ick summer

Around here, I never know exactly what the temperature is or what it is predicted to be. That's just a given, I guess, when you can't read the papers or watch the news. So, unlike the constant weather updates I receive for the crazy east coast -- 33C for the pride parade in Toronto? Yikes! -- all I can tell you with certainty about Kosovo is that it's been hot and gross. I never before would have believed anyone who told me it can be both dry and dusty and excessively humid at the same time! I honestly don't understand how that works, but that's definitely reality here... Summer with a vengeance.

But, thanks to the completely uncomfortable weather yesterday, I finally found my chance to go swimming!! The pool was fairly clean, in the small village of Gracenica not far out of town. Besides the fact that it was packed (because there aren't many refreshing things to do on a hot day, and pools are still in short supply), and packed moreover with mostly men (which is unfortunately a standard in the Balkans), I still felt like a kid a Christmas… Ok, at least how I’d imagine that to be :-) Oh, it was wonderful.

The only other plus is that summer has brought my flowers to life. I bought some seeds not long after I arrived, and planted them in old pots on my balcony. They just started blooming this week. It's enough to brighten my days.

 


 


And this one is for mom... Remember Macedonia? Respect yourself, smoke cigarettes. Genius, hey?