Damn, it's hot!

Damn, is true. It is sweltering here at about 31*C, but really feels like 39*C. In other terms, it is 88*F, but feels like 102*F, and if you add in the humidity of about 85%, well, everyone is glowing. Yes, it is hot, sticky and I find myself moving towards any breeze that comes my way like a dog leaning towards the wind, while hanging out the car window. I have been sweating all day and felt really warm, as if I had a fever. A sore throat cold settled in the other day, with a lovely deep cough, which would make sense of a ever coming too. But alas, no fever, I think it is just the heat. I have never really spent continuous time in a hot tropical climate where the heat doesn't really let up, ever. So how does one react? Well, I find myself slightly irritable. And as a teacher of middle school kids, if you lose your sense of humor and lightness, things get ugly. So I am trying to be on my best behavior as it goes. 

Overall, I would say that in the heat you:

 1. eat less

2. drink more water and green coconuts

3. feel sticky all the time which makes bug bites insanely itchy

 4. invite yourself to as many homes with pools as often as possible

 5. shower at least twice a day (and my water was out the past two days. ugh!)

6. laugh less and complain more

7. be less motivated to do anything worth any physical effort

8. lock the kitties out of your house when they pounce on your head at 4:30am (regardless of snakes)

9. drink more (not water)

10. cook less and thank god I live near restaurants now

In all this complaining which I hate to do, I moved into my new place about a month ago and the pool is done. That doesn't mean it is completely full but swimmable at least. There is much to do around the perimeter and get the pump working, etc. but at least I can jump in and cool off. Lovely! My door opens right to the pool and company will always be there. I give up privacy for coolness. I don't care either. I am attaching a few pictures that I took the other morning. I will add a few better ones soon. 

I still don't have reliable internet at home, so when I get home on the weekdays, after a 25 minute sometimes harrowing motorbike ride or a 30 minute carpool and walk out to the rice fields, I tend to stay there. And on the weekends I walk to a place with internet but not always early enough to get all the calls in. I hope this will change soon. I either have to buy a stick that provides internet and pay a monthly fee or wait for my landlord to fix the situation. 

So I want to make some more phone calls but the timing is a bit off. I want to hear about the Jingle Bell run in Bend, the rain in Portland, the snow on Mt. Hood and everything in between.

Miss everyone!

Pic 1=My little round house, looking from pool.