Evidently, seized with what is called by climatologists a 'polar vortex' the U.S. Midwest is undergoing some extreme cold weather conditions. As for us here in the great frozen North we have apparently set a record for the month of January in snowfall (97 cm thus far), though looking about here one might never guess so. The last record snowfall conditions for January in Ottawa was set in 1999 (at 93 cm), so we've beat a two-decade-old record.

From the total accumulation on peoples' lawns and on the forest floor and upon the walkways of its bridges you'd never know, though, that much snow has fallen. And that's because the month ricocheted between extreme icy temperatures and more moderate ones that brought rain and freezing rain rather than snow, melting the pack from time to time and diminishing its presence. Not that we don't have a considerable snowpack, but nothing like my memory serves up of past winters when the height of the snow on our lawns almost rivalled my own height.

Yesterday there was an all-day snowfall again from the night before, on into the morning hours to continue throughout the afternoon as well as the evening. It was also quite cold, with the daytime high of -10C, and thankfully, little wind to exacerbate the cold. After our ravine walk in the early afternoon, we went out to do our weekly grocery shopping, leaving Jackie and Jillie moaning and whining and emitting soft howls of anguish, poor darlings.

They know where we're going, and the routine is so well established in their memories that they anticipate our return with edible goodies, but in the interval between they mourn the misfortune of being on their own in the familiar comfort and warmth of the house, in our absence. That there are two of them, sibling-companions accustomed to playing together and knowing they are not alone doesn't serve to comfort them one iota.

When we do return though, the excitement! The emotion! And once the leaps and the yips have been commenced with and finally completed their attention is riveted to what we've brought back with us in four large carriers set on the kitchen floor waiting to be emptied. Any broccoli, lettuce, snap peas, cauliflower, celery and other like greens are instantly leaped upon, gnawed into manageable bits to be relished before we're able to rescue and refrigerate them.

On our drive to the nearby supermarket we tend to frequent, the condition of the roads we accessed, starting with our own was pretty deplorable. Ice-covered and flush with dirty piles of snow not yet plowed as the municipality tries to respond to the ongoing snow situation. It's hard to imagine anyone attempting to negotiate their way under such road conditions without having snow- or ice-tires on their vehicles; an absolute must for safe driving conditions in this geography.

Once at the parking lot my husband realized that we had a flat tire. Nothing in the steering had alerted him to that fact, but there it was, the right front-tire deflated. I went in to the supermarket to begin the shopping and he remained out in the snowy cold to inflate what he took to be a slow leak. He always carries a small electric pump in the trunk of the car, so it took little time to re-inflate the tire and he soon joined me inside.

When we had finished shopping and returned to the car there was no sign the tire was deflating again, but my husband's assessment of a slow leak was obviously accurate, and he began to make plans in his mind to take the car in to the service station he usually uses, as soon as possible. Another little drama in another day. We never know when we awake to face the coming day what lies in store. A nuisance to be sure, but far more of one if it had been a flat tire requiring that the tire be changed in those weather conditions.