The switch has been flicked from a coolish spring to a full blown roasting summer, all in the space of a couple of days. In typical Taiwanese style, we still had the electric blanket taking the edge off the night-time chill last week, yet had the air-conditioner pumping all night last night, as the seasons have clicked over. Friday warmed up a little, Saturday radiated some more, then sweaty t-shirts re-emerged on Sunday when we ventured outdoors. Today we're getting a full-on summer's day, complete with high humidity and energy sapping temperatures in the 30s.
As it is, we'll just get these two months before we head back again to Australia for our summer break, avoiding the brutal onslaught of mid-summer here in Taipei. We're already looking forward to some crisp winter days with a touch of sun just taking the edge off the tiny chill, yet can't believe that our long break has come around so quickly again! Perhaps our lightning visit back home in October gave us a false sense of how long it's been, but it certainly seems to have crept up on us.
Remaining on the weather theme, many of the apricot and cherry blossom trees have bloomed already, a few tardy exceptions still just flushing into bud. One among these sluggish numbers is an iconic tree we pass by on our route to school: Cass mentioned this morning that, "It needs a good pruning", yet I'll promise not to let her loose on it: we'd be chased out of the neighbourhood if we harmed it in any way!
Cass had her "LV" birthday on Wednesday, so we ventured out on a week night(quite rare for us) to celebrate at our local vegetarian jewel, Mia Cuccina. I'm not a great fan of this place, not because of the type or quality of the food, but simply because I came away hungry last time we ate there! Cassy assured me that she'd "help" me order correctly this time so that the same issue didn't repeat itself! We both ordered a five course set, which allowed us to try a few different things we might not have ordered from the regular menu. Cass loved it, I was vaguely impressed, but most importantly, we both wandered home with full bellies!
I mentioned last week that I was reading a Peter Corris book with Cliff Hardy, private detective, as his protagonist. I discovered it is the last in the series and the last book Corris will ever write. He has degenerating eyesight, so has decided to retire from writing. I'll miss this character and feel I've shared a large chunk of my life with him. Since 1980 I've read 42 of his books as well as meeting Corris at a book signing in 1991! I'm already starting to pine for my other favourite, Kinsey Millhone, the detective created by Sue Grafton: her alphabet series is up to "Y"....maybe (I hope!) she'll live on!
Cass had a big catch up with her friend Kristin, on Friday evening at one of their favourite haunts, Sonnentor, where they had a meal and a glass of wine or two while catching up on all the latest. I managed to watch three games of football from different codes, mostly on delay later in the night while enjoying a few different beers. Taiwan's 23 brewing company is gaining a pretty solid reputation and their beers are good!
We mainly pottered around this weekend, partly recovering from the shock of the weather change. We did the grocery shopping one day before eating at "Eat Burger", and wandered down to the SOGO the next, where Cass made a couple of tiny purchases from Uniqlo. Just a couple of photos of the LV girl this week! There's also a shot of a t-shirt one of my kids was wearing....strange list! I'm reading Blitzed (a gift from Gurecki), which is a real page turner....quite incredible!
