Environment Canada has lifted its windchill warning, apparently because the -43 windchill forecast for later today does not merit alarm of any kind. Phew, and I thought it was gonna be cold.
The little chill we experienced in the past few days was a first for me. I had never experienced naturally occurring windchill levels like that before. Yeah, I created my own a few times while snowmobiling at 80 mph across Lake Winnipeg in -30 temperatures. I also got my first experiences with frostbite during that time.
But this latest freeze taught me a few new and exciting things.
1. The vent for the clothes dryer in the house is a wonderful conduit for cold. And the dryer doesn't like it. When I fired that bad boy up yesterday, I thought for a minute the cat snuck in while I was loading it. Horrible noise. Oh, and never, ever, under any circumstances should you throw in a load of wet clothes and forget to turn the dryer on. Big ball of fabric ice. Enough said.
2. Much to my disappointment, spit does not freeze before it hits the ground at -40. My sister suggested I try it and I did. It landed with a wet "splat," not the "crack" I was looking for. Probably just as well as I would likely have frozen something playing that game if it had worked.
3. The block heater in the truck is up to the task. This is good news. Yeah, it complained and made some interesting noises (not as interesting as the dryer mind you) but it started. The doors did not operate as cooperatively as usual and the "low tire pressure" light came on, but I'm pretty sure that was all due to the shrinking metal and air. It got Neomom safely to work and home again. That's all I ask of it.
4. Not sure if the van is up to the task, as I chose to keep the boys indoors for the last couple of days. I'm just going to believe it will be there when needed.
5. And finally, that goofy, Gomer-lookin' hat I bought as a joke several years back? It is fantastic in -40 weather. My deepest thanks to the rabbit that made the ultimate sacrifice for my head. I'm thinking it will be the go-to headgear in Thompson. At these temperatures, I don't care how I look, as long as I'm warm. Must look into junior sizes for the boys. It's never too early to start looking goofy.
Anywhoo, it's Sunday, Neomom's gotta work and, in spite of the warm weather, I think it'll be another indoor kinda day. But we'll see. It's -26 now, but it's supposed to warm up to -25.
Have a great day.
The aforementioned Gomer hat.
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