather breaks soon,
Wayne
Thanks, I will be sure to check that out :) The weather has been sunny today, with minimal wind. The temp has been about -30C all day. Tomorrow it's supposed to be about -21 or -22 C, considerably warmer than the last few days for sure. The animals will enjoy their day tomorrow. All the best to you as well.
We are not out of the woods yet. Weather Network says we are going to get -10C Monday or Tuesday here on the southwest coast of B.C. with some snow on and off over the week starting on Sunday. Looks like we will get a taste of winter yet.