Thursday 20 October 2011

Canadian, eh?

So it's well established, I think, that I was in New Orleans this past week. I was attending the first annual Gay Romantic Literature Retreat, and it was a blast. I fully intend to attend the next one, being held in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

My husband is trying to talk me into a different sort of vacation.

He wants sand, sun, beaches and heat. And lots of them. Now, I'm not much of a swimmer, and I don't like to sit in the sun, getting hot and sweaty while it bakes me. That just isn't my thing. I told him I'm not interested in a vacation where it's constantly 30C and I'm always sticky and sweaty. This, of course prompted him to look up the weather we would have in New Orleans while I was there and promptly laugh his ass off. It was sunny and hot the entire time, of course.

But that was different. It was New Orleans. My friends were there.

I'm guessing, though I haven't looked, that Albuquerque in October isn't going to be exactly gloves and toque weather...

But this aversion to hot weather leads me to wonder just how Canadian (with a Fin heritage, no less) I really am. As I sit here contemplating the walk to the bus stop through the cold, October Northern Ontario rain, I'm thinking i'm missing a gene somewhere. I don't like hot weather whenever i can get it, and I hate the snow.

How un-Canadian of me...

11 comments:

Faith Bicknell said...

I love the beach, but if there was no wind, I wouldn't be out on it. The intense sun makes me wear loads of sunscreen because I have very pale English skin (and Cherokee features, so thank you wiggy genetics) and I have to wear a darn sunhat too. If I don't wear the sunhat, I get sick and worship the porcelain god.

I wouldn't mind a snowy vacation, tho. The hubby could go hunting for whatever, and I'd sit by the big fireplace with my laptop and a cup of Irish coffee or two or three, LMAO!

Marci Baun said...

Me? I like the sun. I'm not sun worshipper, you won't find me tanning on the beach, but I do seem to crave the sun. Give me too many of these crappy marine layer days, and I get a bit homicidal. LOL We had a great time in the Caribbean one year. You could sit in the shade with the wind blowing on the beach and just relax. It was lovely. No need for a sweater or a jacket. No need to change your clothes from morning to noon to dusk. You could wear one outfit all day. (sigh) It's one thing I miss about central CA. In the summer, it's hot, but the evenings are just perfect. What you wore when you got dressed, you could wear right before you went to bed. Here... well, LA is a completely different beast. (At least, where I live.) I'm not a fan of the weather. (sigh)

I like snow vacations too...for skiing. (g) Maybe I am more Canadian than you, Jaime. LOL Of course, I'm a born and bred Californian, so I'm not sure how I could be Canadian.

BTW, you'd really like San Francisco. It rarely gets hot, it snows once every 10-20 years, and it's usually around 50-70 degrees. There are, of course, the occasional earthquakes, but those are few and far between. (g)

Marci

whodunitrdr AKA Deanna said...

No, I think you are just a West coast Canadian rather than a prairie Canadian. Vancouver does not get beastly hot, nor does it get much snow. And if you do want to ski, there are several excellent slopes just an hour or so away. I am not a Canadian myself but I do live only 30 mi S of the border in WA state and I can actually see the lights in Vancouver at times in the summer from my city, across the water.
Deanna

Cassie Exline said...

Give me an even temperature climate. I love the beach but not the beating sun. Snow's fine if it just melts fast. Unfortunately I live where it's hot and sweaty at times and it's cold and freezing with snow at other times. And we have mountains to slide down on icy roads. We also had an earthquake this summer. I heard Flagstaff, Arizona was a good place to live.

Jaime Samms said...

Faith, I would be right there beside you with the laptop and Irish Coffee!

San Fran sounds delightful, Marci! My kind of people, too, I bet.

West Coast. Maybe you're right about tat. I don't think I'd survive on the prairies. (I'm in Northern Ontario. At least we have lakes and nice scenery!) I might be able to learn to live with the occasional earthquake. Though...they look so scary!

Cassie, sounds like we have similar climates. Like it just can never make up it's damn mind!

Janice Seagraves said...

We usually have cool weather on our sunny California beaches. I love going there when its hot here in the Central valley and cool off at the coast and eat lots of fresh fish and shell fish.

Janice~

Jaime Samms said...

Janice, that sounds delightful!!! Fresh fish. Sea food. Yummmmm!

Jessica E. Subject said...

Jaime, I completely understand. I'm from Southern Ontario and many days feel the same way. I think it's a right as Canadians to complain about the weather. LOL This time of year would be nice if the rain would just stop. And yes, the hot weather is more bearable when you're with people you want to be around. Hope you get your vaca destination!

Jaime Samms said...

I agree, Jessica! We're so easy-going about so much. I think we get to bitch about the weather.

As far as vacationing, the irony of it all is that the GayRomLit retreat I want to go to is in Albuquerque New Mexico, next year. Another hot destination, I fear, with all the sand and not much of the water hubs is looking for...

Pender Mackie said...

You sound like a Westcoast Canadian to me. Lots of mild, though rainy days and rarely any snow.

Of course the best thing to do when it snows out here is stay home and drink hot chocolate, with shots of course.

Jaime Samms said...

Pender, I guess I was just born into the wrong province :( And FYI, that's the best thing to do when it snows anywhere.