This is how I know winter has arrived:

• Umm…it’s snowing.
• The people who drive in from north of the city are late, frazzled and whining about how much more snow they have than us here in the downtown. Waah.
• The sidewalks were icy this morning, so I instinctively shifted to the “winter walk”, something I think Canadians are born knowing how to do, even in dress shoes. It makes me (and T-Bone, apparently, as she mentioned it this morning) think of all the Caribbean students at Dal who had to learn how to walk on snow and ice, especially up the hill downtown.
• I want hot chocolate when I get to the office.
• We have to think about shopping for presents soon.
• I’m craving my mother’s apple pie.