You know it’s been a long winter when the sight of dry, un-iced concrete puts a smile on your face for the rest of the day.

It’s been a seemingly endless winter of thermal socks, daily doses of hot coffee and tea and the hope that maybe, if I simply envisioned myself in a tropical paradise, I might be able to ward off the cold.

Yet, last week was different. Last week, I put on my spring jacket for the first time in months.

After many weeks of fantasizing of when I would actually be able to wear it, without the risk of severe frostbite, it finally came off its coat hanger.

And I’m sure I’m not the only one – I’ve even seen a few bare arms in the past few days.

Glorious tidings of great joy, spring is here (knock on wood).

My fellow Winnipeggers, rejoice with me! Sing! Dance! Fill the streets with merriment and songs of gladness! And quickly, before we get another snowfall.

“ In other cities, talking about the weather is a sign that the conversation has gone stale, but not in Winnipeg

Living in this city, our relationship with the weather channel is a tedious one. 

Day in and day out, we wait for good news that the snow will finally leave us once and for all, that no longer shall we endure the hardship of winter.

We’ve all become so accustomed to forecasts ending in “with a wind chill of minus 40” that rather than entertaining ourselves with thoughts of spring coats, finding a second pair of gloves takes immediate precedence over optimism.

It is now March, and despite the common misconception that this is the time for birds singing and flowers in near bloom, we Winnipeggers know better – we are hardened against such lies and shake our fists at the weatherman in defiance.

March does not mean spring; March means the final mile in our war against winter. So, even though I walk proudly in my much lighter (and cuter) jacket, it will still be a while before I even consider leaving the house in anything less than that.

I’m willing to bet that at this time of year, hearing “chance of flurries” is enough to make you sob and fall to the ground into a defeated mess.

It is also around this time of year that you start to notice the extra layer that’s accumulated on your waistline – those shorts from last year aren’t feeling as comfortable as they used to, are they?

Published in Volume 65, Number 24 of The Uniter (March 24, 2011)