Sunday 28 June 2015

Some Like It Hot

Summer begins in earnest. As I begin writing this, it's 99 ºF but that feels like 108º F. My phone says that in my area we have 11% humidity, and that's the only saving grace. I think later on I'll go out and fry a couple of eggs - only joking. I'd have to put on some clothes to do that. My friend Jenny always says what weather they have in New York we get a couple of weeks later. Sure hope she's right, because I've heard some folks are getting temperatures in the 80's. I'm staying in until the sun goes down today that's for sure!

Yesterday I joined the end of term celebration of my old institute in the centre and prepared myself as best I could against the heat. I took a frozen bottle of water and sprayed my body with sunblock. Unfortunately, I forgot my fan. We were going to our favourite Mexican restaurant, but Penny said she'd seen a new Mexican restaurant in a square two minutes' walk from the institute, so we decided to try that. Honestly, I don't think we could have made it to the other restaurant without a few pit stops on the way to cool down. The food was spicier than the dishes we have in the other Mexican but was good too.

On Wednesday evening, I went to a party given by the mothers of my classes for me. All of the kids were there, except one who was studying for his university exams, and one of the dads came too. The food was delicious and plentiful - not much remained though. I might add that we ate out on the patio, because on Wednesday the heat was still bearable. Here's the lovely present I received from them, and is it ever heavy!


Not only is the stone big and heavy but so is the chain. I was going to weigh it on my kitchen scales. When I do, I'll post how much it weighs.There's an animal on the chain. I understood Cielo to say it was a cat, but looking at it I think it's some kind of reptile.

And here are a couple of black and white photos. This first one I've shared before, but have recently made a copy of it and put it in a frame for my friend Chris. It's of our old language institute that was founded in 1949, but the actual photo is from the 1950's. It's part of the pack and album of old photos I came across when I was helping to clean out the institute a couple of years ago.




The last one is from the now longest street in Madrid, Alcalá, from 1886. This was before the Gran Via, or Madrid's Fifth Avenue, was built.



I think I'd best do some clearing out of my bedroom at least, so I'm going to get to work after wishing everyone a good week.


 

5 comments:

  1. The stone in your necklace does look heavy! It will be interesting to know how much it all weighs. We are hot here, too, but not as hot as you it seems. Our humidity, though, makes it steamy. The spicy Mexican food sounds delicious!

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    1. Spicy food also makes the heat more tolerable and a good margarita helps too.

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  2. Well we are not hot here right now. We've had bad storms here with lots of rain. It was raining so hard today on my way home from work I couldn't really see. Then I was hit by quarter size hail and had to pull off the road. Thought for sure my windows on my car were going to break. It was about 74 here today. Eventually we might have some summer. Love the necklace. Very nice for your students to give you a party and gift. I'm sure they will miss you. Have a good week!!

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    1. I know I saw Brian complaining about the rain. Rain all the time isn't pleasant, but the heatwave we're in, and will be for a while, is too unpleasant. It's even very hot in Paris and London.

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  3. Ans it's STILL raining here, wish I had a little of your sunshine. But tomorrow I fly away to the sun for a while :-). Hope your clearing out was easier than mine.... funny how clearing out old stuff always ends up a lot harder to do than we think :-)

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