Here Comes the Sun

It’s been a long, cold winter.

Most winters have included some travel that have allowed me to escape the winter doldrums. It’s not that I specifically tried to escape but it was always a nice break. The winter of 2021 was the first time where, due to lockdowns, I really noticed the effects of sticking around all winter. It gets a bit claustrophobic.

This particular winter, I had thought I might plan a trip somewhere warm, looking at places like Brazil or Australia. Life happened instead and I’ve been mostly managing a teenager dealing with school, work, driving lessons, and sewing lessons—chauffeuring him from place to place. It’s his last year of high school and I am enjoying this extra time with him before he is likely to move out in the fall for college.

For spring break, we took a trip to Paris and even the brief couple days of 15° weather upon arrival was enough to lighten my mood—and my clothing, choosing to sport shorts for the comparatively balmy weather. (Considering all the Europeans still wearing their long jackets, my Canadian-ness stood out.) The temperature dropped below 10° for the rest of the trip but remained above freezing and that too was enough to feel excited in anticipation of summer warmth to come. My fashion-conscious kid preferred the cooler weather to be able to layer properly. While I bask in the summer, that kid is definitely a spring/fall kind of kid.

I feel the ice is slowly melting.

Ottawa is making sure to not let us forget about winter, though. Just this morning, we were gifted with a few centimetres of snow and possible another dozen or so may find its way our way by week’s end.

With quips of becoming the 51st state, on-again-off-again tariffs, and other unexpected world events, I’m grateful that the weather is perhaps the worst of my complaints. (Although, getting an infection and losing my hearing in my right ear is something I could complain about but even that feels like a mild inconvenience for the time being. Hopefully my hearing returns in a week or so.)

In the meantime, I’ll continue with my routines. Sunny days will return and I will say, it’s all right.