Not Acclimatized

A few days ago (before this heat wave), I went on a photowalk along the shores of Oak Point, where the Miramichi River spills into the Atlantic. The area is spotted with summer cottages lining a very windy road – a pretty sight. It’s always interesting discovering new areas in the city in which you live (especially when you’ve been there for several years) – and makes you wonder why you never made that effort before. We’re often so eager to explore new cities, without even fully exploring the one you’re in.  Though full disclosure: as I write this, it is PLUS 40ºC with humidex…and, well, miserable. Considering more than half the year is spent in a state of mild to severe winter, most houses here don’t have air conditioning (including mine) – which makes you regret ever hating the endless snowstorms. My body despises hot weather: anything above 30ºC, and it starts trying to make my life miserable, with swollen limbs, zero energy and constantly feeling like I can’t breathe. I’ve resorted to lounging near the basement floor, just so I can get the heat fog off my brain enough to write this. I’m sure if your body is acclimatized to it, it wouldn’t be so bad…but Canadian weather is notoriously fickle: 20ºC the whole summer, then seemingly overnight, it doubles.   It really makes me want to move to Nunavut, where summer consists of 10ºC. At least I’d be able to breathe! I realize I may have just turned into one of those balding men sipping coffee at Tim Hortons with fellow retirees, always complaining about the weather. Nothing will change by complaining, but it does, ever so slightly, lift your spirits. So here’s to cooler days – days that won’t require fluorescent basement lighting (I’m a little scared to see what my current painting looks like under natural light).