Canadians do like to talk about the weather and I can see why. It is currently bleak. We have several days this week where the temperature will not rise above -20°C and will drop to around -30°C each night. Today we were warned that with the windchill the temperature was -39°C! I tried to head out for a swim this morning but the it took such a long time for the car to warm up (so the windows would defrost) I gave up. I did head out at lunch time after running the car for 15 minutes first. As soon as I stepped outside after my swim my damp hair froze stiff. I still find this amusing even after eight winters.
Most of our Christmas decorations are now packed away, as the tree will be put out for collection tonight. The wreaths on the front door and over the fire place will stay as long as they can survive. And the candles will continue to light our table and rooms until the daylight lasts much longer. The Christmas cards are not yet put away. The children and I reach for one each in the mornings when we have our devotions time. Each day we pray for one of the families or friends who sent us cards, a practice I started a few years back after reading the idea somewhere. I like to look at them a little longer and call to mind the dear friends who sent them.
Sentient 
We have two bookmarks on our computer marking the weather information for Ottawa (Kanata-Orleans) and for the Blue Mountains. As we have noted your plunging temperatures, we have contrasted the temperatures in our region where temperatures have been in thwe high plus thirties for several days and yesterday reached + 43 deg at Penrith, about 10kms from here. This was the highest recorded in NSW yesterday.
There have also been several fires burning, including one at East Killara and another at Berowra. Whilst both are in bushland, they are very close to housing and sudden wind shifts could be very threatening. Other fires are also burning in rural areas, including the Morton National Park near Bundanoon, an area you probably remember visiting. There have been no fires in the Blue Mountains, but we are reciving frequent warnings about being prepared.
Ottawa and the Blue Mountains – you have written of the bleak midwinter; here it is the scorching midsummer. If it were possible, we would be happy to give you some of our degrees, perhaps about ten. We would both be a little more comfortable.