A real winter

It was a spectacular winter day, our snowmobiles chugging along faithfully just north of Paint Hills, around Comb Island. The ptarmigan were scarce and scared, but we managed to bag a number of them before we decided to make fire and drink tea. We crested a hilltop and my uncle, who I accompanied a lot that winter, had descended down the other side and parked his machine on the leeward side. I knew it was time for some tobacco and I quickly sidled up beside him. Since the clear skies promised no snow, it also became a cutting cold that was hard to keep out of our snowsuits.

Out of the wind, I stepped off my machine for a whizz. I quickly collapsed into armpit deep snow and had to practically swim back. After a good laugh, we headed to the safety of the thick woods to warm up a bit, sip hot tea and heat up the bannock. Later that night, we arrived home to get ready for another foray the following day. Such was the life of hunting, snaring and trapping. No real deadlines except for the opening face-off on Hockey Night in Canada every Saturday.

Thinking about another bout with Old Man Winter, after decades of complaining about missing ice, little snowfall, early springs and all that has to do with mild weather, the mother of all continuous snowfall fell, unfortunately, in southern Quebec.

I remember trying to go shopping at the local shopping malls and we couldn’t find the stores and gave up. We drove past tunnels that were supposed to be driveways and sidewalks were unseen from the 16-foot hill of snow that accumulated over the past month. Rooftops were barely visible and you could sense the frustration of the people. Eventually, I took a cab to the mall, cleverly hidden behind a massive 30-foot high mountain range of piled snow.

Now, I know that today’s weather is called many different names and is measured to the millibar and so accurately gives you a forecast that you can depend on as an excuse to take the day off. Many employers are feeling the pinch as their trusted workers fail to show up on time

It’s the same for the consumer. It’s hard to get around in person now, so why not let the mailman do all the work and deliver your purchases to the doorstep? The virtues of the virtual mall – no need to face Mother Nature anymore. It started with the sophisticated delivery systems of the pizzerias, and now, you don’t even have to go anywhere when the world is at your fingertips and anything, I mean anything, can be bought and delivered within 24 hours.

Soon, it will be warm enough to go outside and walk around like lost sheep, wondering how the world could look so different in real life. Yes, it’s time to bring back the outdoors to the indoors and wake up the inner explorer in you to venture where no digital imprint of your life can be seen.

If you really want to go off-grid and enjoy life (and in many cases, life and death) to its fullest, leave the generator off unless you absolutely need to fire up your coffee pot and have a classy espresso. Or perhaps, for the best reason of all: Hockey Night in Canada.