I approach this blog with some trepidation, given that I think entirely too many people back in homestate Ohio spend entirely too much time bitching about the weather. In the sage words of my late grandfather, “It’s supposed to be HOT in the summer and COLD in the winter.”
That said, one of the most common questions we encountered before we left was what the weather was like here, and in all his life I bet Gramps never encountered thirty degree temperatures in July (Fahrenheit, anyway). The highs all this week have hovered between fifty and sixty, with the lows solidly around thirty two.
Now before you hearty Midwesterners go chortling on about what a “real” winter is, let me put this in context. South Africa is not built for the cold. Most of the homes are brick or stucco, intended to keep the inside cool during the scorching summers. Insulation, you say? Certainly not in the tin shacks that pass for shelter in the townships, where charities have already exhausted their supply of warm blankets. I’m sure most people here don’t know what a “thermostat” is.
We actually have a wall mounted air conditioner in our bedroom, but if you run it for more than an hour the unit outside freezes over solid like tundra. We’ve asked about having it looked at, but the Kirsteins are probably hoping to wait the cold weather out. As a result, soon as the sun goes down Marnie and I pile on the layers, with occasional hat and scarves to boot.
So around three or four o’clock your time, whilst you toil through the mid-afternoon swelter, listen closely. That high pitched wail on the breeze is me, recoiling in horror as Marnie digs her frigid toes into me under the blankets.
That said, one of the most common questions we encountered before we left was what the weather was like here, and in all his life I bet Gramps never encountered thirty degree temperatures in July (Fahrenheit, anyway). The highs all this week have hovered between fifty and sixty, with the lows solidly around thirty two.
Now before you hearty Midwesterners go chortling on about what a “real” winter is, let me put this in context. South Africa is not built for the cold. Most of the homes are brick or stucco, intended to keep the inside cool during the scorching summers. Insulation, you say? Certainly not in the tin shacks that pass for shelter in the townships, where charities have already exhausted their supply of warm blankets. I’m sure most people here don’t know what a “thermostat” is.
We actually have a wall mounted air conditioner in our bedroom, but if you run it for more than an hour the unit outside freezes over solid like tundra. We’ve asked about having it looked at, but the Kirsteins are probably hoping to wait the cold weather out. As a result, soon as the sun goes down Marnie and I pile on the layers, with occasional hat and scarves to boot.
So around three or four o’clock your time, whilst you toil through the mid-afternoon swelter, listen closely. That high pitched wail on the breeze is me, recoiling in horror as Marnie digs her frigid toes into me under the blankets.
That reminds me of Fusaro, Italy (Naples area)--Aunt Louise had little space heaters all over the place. The landlord complained that she had too much heat and that was causing mold on the walls. . .
ReplyDeleteHopefully, your weather won't last much longer.
Mom