a peek inside the fishbowl

23 Feb, 2015

A rare ski day

Posted by andrea tomkins in: Easy ways to make kids happy|Ottawa

Mark and I have learned two things about winter during our parenting careers:

1) Unless we get out there and find a way to enjoy it, this six month season of sub zero torture will seem EVEN LONGER THAN IT IS.
2) By dressing appropriately and reframing our idea of “cold,” we are better equipped to undertake #1.

So when the mercury RISES to minus seven it is cause for celebration around here. It was with this in mind that we returned to this NCC cross-country ski trail on Sunday.

Eastern Greenbelt NCC

Quiet ski trail, Ottawa

I'm way back here!

It was, as always, a dream. It was cold, but not uncomfortably so. There was a little wind. Every once in awhile the trees would shift and sway, and in their wake they’d send down a shimmer of snow on our heads. The sun would burst out from behind the clouds every once in awhile, just in time to illuminate these inner-forest snow showers. Magic.

Does it sound strange if I mention that I think that skiing has healing powers? It’s fitness. It’s family time. It’s a meditation. How does it help our brains and our bodies?

Speaking of which, I have fallen in love with the idea of riding my bike to Carleton Place for my birthday this summer. (Overnight, that is. Not all in one day.) Check out this route and then come back and tell me if I’m crazy.


3 Responses to "A rare ski day"

1 | Lynn

February 24th, 2015 at 6:51 am

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Agreed – if you don’t get outside in winter, even in a freezing cold winter like this one, it’ll just seem like an endless drag. This year we’ve actually been out more than usual despite the cold temperatures and I’m surprised at how positive I’ve been about the whole thing.

As for the bike trip: crazy! But Lana at Modal Mom does this kind of thing all the time and she makes it look pretty awesome. Plus: excuse to buy a fabulous touring bike if you don’t already have one.

2 | vaylo

February 24th, 2015 at 8:21 am

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Cycle to Carleton Place? YES!

3 | Misty Pratt

February 24th, 2015 at 1:29 pm

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I cycled to Cornwall all in one day last year for the MS ride :) Totally doable! And yes to skiing being magical/therapeutic soul-food. Have I mentioned I can’t wait until the “I’m screaming because I hate my mitts” stage is over and we can actually enjoy skiing as a family? Or do they continue to complain without the tantrums? :)

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The Obligatory Blurb

My name is Andrea and I live in the Westboro area of Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Piper who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. We also have two human offspring: Emma (24) and Sarah (22). During the day I work as a writer at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

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