The most common thing people say to me when they first find out we moved to Canada in June is “Oh, so you haven’t experienced a Canadian winter yet then?”
No we haven’t yet and so far I’m pleasantly surprised.
When it started snowing in October, I thought that was it. I imagined it would be cold and snowy all the way through until spring.
Instead we have thoroughly enjoyed the recent weather. I managed to plant my bulbs when the snow melted, we’ve continued cycling on the trails and I put my winter jacket back in the closet.
But there is a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that it is all about to change. I am expecting it to snow any day soon — but secretly I’m looking forward to it.
I want to see what it’s like coping with snow every day and living in -20 degrees centigrade temperatures or colder. I just can’t imagine it.
In England, it doesn’t get much colder than -5 degrees centigrade and then everybody certainly complains.
I expect I will soon come to think -5 degrees centigrade is positively balmy.
When I speak to friends back home, they are all surprised to learn how sunny it is here. I can’t think of the last time it rained in Moose Jaw actually.
But it’s a different story in England. My friend told me this week it has rained every day since her birthday on Nov. 12.
And when it rains and rains and rains, it does get you down and makes you feel more wintry than ever.
Walking to work with your umbrella blowing inside out and rain drumming in your face is never fun.
Parts of the UK have been dramatically affected by the recent heavy rain.
Residents in areas of Cumbria have been hit by devastating floods – and more rain is forecasted.
This week, the Environment Agency has 21 flood warnings in place across the UK — most in northwest England.
More than 200 people had to be rescued by emergency services from the town of Cockermouth in Cumbria.
RAF helicopters airlifted about 50 people to safety and about 150 were helped by the RNLI and other emergency crews.
Cumbria Police Constable Bill Barket died in the floods. He was directing drivers off a bridge in Workington when flood waters destroyed the bridge and he was swept away.
Working as a journalist in Shropshire, I often wrote flooding stories for the Shropshire Star. The River Severn in Shrewsbury has a tendency to flood and photographers were often sent out after being told to get flooding pictures.
In fact, flooding seems to becoming more of a problem in England.
There were terrible floods in 2007 and I can still vividly remember covering the 2007 floods, when the River Corve rose 1.6m in three hours causing the Burway Bridge in Ludlow to give way, severing a gas main and leading to homes being evacuated. One house even slipped into the water.
When the flooding has stopped, there is then the huge clean-up and the inevitable discussions about what can be done to prevent future flooding.
So while I’ve been waiting for the change in the Canadian weather, I have been thinking of people back home.
And I just hope they will think of me too when the novelty of the snow wears off and I have to get used to plugging in the car, wearing more warm clothes than ever before and driving on the icy roads.
