Canada, Eh?

I consider myself an experienced Canadian. Yet, I inadvertently allowed myself to approach hypothermia yesterday.

In the morning, it was -11C out, -20C with the wind chill. I got into the car and idled it for a few minutes to warm the engine. I don't like to turn on the heat in the car till the engine gets going, otherwise you get gusts of cold air blowing at you. So I started on my errands.

Twenty minutes later, my toes had gone numb, I started to shiver. Forty minute later, I started to feel sleepy. I felt my heart beating unusually slow and I knew I was shutting down. That's when something clicked in my mind: I was cold and I hadn't had food all day. Funny how I felt cold but not hungry.

So I turned up the heat in the car full blast and within seconds, felt myself thawing. I stopped for lunch and felt so much better after, like I had waken up refreshed.

This morning, I have a burning sensation in my toes. But we're covered in 20 cm of snow and the white stuff is still coming down. I won't be out for long periods today, that's for sure.

Oh, I just noticed birds perched under our garden table, seeking shelter from the snow storm.