Some people love the fall? You lust to fulfill your pumpkin spice latte dreams. You love the changing colors of the fall foliage. You can’t wait to don the latest fall fashions. When it comes to the end of summer, I only see death and dying. I dread that winter is coming!
I understand that this is the circle of life. That the foliage must go to seed and die only to rejuvenate in the spring. However, I want to be like the bears and see you next spring. I’ll be waiting for the bright yellow sprouts of skunk cabbage with great anticipation! This is the first thing the bears eat when they wake up from hibernation.
I thought I was the only one with this highly charged dislike of the change from summer to fall, but I recently met someone who shared my feelings. We have felt the chill in the air at night since the beginning of August. When I 1st moved here from Manitoba in 2001, I was in disbelief at how cold it got here in Vancouver during summer nights. I was used to hot August nights, but now I tow around a heat lamp. Just kidding, but if you visit a patio here, heaters and blankets are the standard to accommodate summer attire.
Your Hands are Cold
Poor circulation runs in my family. I had wanted to be a figure skater in my youth, but my toes & fingers couldn’t handle the cold. I had varicose veins at 18. They were treated with a left vein ligation & sclerotherapy 10 years later. Today, I refer to them as “very gross veins” because I have worms sticking out down the front of my thigh and the backs of my calves.
Now factor in sepsis 3 times & I shiver in the summer shade. What is the sepsis connection, you ask? Because it is a systemic infection, blood leaves your extremities to feed the organs fighting for your life. This leaves arms and legs susceptible to clots, gangrene, and amputation. I survived with my limbs intact, but my right foot is starting to turn purple, so I’m waiting to see a vascular surgeon.
My weakened circulation leaves me feeling cold, so often I welcome the hot flashes just to warm up. In fact, the changing of the seasons cues my chronic gastro pains to ramp up. Over the years, I have found Thermacare Heat Wraps not only soothing, but they keep me warm in the damp cold of the PNW. They’re like having a hot water bottle strapped to your core so you can still move around with ease. Ladies, if you get menstrual cramps, these are your ticket to relief.
- UP TO 16H OF PAIN RELIEF – 8 hours of targeted pain relief & up to 8 hours of heat therapy after wrap is off
- HELP MUSCLES RECOVER FASTER – Heat Cells send heat deep into tight, injured & sore muscles accelerating healing
- CONVENIENT – Designed to stay in place to deliver long-lasting pain relief wherever you go
- [Preferred Material] — The product is made of preferred Material Compared to the traditional rubber hot water bottles, …
- [Stay warm all night]–As long as you keep this insulated , it will stay warm all night long.
- [Safe & Easy to Use] — Hot water bottles have passed 24 hours of explosion-proof and leak-proof test before leaving fac…
- Soft and comfortable：The heating pad is made of a softer material with a silver-grey flannel exterior, which is softer, …
- Heating pad size 24 “x 12” , power cord 7.2 feet
- 6 temperature settings：For different needs, you can choose a more comfortable temperature. It heats up quickly in a shor…
Wanna Snuggle?
Remember how I told you my feet would freeze as a youth? Aging has not done them any favors. I am dependent on fleece socks just for lounging around the house. In fact, all my jammies are comfy cozy. I thought I would be wearing lingerie forever, but I’m too damn cold. And let’s be real, chronic illness means not dressing some day, so a plush housecoat is like a warm hug.
Outdoors in the PNW
Walking relieves most of my pains when I can go. Between the 7-year migraine & the chronic pain from Sepsis survival, I am bed-bound like today, for instance. But when I do walk in the cooler months, I’ve got all the things.
I hate walking with an umbrella, so I bought a duck suit. The hood is structured and extends far enough to keep the rain out of my eyes. Then, I wear fleece-lined leggings underneath the waterproof pants. Nothing sucks more than cold, wet feet, so waterproof shoes are mandatory! Finally, I have found that anything colder than 10 °C requires some glove action.
- Durability in all weather: Engineered with 9 fiberglass ribs, our windproof umbrella withstands tough winds. Vented cano…
- Effortless operation: Automatic open-close function for easy one-handed use. Navigate busy streets or enter vehicles sea…
- Compact & lightweight: Measuring 11.5 inches (29cm) when closed and weighing only 15 ounces, this mini travel umbrella f…
- Warm And Lightweight – Windproof and thin polyester shell, lined with soft and thermal TR Insulation items, the tech glo…
- Sensitive Touch Screen Finger Tips And Anti-slip Silica Gel Palm – With the touchscreen gloves on (touchable thumb and f…
- Water-resistant And Windproof For Outdoor Sports In Cold Weather – These gloves are inserted with a waterproof membrane …
Here in Vancouver, it rarely gets below zero, but the cold snaps are getting longer. My rosemary used to survive the winter, but I’ve had to replant it the last 3 springs. When the weather is that cold, I have this parka. It has an inside vest to keep your core warm with a longer length, you can zip up or leave it flowing. Plus, the hood is wind chill resistant. Not the Rideau Canal in winter resistant, but then again, I’m a special case.
Are You Wearing Mukkiemuks?
As a child growing up in Manitoba winters, I coveted mukluks! I finally got a pair, and yup, you guessed it, waterproof. They’re even salt-proof. The West Coast is quite anti-fur, but no one has thrown red paint on me yet. I support anti-cruelty to animals, but as a Métis woman who comes from a long line of trappers, I understand that no part of the animal is wasted. I also understand that the animal hides and furs kept us warm, and the meat kept us fed, so we could live long enough to create descendants.
Support a Canadian, Indigenous owned brand like Manitobah Mukluks!
Here Comes the Rain Again
If you’re that cold, why don’t you stay indoors? Because I feel like I’m like the earth, if I stop moving, I will die. Movement fights my gastroparesis, releases endorphins, which are a natural painkiller and mood booster, and naturally fights insomnia.
On top of walking, you know I will be hitting up the hot yoga. Momma needs the heat!
I know I suffer badly from Seasonal Affective Disorder, so the sun is my friend. June 21st, or the summer solstice, has become my favorite day of the year. That’s 292 long days away, but I intend to thrive. The plan is to retire on a beach in the tropics, but until we win the lottery, this is Canadian living!
