North of the bugs?

"Pine Ledge'' (oil on lexan), by James Mullen, at Alpers Fine Art, Andover, Mass.

Excerpted from Robert Whitcomb'sDec. 1 "Digital Diary'' column.

I stopped off at an old friend’s office in Newport, N.H., the other day for lunch.  Now retired as a CEO, he moved his company’s headquarters up there from Connecticut long ago. I asked my friend whether he had made any trips to the tropics lately and whether he’ll go south this winter. He has plenty of time and money to do so.

He said absolutely not: Travel is tiresome and he prefers to live far enough north to avoid tropical diseases and poisonous snakes. He has houses in Newport (N.H.) and Bar Harbor, Maine.

Some small solace to New Englanders fearing the onrushing winter – it’s healthier here?