Winter begun yesterday and this morning the temperature plummeted and then it began to
snow. The snow was only very light but it did reinforce the fact that winter had arrived. Along
with the snow came a blast of icy air just to make it all that more comfortable. The wind chill
was only -4 C but it still made a difference. I went out for my usual walk this morning and I still
wore my shorts and after about 10 mins I could really feel the cold on my shins.

The snow was
quite heavy and the front of my jacket was white, my fingers were beginning to feel cold but my
body was warm. It’s invigorating to be out walking when it’s like this and usually my bare legs
don’t complain but they were borderline this morn.
After about 20 mins there was a glimmer of sunshine through the clouds and the snow became
thinner and thinner until it stopped. The wind didn’t and so you knew that you were still alive.
While walking in Armidale the most common birds that you see are the Magpies and I was
wondering this morning how they were coping with the sudden change in the weather. Many
looked fat as they puffed up their feathers, others just got on with business. For me I think as
long as my body, my core is warm then I can deal with the cold……….although even wearing
thicker gloves was insufficient in keeping my fingers happy.

3 years ago I went to Harbin in the north of China to visit the Ice Festival, the temperatures
there got down to -30 C. On the third day I was there I was walking around the city and there
was a slight breeze and it began to slice through my clothing, finally reaching my flesh. Of
course phones and cameras play up when it gets this cold, many things don’t function as they
should. On the street corner near the Russian Orthodox Church was a beggar, playing some
kind of stringed instrument which was making dreadful noises, it too was complaining about
the cold. The old man was rugged up but he could have passed for one of the ice carvings
around the city. He was gaunt, dishevelled and sitting on the ground with only a piece of
cardboard between him and the ground………..how he was able to survive this was beyond me.

Since 2016 I have had winter in China, in Suzhou. The winters have not been particularly cold
but they have been wet and so it makes you feel cold. The houses are not comfortable, well my
place wasn’t, so you end up being like the Michelin man inside and outside the house. You sit
too long and the chill sets in. Thankfully today we have the fire on, the wood burner, and the
heat that it gives off is great…………so much better than using the reverse cycle air conditioner.
The warmth grabs you and heats the whole of your body and the other great thing about it, is
that it doesn’t play havoc with me sinuses…………………..