It's 4:30 in the afternoon and it's still hot, like 85 degrees hot. When we walk outside in the morning our sunglasses fog and sweat starts to form on the brow - immediately. Yup, it's still the rainy season here in West Africa and relief isn't coming for another month. I'd say we're used to it, but that doesn't mean we sweat any less. We're all missing sweaters, morning frost and chilly air, pumpkins, apple picking, even turning on the heat (regardless of the price of fuel). Needless to say, our AC is still on. Carl is spending this week in Germany and I think he's just fine with temps in the 60's and a fabulous beer selection.
Matt is almost at the end of his first trimester in 6th grade. He's doing well even though he's still getting used to the rigors of the program. He's playing middle school soccer and has had the opportunity to play other teams in Dakar. I'm super pleased with his attitude and the experiences he's having.
I continue to study French with my buddy Sue - we're at about the same level and pretty much torment our instructor with either "ah-hah" or "duh" moments every class combined with copious amounts of laughter. We're consistent though and I am confident I can converse with just about any French 4 year old (as long as they're not too advanced in their language skills).
Carl has made it through the really busy summer and can finally breathe. He started riding his bike into work 2-3 mornings a week. I try not to think about it. It's scary, at best. Not a week goes by without a close call or a crash for him or any one of his riding buddies. Think 50 year olds with the bike crash scars of 10 year olds. Banged up knees and elbows complete with road rash. Thank goodness they all agree that a helmet is nothing short of a necessity. Riding a bike is not a ride in the park here. Put it this way, Matt told us not to bother getting him a new bike because he can't ride here. Thank goodness for soccer and swimming.
