Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Those Darn Texas Summers

Hello, everyone. Have you heard of SAD - seasonal affective(?) disorder I believe it's called? Well, I have the opposite. Give me a nice cloudy winter day and I'm as happy as a clam. Give me 95 - 105 degrees in the hot Texas sun and I'm downright cranky!

Yes, summer is here in Texas. I'm fairly certain that the weather will be hot and overly sunny unless I plan a trip, in which case a sudden, violent thunderstorm will pop up over DFW airport and my flight will be cancelled. See, I'm already cranky just thinking about it! I'd move to someplace cooler, but my husband, daughter, house, job, cats, dog, etc. are here. I'm kind of partial to them, as they say in Texas.

Rarely do I get to write a character who hates hot weather as much as I do. Usually they can't be too sweaty or too irritated. Most of all, they look good in sleeveless tops and shorts or bathing suits. Maybe that's the problem. I remember when I used to look good in those . . . but no, I was hot and cranky even then.

Until I get rich and famous, which is almost as remote a possibility as looking good in sleeveless tops and bathing suits, I guess I'd better stay indoors. Of course, if the good fairy wants to hit me with her magic wand, I'd be glad to buy a summer house in Maine or someplace equally cool and offer to host weekend escapes for my friends and family. First, though, I'd have to "retire" from my part time financial position at my husband's company, tell my daughter I can't help with the grandkids, find someone to feed my cats, and plan on losing every houseplant I own.

Maybe I'll just be cranky for the next four months. If you want to read about someone who is cranky for a good reason, check out Cal Crawford, the hero of my June release, An Honorable Texan. Now, that man has some serious lifestyle issues! Have a great Memorial Day weekend, a fun summer, and I'll talk to you next month.

Victoria

7 comments:

EllenToo said...

"An Honorable Texan" is in my TBR pile and I am looking forward to reading it. Being a native Texan I can sympathize with your weather except down here it is the heat index that really gets me. And the wind that tries to knock me over. The one time I was in Maine in the summer it was just as hot as Texas!

Anonymous said...

Hang in there, Victoria! When we moved from Dallas to Denver one summer, it was as hot as blazes. No place (including our new home!) had air conditioning. I thought if one more person was going to tell me about that 'wonderful dry heat', I was going to scream!
We're hoping to reach sixty degrees here in Cincy today. Brrr!

I'd give a lot for a little heat today...of the humid or 'dry' kind!

Shelley

Estella said...

I live in the Pacific Northwest because I don't like the heat.

Trish Milburn said...

I guess I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. While I can do without the 23 days of 100-plus-degree days we had last August, I loathe being cold. Right now, it's perfect weather. Mid 70s and sunny. Love it!

Christa said...

Sound like Trish found the happy medium with the mid 70 weather. I don't here we've gotten past the 55 mark

Unknown said...

Sounds like you have Summer SAD (seasonal affective disorder). I have a website dedicated to it! Check it out and the forum for some commiseration! I'm in Los Angeles so know how you are suffering.

Best,

Saskia
www.seasonalsad.com

Anonymous said...

I'm with Trish, 70 and sunny is perfect weather! I'm already not looking forward to the summer when it is 90 in our third floor apartment, even in the middle of the night. I was born and raised in Wisconsin, my body can't handle heat.