We are having a beautiful autumn here in Ottawa, the nation’s capital. The weather for the past week and been warm and sunny and the changing colours are gorgeous. I have tried to get out for a walk or a bike ride every day. On today’s bike ride I told my husband that we have to memorize today and bring it back to mind when we have had twenty days in a row of below-freezing temperatures with high winds and blowing snow.
The Greenboro Trail today.
Did you know that one of my daughters works about a five-minute walk from my house? Today I walked over to meet her and we drove to a small mall nearby. The first store we went to was Mark’s. Now Mark’s used to be called Mark’s Work Warehouse. It was known for selling work clothes for men. Not suits and ties and silk shirts kind of workers. The kind of men who repair roads and climb hydro poles during Canada’s worst weather. The kind of men who dig and hammer and sweat and connect things and build bridges, and…
Well, Mark’s still sells work clothes but they also sell women’s clothes and I have to say their new fall line is gorgeous. We browsed and oohed and aahed. And then I spotted something I had never seen in any store anywhere in the world before. It took me by surprise and I had to take a photo of it.
Before I go on, you have to remember that today Ottawa is the warmest city in Canada at 26C (79F). It’s October. But Mark’s is ready for winter.
In the middle of the store was this full-sized Freezing Room, where you could step in to test the effectiveness of Mark’s winter clothing.
Only in Canada!!! Eh?
Thanks for reading. Have a great day!
Old Girl New Tricks 
Only in Canada but it makes sense!
You’re right and kudos to Mark’s for doing it right!
Wonderful post! Wow…..that is amazing to have a “freezing room” to test clothes. I should start up a room with extreme heat and unbelievable humidity to show people what Bermuda in summer is like….WAIT, they have already done that….it’s called a sauna!
Sent from Our Bermuda Home
Yes, I can see sauna “testing” rooms for Bermuda cruise wear!!! They couldn’t have them in Canada though. People would be lined up a dozen deep to get a turn in it!
This is the perfect thing for women going through menopause! Hot-flashing-females will line up around the block to sit inside this very cool unit. “Mark” my words…
That is hilarious! Thanks for following, Pat. – Maureen
Testing winter clothing…what a cool idea (no pun intended)!!!
It is difficult during this warm weather to believe that it will be freezing in a couple of months.
This would go over big in Northern Wisconsin, too, eh? That’s where I come from. (I am currently displaced in Florida.)
On a side note, we Northern Wisconsinites have adopted the “eh” from Canada. Hope you don’t mind. And… since I have lived in Florida for 11 years, I have adopted the “y’all” too. It gets a bit weird at times.
Anyway, I digress. Yes, y’all, the freezing room makes sense, eh?
😉
I like the “eh” and the “y’all”. Perfect. – Maureen
Maybe you’re right, I’m in NY and I’ve never seen a “testing room” for winter clothing. But, I have to admit, for a colder climate, it’s a great idea!
Thanks for reading, Debbie. I tried the room out the other day. It was -17C in there. That’s right around zero Farenheit. – Maureen