While most people are agonizing over closing down their cottages, or frantically counting their pennies for a vacation in Florida, I have already dug out my winter boots, coats, toques, scarves, wool socks, mitts, and warm underwear. I am very excited about another winter, especially if it has blizzards, heavy snowfalls, and freezing windchill. Oh, and don’t forget a white Christmas with all the trimmings.

If you haven’t already guessed, I’m not originally from around here, but winter has always been my favourite season, and I am, at last, living in a country that obviously knows what a real winter is all about. After 35 years of balmy winters in Sydney, Australia, where temperatures rarely fall below 0°C, who could blame me for wanting to experience a real winter.

I moved to Canada three years ago, and part of the reason was because I love your winters. It’s a great time of year, don’t you agree? So much to do, the air is fresh, crisp and clean, and everything looks magical all covered with snow. Ah, the snow – the more the better as far as I am concerned, which is quite a distressing concept for many of you, I know.

Yes, I can see you out there, shaking your heads and screwing up your faces, thinking what is she on about?