Friday, July 16, 2010

Pool Parties

OK, well not yet but we're getting there. The last weeks we have had the worst heatwave here, with temps hitting the nineties (F, and in °C about 35) which is more than this country can usually handle. Heck, the houses arent even equipped with air conditioning.  Due to the piercing sun combined with the abnormally dry spell, the roads are falling apart, the whole country is sleep deprived and the farmers' crops are wasting away.  The crops are either dying or turning ripe way before their time.  The latest crop to get hit is wheat. It's now being harvested - way too early and way to small.  

Every time the weather gets too high, the rainstorms come.  Our last was a couple of days ago. It rained so hard and so fast that the streets were completely flooded.  After weeks of being hot no matter what you did, we were tempted to play in the flood - until we noticed a manhole in the middle of the street with water spewing out, sewer water to be exact.  While we didnt take our planned dip, it did get us determined to buy a pool. 

After two days of combing through all the stores and online, we realized every single pool in belgium is sold out! It is just never warm or sunny enough here to have a pool so the stores dont stock many of them. Just when we gave up all hope, we were handed a pool by Jonas' mom - a kiddy pool but beggers can't be choosers.

So this morning our priority has been to get the pool ready to go.  I wish i had a camera to show you how absurd it looks in the backyard. We have one of those traditional belgian backyards - thin and long. So we put the mini pool center square in the lawn. If you squint  - a lot - and use a little imagination it looks like a miniature backyard of one of those mansions where the pool is the highlight of the yard and the landscape is built around it.  (no, it's not the teeny tiny pool pictured at top. I just thought it was funny and had to unclude it in this post.) Now all we need are miniature friends to have a pool party.

Speaking of friends, one of my closest friends in the world has finally made it to belgium for a visit. We are like little kids when we hang out so now my jaw and abs are super sore from laughing so hard!

Gotta go ride now! Thanks for reading!!

3 comments:

Rickie Rainwater said...

Last one in the pool is a .... Peanut. Glad you are enjoying your friends. Take extra care in that heat.

Unknown said...

After the nice ride I could enjoy with you and Jonas on the Fietseling yesterday, I used "Zannata" and "Christine" at Google and voila... I know, I'm a bit curious, but in a positive way. I wish you a lot of succes and the next time I have Thibeau Nys in my class I will say hello from you.

Bart

PEANUT said...

hey Bart - great to ride with you too! That was lots of fun. Best of luck on your race friday! let me know how it goes.