The first three springs and summers we were here were glorious. Warm, sunny, with the occasional rainy day or night, as expected. Sometimes I would have my first cup of tea in the morning out on the balcony, listening to the birds, watching the commuters come into the parking lot below and gazing out at the beautiful hills full of olive trees and fields that stretch all the way to the sliver of the Adriatic that is visible in the distance. We had open windows and happy cats watching birds outside. Idyllic.
The summer sun can be very strong, so sunscreen and hats were necessary, but the overall temperatures were pretty much in the 80s with low humidity, making even the hot days much more comfortable than any I can recall in the "states." I have scads of pictures with clear, glorious blue skies.
I confess I don't remember last year too well, I was busy being ill and going in and out of hospitals, but I seem to recall it was not "ideal." I do remember the temperature shooting up to 90 degrees early in June and staying there for three entire months, though.
This year brought a mild winter with very little snow but lots and lots and LOTS of rain. Did I mention lots of rain? The freaking forecasts show rain nearly everyday with possible breaks that last one or two days at a time.
There are construction workers in the parking lot. It is being expanded for environmental reasons, so there will be better drainage. That is, if it stops raining long enough for them to get any work done! Right now there are former puddles that became little ponds that are now expanding into small lakes.
We have had a total of ONE day where the temperature finally reached 70 degrees. The local schools posted an announcement that they are keeping the heat on past the time when it is usually turned off for the season. The humidity has been sky high, 70% and more nearly every single miserable day.
Wait a minute? Isn't one of the reasons we moved here for the wonderful weather? What the hell?
I shouldn't complain (except I have both kinds of arthritis and my joints are revolting against me). I know that there are situations in the US that are worse. But we have two fears. One is that this is a harbinger of what the entire summer will be, wet and unusually cool. The other is that it will suddenly change, as it did last year, and we will be thrust into blistering heat and high humidity for the duration. Neither one sounds pleasant. This is climate change. It is horrible and it is scary.
So, its almost May and I am still in two layers, sometimes three. Double socks, a tee under my sweatshirt, sometimes another uber large sweatshirt over that. I want to get out and walk but it is impossible in this, sometimes the rain is very, very hard and these streets are cobblestoned and hilly. So I do some exercises inside, trying to get stronger and more flexible. I need to see a rheumatologist 25 miles away, but I don't want to go in miserable weather nor do I want someone driving me in it. Some of these small roads could be flooded.
The forecast is for rain every day until the weekend. A two day break, then more rain. Hoping I don't go stark raving mad in the meantime.
