Summer Walks

It's been hot here in Bulgaria - but I don't think quite as hot as parts of the US. We have many days in the high 90s (35-37 C). And what's different than Arizona is that there is humidity here. I have "big" hair and my skin is plump with moisture. However, my skin is also reacting to the heat and humidity with rashes...I'm using sunscreen, hydrocortisone cream, Rescue Remedy cream and covering up with clothes (ugh!) but it's taking time for it to resolve. I never have had this problem before

(a little aside - that and my puffy ankles - still eating too much salt - I'm working on alternatives but not there yet. So I look in the mirror at the red patches and the puffy ankles and say "who's body is this and where is mine?")

During the day I work in old, block buildings which stay reasonably cool, especially on the ground floor. At home I use a fan a lot which has several functions. One is moving air which feels good against my sweating skin. Another is white noise for sleeping - drowns out the early morning roosters and dogs. And finally, my least favorite but very important.....if I turn it on "high" it keeps the flies from landing on me. Screens are not common on windows here. However I do have a lace curtain which I pull across and open window to discourage uninvited guests. And on one of my doors I have strands of plastic hanging which serve the same purpose. Apparently not highly effectively though.

Now, what's really neat, is that when it just gets too unbearably hot - past my generous levels of patience and tolerance....I have an air conditioning unit. Ha! I'm very grateful.

I love going for long walks. I've been exploring different roads in and around town. I go either early in the morning or later in the evening. Although when I go in the evening there is a lot of visiting involved. It's nice say hi to the folks sitting on their benches outside their homes. It's just a different kind of walk. Last week I walked to the train station (40 min.) just to make sure a train goes by that the schedule says goes by. It did! Yeah! I'm going to take the train to go "na gosti" with an American couple who live about an hour away. Typically I use buses for transportation, because the bus stop it 3 min. from my home and buses are more frequent than trains in my village.

I have a new walking companion. She is one of the village dogs who lives on her own and eats wherever and whenever she can. I like having a buddy to walk with and she seems to like the company as well. It's a different experience of dog friendship. Once in a while I do give her an egg or some leftovers from my meals but it's not up to me to make sure she gets fed. I'm also not responsible for how she behaves in public. She's an alpha dog here in town and makes sure the other dogs now it - (aggressive behavior). She barks at men on bikes who ride by but leaves the women alone. She also barks at the humans who yell at her. She eats disgusting things on the ground by the dumpsters.

I'm very happy to be her friend, but she's been a stray for a long time I'm not going to change her behaviors that I think are undesirable. I respect her and her life and I'm learning a lot from her about dogs who are "just" dogs (not beloved, pampered pets that I so love at home). The one thing I hope to do for her, is to get the once-a-month flea repellent to apply to her fur. As much for my sake as hers. :>) I don't want to adopt her because I don't want the responsibility - physically caring for her in my situation for the next two years and emotionally getting attached and to see how she's treated by some others in the village. Many people love their pets here but to some they are "just" animals - at the bottom of the pecking order.

I've posted some photos. Remember those photos of the fields of bright yellow sunflowers? (See the top of this page if you don't). They have changed. The flower heads are now heavy with maturing seeds and they are all bowed towards the earth. Soon there will be a whole new crop of sunflower seeds and oil. Also last evening around 8:30 the sun was an amazing ball of red light as it was setting. I'm not sure the camera caught the full drama of it, but check it out on the photos page.