So much for the “mild winter” I kept hearing about. I’ve just come in from the cold, and right now it’s -10 degrees C (that’s 14 degrees F for my American friends). There’s also a nasty wind blowing from the north, which is making it feel even colder. I’m not sure if it’s going to be like this all winter, but I’m thankful that I have a roof over my head and a nice warm bed where I can curl up with a good book (that good book a copy of Beginning PHP4 that Rob loaned me).
Not everyone is so fortunate. While driving home from a birthday dinner for Richard, I passed by a couple of homeless people wrapped in blankets and gathered over an exhaust grate for wamth, and three more huddled in an alcove. Sleeping on the street is brutal enough when the temperatures are just above freezing, as is normal for this time of year. During this unusual cold, it can be fatal.
I’m going to give five bucks and some winter clothes I no longer wear to the Sally Ann tomorrow. If you’ve got even a little spare change or an old parka or sweater just sitting in your attic, you might want to do the same. It’s a little act of kindness, but it could make all the difference for someone out there.