I haven’t written anything on my blog for a long time because I was working on my new Calista Gates crime novel. I wanted to have the first draft ready before I go on a trip to Switzerland and Spain. Now the first draft is almost finished, and I pack my bags and drive to Deer Lake Airport.
This winter seemed very long to me, much snowier and harsher than the previous winters I have experienced so far in northern Newfoundland. Friends and readers publish photos of flowers and blossoming trees and short-pants weather, while I pack the stove with logs, cardboard and paper in the morning and can’t wait for hot air to be blown upstairs into the rooms.
On the other hand, I also heard from friends on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia that water consumption was already restricted in May. And acquaintances in Switzerland told me that they are worried about the persistent hot temperatures in April and May, far too hot for this time of the year. At least I don’t have to fear a water shortage in northern Newfoundland.
At Easter, I went out into the tundra on the snowmobile, where Easter bunnies distributed chocolate eggs. My neighbour started this tradition and since then the event has taken place annually. This year, hundreds of locals came to the icy lake on snowmobiles: kids, old people, parents, teenagers, it was a joy to see so many people in one fell swoop! It was a beautiful, sunny, windless day – that’s how winter is fun.
About a week ago, I spilled a cup of coffee on the keyboard of my laptop. I did what I could to dry the laptop, but my hope of a rescue was minimal. At the same time, I realized that I hadn’t backed up the contents on the laptop for a year! I don’t know why. That doesn’t look like me at all. I let the device dry for 48 hours and when I turned it back on, it worked!! Hallelujah. All these things wouldn’t be so stressful if I had a computer store around the corner. But the nearest such shop is a five-hour drive away.
It happens again and again that polar bears wander through the villages in our area on their way back to Labrador and the Arctic. They follow the seals on the ice (their favorite food), fill their bellies and when the ice melts, they migrate back to their homeland. Unfortunately, I was never in the right place to photograph them, so I added a picture of Andy Hillier from Quirpon (thanks, Andy!).
The next post will be about my travel adventures. Until then, I wish you all the best!
