Winter again

For me, winter is the lesser of two evils here. I find summer to be unbearable with the withering heat and I find it next to impossible to work. And while the winters are not much better, at least you can always pile on another blanket or wear another pair of socks. With no central heating (anywhere it seems) I am often cold. And Fes has been bitter cold with rain this past week. It requires real fortitude just to take a shower.

I do have a portable gas heater on the ground floor where it is the coldest. I’d love to buy one or two more but they are pretty pricey and right now I don’t have any spare cash. I’ll just have to rough it for a while. Right now I am sitting at my kitchen counter, warming my hands with a cup of hot tea.

I was supposed to give a dance lesson at 11:00 but just couldn’t get myself together in time so I postponed it until 3:00. That’s coming up soon so I’ll have to prepare myself for a hot shower and layer on the clothes to withstand the cold. I’m tempted to go back to bed so I can pull the covers over my head for a while and gather some warmth.

The thing I like best about winter is the excuse to hibernate. After all, winter is a time to go fallow and rejuvenate. I sleep longer in the winter and eat more. Just to stay warm. The thing I like the least about winter is the steady rain. As I am from Northern California, I am used to rainy, wet winters. But here, I find it really challenging just to keep up with the laundry for without the sun, there is no opportunity to dry the clothes and linens on the terrace. I have a basket full of laundry that has been sitting by my front door, just waiting for the sun to show itself and for Rachida to pass by so I can give her the wash to do.
I understand it is bitter cold around most of the northern climates -- colder than here. But at least you probably have central heating or a fireplace to keep you warm.

Oh well, at least I don’t have to pay exorbitant heating bills!