Summer time

This year's rainy season seems to have dragged on forever. Weeks have passed under grey skies, clouds preventing the sun from easing the stifling humidity. The heavy downpours bring some relief and cooler air, but opening the windows to take advantage of that also allows the rain to come in...

If I were writing haiku, hydrangeas and frogs would be suitable (if obvious) symbols for the season. Instead, here's the photographic version, from our garden on Saturday:





Tiny little frog on a camellia leaf

 Late afternoon on Saturday, the clock/weather station in our living room reported that it was 27 degrees and over 80% humidity. Not comfortable.

Yesterday brought a sudden change though. The sun came out, the clouds disappeared; the temperature rose and the humidity dropped.... well, a bit. Our living room hit 34 degrees, with a mere 55% humidity, and today has been similar. For both days, a heat stroke warning was issued. At least yesterday there was a breeze and, in the late afternoon in the shade of the big tree, it was lovely in the garden. T was napping upstairs, H was preparing dinner in the Dutch oven, K was reading and I was relaxing. I just lay on the grass, watching the swallows in the blue, blue sky and enjoying the breeze and the absence of mosquitoes.

Today was Marine Day (海の日、umi no hi), a public holiday in Japan. With no wind, we couldn't bear to be outside and finally started using the air conditioning. I always try to put it off as long as possible because of the Pringles effect; once I start, I won't be able to stop using it until autumn.

We didn't really do anything special over the long weekend (see above). I worked most of the day yesterday, K had swimming today and we went out for lunch a couple of times. I also finally finished a little sewing project I've working on for ages, but I'll tell you about it later. Mainly we just had a bit of a rest and tried to stay cool, unlike the participants in yesterday's triathlon here in town. They swam for 3km in the sea, cycled up Mount Daisen and back and then ran a full marathon, all in temperatures in the mid-30s and under blazing sun. Impressive? Of course. Insane? Maybe...