March 2nd, 2009

Rose-coloured Reviews Yesterday’s Weather

Saturday February 28, 2009, dawned a bit watery, but the dawn did come before 7 am (only the third day of the year that we got light before 7!) and by the time sun was fully in the sky, the flimsy cloud cover had delicately burnt off or blown away, leaving us with a ravishing yellow and blue to breakfast by. In the warm indoors near a southern exposure window, it was easy to feel that the day was in fact balmy, and this mis-appris was aided by the actual warm weather of last week, which melted the snowbanks and even the black piles of black toxic sludge that were underneath. So the sidewalks were bare and clean and springlike, although of course the naked treebranches waving in the brisk winter wind were a bit of a giveaway, even from the southern exposure.

Outside it was in the low-negative-teens all morning and that brisk wind made for some brisk walking. But those clean sidewalks were a joy to walk briskly upon, and the sun made for good morale. It was just important to stay out of cavernous black building shadows; for perhaps the first time this year, it felt that the sun was close and strong enough to make a difference in warmth. Or, yes, it could’ve been just a morale issue.

The day stayed bright and lovely clear and even warmed into the negative aughts into the afternoon, and then sunset was a sweet distant pink with the occasional cotton-snag cloud for texture. Without the sun, it felt much colder, though in truth it wasn’t a significant slide in temperature and the wind had in fact dropped a bit. In truth, it could’ve been some poor wardrobe choices on the part of the reviewer: it was not a night for a short-sleeved sweater under one’s coat, no matter how fetching the deep-burgundy wool.

As lovely as the sidewalks were for walking, so were the highways for driving, and there is not better a better time to view the steel mills of Hamilton in full flame than in a navy night with lights and stars and fires reflecting on the flat of Lake Ontario. Weather in Hamilton did not seem to vary from the above Toronto description, although perhaps with a touch more lake breeze. The chill made it all the more pleasurable to burst indoors and be greeted affectionately. It was a night for warm hugs, torrid embraces, shoulder-rubbing, football huddles, or whatever form of shared warmth suits your fancy. Also for spicy sauces and soup and tea-based beverages, perching on radiators and draping things across shoulders.

And for bursting back outside hours later, to a sky so clear stars could be seen even from beneath the parking lot sodium-glare lights.

It’s a perfect day
RR