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T Survival by soup and other antidotes to an endless winter Ah, we do. It forced me to do the opposite of my usual cocooning and actually go outside every hour all winter long. And not just outside for a quick doggie bathroom break. No, I'm talking outside for long walks in weather not t for man or beast. It's the old doggie conundrum: if you take a hound out for a winter walk, she will try to scamper back to the warm house. But if you don't take her out, she will go cuckoobananas. All day long. So, I walked both the pup and our old hound religiously, relentlessly, to the point where the neighbours must have thought I'd lost my marbles. And, well, all that winter walking actually buoyed my spirits. · Yoga Hey, I won't go all mystic-on-a-mountaintop on you, but you'd be amazed at how simple sun salutations each morning warm the body from the inside and make you feel like you're actually greeting the sun you haven't seen in six weeks. If inclined, add a little cardio to your morning routine and suddenly you'll feel healthy, hardy and ready to take on ice storms, frost quakes, and the like. · Basic Escapism This can be done through sports or losing yourself in music, books, or in plotting beach vacations. Suf ce to say, there's a beach in South Carolina that has my name written all over it. It's · M i r a g e H a r d w o o d 13 | Thursday, February 20, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com he countdown is on. Only four more weeks until spring. Four more weeks until we can print the T-shirts and boastfully proclaim: "We Survived the Winter of 2013-14," one of the harshest and most miserable winters in recent memory. Signs of spring are everywhere. Baseball's training camps have opened in the sunny south. Here at home, there was a day or two when the thermometer inched into the positives. And if the temps aren't exactly balmy, the longer days are indeed a balm against the winter blues that have hit many particularly hard this year. Me? While I've had my ups and downs in my yearly scuf e with Old Man Winter -- overall I've fared well. I attribute this (semi-) success to my new winter survival plan. I intend to turn it into a self-help book, which I plan on selling to millions of winterweary souls and then retire on the pro ts in some sun-soaked paradise. In case you're currently at the brink and uncertain whether you can maintain a grip on your sanity for four more wintry weeks, here's a sampling of what you'll nd when you buy my future bestseller, and help nance my escape. · Buy a pup I know it sounds counter-intuitive to any (sane) survival strategy. Who buys a puppy in the fall and trains it through the winter? K a r a s t a n A r e a R u g s my happy place. · Cooking Finally, this winter I rediscovered an integral ingredient for seasonal endurance. I can't tell you how many hours I wiled away cooking soups -- following tried-and-true recipes, or concocting new ones. And at the end of this enjoyable creative process: a pot of savoury soup. That is, a hot, healthy, hearty and ideal antidote to a day in which Old Man Winter's been furiously giving you the business. And now you know the name of my future bestseller: Survival By Soup. That's Life Andy Juniper Guest Contributor -- Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com, found on Facebook www.facebook.com, or followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thesportjesters. Peerless Carpeting · Buyers Edge Guarantee · 200 Store Buying Power Persian BEST QUALITY · BEST PRICES · BEST SERVICE TWO TONE HEAVY BERBER TWIST OR TEXTURED BERBER KARASTAN SMART STRAND SHAG WOW THANK YOU SALE $ $ $ Rugs · 199 299 399 SQ. FT. WOW SQ. FT. WOW SQ. FT. AREA RUGS *LIMITED QUANTITIES CLEARANCE UP TO 1/2 PRICE OR LESS INSTALLATION PREMIUM UNDERPAD NO CHARGE Peerless Carpeting · 200 Store MIRAGE HARDWOOD SPECIAL $ 99 FOLLOWING LOCATIONS ONLY: 7 Buying Power INCLUDES INSTALLATION OPEN SUNDAYS SUPERSTORE 125 Cross Ave. TRAFALGAR VILLAGE, Oakville 905.849.4472 M i r a g e H a rd w o o d · K a r a s t a n C a r p e t i n g · 228 KING ST. E. Hamilton 905-546-1921 P e r s i a n R u g s Call the experts Kerry & Patricia for a free consultation Serving Oakville and the Halton Area 905-815-9795