spring fever

Spring has arrived in Peshkopi very suddenly this week. I guess that it has slowly been getting warmer for a while now, but the heavy snow a few weeks ago made it feel like winter was never going to end. I could tell that it was actually spring on the day that I decided that starting my fire was just not worth it and getting a new gas bottle for my gas heater was a waste (I do have about two days worth of wood left just in case we get a cold day or two).

With the arrival of spring I have regained use of all parts of my house (I may even actually sleep in my bedroom tonight) and cooking is no longer a series of (cold, quick) trips back and forth from the kitchen to the living room. With the arrival of daylight savings time last weekend (normally I hate daylight savings time, but this year I'm feeling ok with it) the evening is nice- kids playing out in the street, reading next to my open window (I think I might be the only person in this country without a balcony). And maybe my favorite thing about spring is the return of warm sleep- I no longer have to mumify myself into my sleeping bag, trying to make sure that the smallest amount of skin is exposed (including wearing a hat and gloves to sleep). Now I can actually just sleep with a blanket. And I can take afternoon naps. You may be wondering why I could not take afternoon naps in the winter . . . the answer is that going home to take a nap meant that I would have to start a fire (which is actually a pain) or just huddle under the covers (see above sleeping bag). So most often, I avoided going to my house until I would be there for a while (and therefore warming it up would be worth it). This meant that I usually would bring my lunch to my (warm) office or skip lunch and go home early for dinner . . . and no afternoon naps. Sad . . .

I know that in a few months I will probably be complaining about the heat and the bugs, but I also know that at least the summer is not quite so bad up here in the hills and at least winter is over . . .