Put into perspective

In British Columbia where I spend part of the year (usually the winter), forest fires are raging and there is no end in sight. I am in Newfoundland still, watching the catastrophe from afar. Sometimes I remember the summers on the Pacific coast with awe. Swimming in the ocean, being able to wear light summer dresses, sitting in the garden, drinking iced coffee early in the morning, sleeping in the shade of tall trees.
But right now, I wouldn't want to be there. I used to complain about the short summers in Newfoundland on Canada's east coast. But I have turned into a fan. Yes, it is true, the ocean is way too cold for swimming in most places, and the lakes, too. But the beaches are so pristine and unspoiled. The water is crystal clear and the nicest spots are for me to take, with hardly any people.
Yes, it is often windy (just like now) and I have to wear hats which make everyday a bad-hair-day. It is impossible to read a book sitting outside. But the wind keeps the mosquitos away and cools me down on hot days. I think in Newfoundland, I have become a cold-weather person. I cannot stand the heat anymore.
Recently, I made a joke about my latest crime novel "Cries from the Cold": No cries right now, it is not cold, it is hot here. A friend from British Columbia asked: What do you call hot in Newfoundland? I said: wearing an undershirt in the house and having warm nights.
I know it doesn't sound like much but it's perfectly fine for me.
I will remember it when the first blizzard hits the Newfoundland coast in a few months.


CRIES FROM THE COLD: A bone-chilling mystery thriller.