Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Surreal summer

This is so not funny. The last few weeks have not been pleasant with temperatures in the high 20s. I’ve become a limp noodle with various parts not working and my motivation at a low point. Last Saturday was particularly hot and I watched the clouds building over the Alps in the early evening. At about 8, the storm hit and within a couple of lightening strikes we had a power failure. My first power outage in Switzerland and I’ve been here a little more than a year. I think back to 2007 and Eskom in SA and all the planned power cuts countrywide. Of course I’m prepared here, I have lights with me permanently and it’s a flick of the switch on my armrest.
Sunday dawned and I’d had enough of being inside and hot and limp when I could just as easily be hot and limp outside. I called up Natalie and we arranged to meet at 3.
2.30 arrived and I escaped the confines of the house and drove straight into a brick wall of heat. I very nearly turned round. There was no shade until I turned into Natalie’s road and by then my arms and legs were already burning so trees and bushes along the road were very welcome.
I met up with Natalie and we took off to find some ice-cream. As soon as we turned out of her road the shade became patchy and I started weaving from one side of the road to the other chasing the shade. Then we were in the forest and there was instant coolness.
From down by the lake a tantalizing aroma wafted through the trees, you can’t beat the smell of meat cooking on hot coals. I was tempted to find a way down and go introduce myself but been there, and done that, to no avail and so had to make do with a cup of soft serve from MacDonald’s.