Right now I feel like the reader of a slow-burning crime novel where not much happens at the beginning but the suspense gradually builds up and one expects something horrible to happen soon.
I am staying in a remote village in Northern Newfoundland and I have told many people how bad the winter is there, how brutal the storms, how cold the air coming down from the Arctic. Elaborating on the dangers, I felt almost heroic for the things I would have to endure. But so far the winter has been bearable, sometimes even mild, with lots of rain instead of snow.
It doesn`t mean, of course, that the situation cannot change soon and that things will be really rough and scary. The unknown kills me. The only thing I can do is to prepare for whatever is coming. I have crampons for my boots and a face-protecting mask and half a dozen gloves.
I also ordered a special wax for dog paws, protecting them against the salt on the road. However, I try to stay away from the roads and use snowmobile trails instead. These trails are not without challenges either. We had a lot of rain a few days ago and then it turned cold (but sun and blue sky). The snow is now hard enough so that I don`t sink in but there are lots of icy patches, too.
If you like to play the waiting game, too, here are some developments: the translation of my next English crime novel is almost finished. Publication is planned for May. Stay tuned.
