Imagine it’s cold outside with tons of snow. It’s in the negatives. The negs. I’m not talking about minus 2, I’m talking about minus 15. And then imagine that all of a sudden you’re transported. Almost Star Trek-style.

Break.

“No wind (no wind). No rain (no rain). Or winter’s cold…”

(diana ross & the supremes’ version of Ain’t No Mountain High Enough in 1970)

Into another galaxy where warmth and sunshine prevail. That’s pretty much what happened to us last week. It was record temperature. Terrasses were open, the sun was hot enough to tan us, the grass was green, people were out in cut-offs and midriff-bearing crop-tops and neon platforms reminiscent of the never-to-be-repeated fashion-faux-pas of the early 90s (shouldn’t there be a rule, like, what happens in the 90s stays in the 90s?). It was like being in the midst of Montreal’s summer heat circa 1992. Never has Quebec had a March 20th and 21st that has shot up to 27 degree celsius. Ever.

It also got a lot of people into a frenzy. A sort of craze has started to go around with the rising temperature. Rather than sit back and tan, I sense constant expressions of pent-up angst. Yet, I think it’s obvious that a little sunshine has done us all (or most of us) some good. It stimulates brain function; it relaxes you; it endows you with some Vitamin D…I mean the benefits are so vast that it amazes me that I’ve made it living in the winter for so long.

Ever since the sudden summer, I:

– Have way better skin, less dry.

– Eat more mangos (and gelato).

– Feel happier and less tense.

– Breathe easier, feel like I’m getting more oxygen.

– Think easier — there’s no mental ‘block’ when I’m writing.

– Have bought summer stuff, like…sunglasses.

It’d be nice if all of that continued….I mean, 10 degrees is nice….but no one would mind hitting the energize button and having Scotty take us back to summertime!