It snowed on Thursday.

IT SNOWED ON THURSDAY.

It’s October AND IT SNOWED ON THURSDAY!

I am trying to be accepting. This is a thing that occurs in Canada, especially in Northern Ontario. This is the land of snowsuits under Halloween costumes. But every year that I have lived here it hasn’t snowed until about the 11th of November so the fact that it has snowed and it looks like it is going to stick around and it snowed on the 26th of October.

I need to figure out how to make the fact that winter is already here something I can tolerate. I have only grown to hate winter more the longer I have lived with it. So I have to find a way to have a good time.

So, I think I’m going to put up my Christmas decorations. I have never put my Christmas decorations up before December 1st, my family actually takes a lot of issue with how North America can’t let the holidays each be their own. Christmas decorations are up before Halloween, let alone before American Thanksgiving. New Year’s decorations are up weeks before Christmas. Valentines decorations are up before the New Year, St. Patrick’s Day decorations are up before Valentine’s Day and Easter decorations are up at the same time. Summer supplies are out before the snow melts (although I kind of get that, Canadians require a light at the end of the tunnel come March). It’s nuts that we don’t let time just be, we can’t just exist in the now, we always have to look forward to the next thing.

Time is always marching forward, but that doesn’t mean we have to rush it.

With all of that said. I’m going to put up at least some of my Christmas decorations. Some fairy lights, some sparkly things, just for fun. I am going to read books of no academic value and put ambiance rooms on my TV. I’m going to needlepoint and watch Grey’s Anatomy. I’m going to buy a soft new blankets and get cozy on the couch. I’m going to buy some new wool socks. I’m going to bake for the joy of it.

As Renee Rapp said, “I’ll make it through the winter if it kills me”.

Laura