Coldest day I remember

Today, was the coldest day of this winter with forecasts over the next few days predicting temperatures to drop to minus-30 and even minus-40 in places. As I got dressed in layers including a t-shirt, sweatshirt and hoodie, as well as long johns and thicker pants, and two pairs of socks, I kept thinking one thing: my time in Edmonton, including the late ‘80s, prepared me for this.

In fact, the day I recall may not have been the coldest day, but it did have some historical significance beyond falling temperatures.

Winter of 1988-1989
Easter break was approaching and the temperatures were falling during my second year at the University of Alberta, the 1988-1989 school year.

I was living in student residence, and recall being in the Marina, a place that was kind of a store and fast food outlet rolled into one. It was there I heard the news.

The weather was so bad, they were closing the university the day leading up to the Easter break, so that would have been Holy Thursday.

It was the first time the university had ever closed. It was pointed out several times that not through two world wars, the influenza epidemic, or anything else had the university closed. This was a first.

It was just my luck too.

Scheduling snafu
After finishing my first year of university where I had three 50-minute classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday or 75-minute classes on Tuesday and Thursday, I hit upon a bright idea.

Given I had to take five classes a semester to be full time and on track for convocation in four years, I decided to take all five classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

It made for long days – but I would have every Tuesday and Thursday off.

That was actually the pattern I followed planning my time table for the rest of my university career.

However, beyond that, the first year, I did it I had my eye on the Easter break.

There would be no class on Good Friday or Easter Monday, meaning I would have a six-day break.

I recall being kidded about that by my good friends Chris Vining and Chris Jesswein.

Then, when I heard the university was closing on Holy Thursday, I thought it was just my luck.

After all that planning, everyone was going to have an extra-long break.

Parting thoughts
The funny thing is that year, and pretty much a good chunk of my first four years at university, I cut a lot of classes. When the weather got cold, that increased the likelihood of skipping class.

So, during the days leading up to the closure, I hadn’t been to class anyway. Had I been, I would have heard about the closure, and not found out about it while I was having supper in the Marina.

It makes everything ironic, because even if I hadn’t planned my schedule the way it was, I likely would have cut class anyway giving myself the same time off.

Still, when I did go outside finally, it was cooooold.

And I dressed in layers.