Earth to Canadians and Americans living on the East Coast: IT SNOWS EVERY WINTER.

Having lived most of my life in Quebec, where we actually know how to deal with snow, I can’t help but laugh when I see how the other half lives. I drive a Jeep, with snowtires, and I own a shovel. In January it is totally acceptable to show up at a bar wearing Sorels. When it snows we don’t cry, we go skiing.
I live in a city where snow is pretty well cleared. And best of all, it acts as a nice filler for those pesky potholes downtown. Ok, so Quebec is far from perfect, but at least we don’t ignore an entire season and hope it will go away!

I mean really Ontario and New York – It might be time to purchase some actual snowplows. And I don’t mean gardening trucks with makeshift attachments. Or are you just hoping that Global Warming will make this problem moot? Maybe, but that’s another blog post entirely.

Reminds me of this fun clip:

Happy January!

La survivance, non:‘Survival’ admits defeat, Montreal’s winter needs to be lived.

Tip #3: Adopt the right attitude

Using the winter as an excuse to not exercise is a recipe for the blues and a big belly, which will only increase your dread of the next winter.

Get a dog. Okay, this may not be practical for many people, but if you can own a dog, it’s the best way to get outside. No matter the weather, Fido will need to do his business and go for a walk. Once you get outside, you’ll be glad you did. In fact, Quebec’s sunny blue skies on a winter’s day are far more tolerable than the wet and cloudy days of the coasts. Oh, and dogs are great.

Tip #1: Get dressed for the occasion

Invest in proper boots, gloves, a hat and a jacket. Rather than buying one pretty coat and one functional jacket, combine your budget into one garment that is both cool and warm. This will give you the proper attitude to go outside, without freezing to death or looking like your dad. Layering is an effective tool to bridge the divide.

Read the entire article here.

People complain about the traffic, the shoveling, the scraping of ice off windshields… But there’s also the flip side; it’s beautiful, and there’s something unbelievably peaceful about the city after a big storm. I love to ski. I love snowshoeing and exploring the land around my family’s country house. I love my new North Face snow-pants. I love sitting in front of the fire after an adventure outdoors. I love seeing kids being pulled on toboggans on city streets. I love outdoor skating rinks.

This morning, happily bundled up and ready to begin my day, I walked out of my apartment thinking “what are people complaining about? This is beautiful.” It was at that very moment that I lost my footing on a piece of black ice and landed with a resounding thud on my hip. While lying on the sidewalk trying to decide if I should head straight to work or go back upstairs and wash the sleet out of my hair, it occurred to me that all those winter haters just might have a point….

But then I looked up at my dog, who was licking the sleet off my face, and wouldn’t you know it, she had a perfect snow mustache. So, despite the bruise on my hip and the dirt in my hair, I’m back on the winter bandwagon thanks to this face: