8 Updates.... car, patooty, etc., etc.,

1. The heat. It's hot everywhere. Except the southern hemisphere of course. So, It's hot everywhere in the northern hemisphere right now, at least comparatively, and Poland is no exception. It has been in the 90's for the last couple of days, if not the entire last week. There is no air conditioning anywhere here, at least not where I'm hanging out. It's hot. And heat can make people testy. That's right, "testy." And smelly. I'm smelly right now. Very smelly.  A cold front is coming through tonight bringing 80's and some wise old ladies have said that this may be the cold front to - and I quote - "end the summer."  Bring it on. I can't wait to duke it out with this so-called "harsh" Polish winter... what you got, winter?! (and can I have some now... please?)

2. The cooking situation. Well, it would be easier to cook if we had food. But we don't, so I can't. We don't because I haven't been able to go the store to buy food and must rely on Martin to go when he can between work and other errands to get this family legal and what not. Plus, there's the whole car thing... oh wait...

3. WE GOT THE CAR!  And because Martin and I miss those long nights of no sleep when Felix would scream his little round head off for hours on end, we decided to take the night train to Gdynia to pick our car up over Thursday night last and Friday morning. A night train, in the seats, not the beds - because they didn't have any left. But we did go 1st class. And after seeing the 2nd class seats and finding out there was no dining car at our disposal - and we had not brought any drinks - those 1st class seats - that reclined just enough to make my feet stick out so I had to pull them in each time the rather portly gentelman next to me wanted to go to the bathroom, which was quite often - were just about the most pleasant thing possible for the almost 13 hours it took us to get there. I smelled at the end of that trip too. It is also hot on trains. But wait...

4. WE GOT THE CAR!  The real life, honest to goodness car! It's here and it was in perfet condition and thanks to Martin doing all the paperwork beforehand we literally just showed up, signed some stuff, and got to take it home. I also got to sit in the office by myself for about 30 minutes where I met a very nice man named Val. His life guru is George Carlin and he had nothin' good to say about Poland after having lived in the U.S. for 22 years. But I figure, if George Carlin is his hero then there isn't much he really is going to like anywhere, ever. And that's a fact.

5. THE CAR!!!
(highlighted portions are the most important if you just want to skip over the other nonsense)

OhthankgoodnessPatootywassafeandsoundintheexactsameconditionshewaswhenIpackedherinthebackofthatvan.

Austin...7 weeks ago

She's always watching.

My sister had a particular fondness for my beloved childhood doll. I know she would be secretly heartbroken if anything happened to her, so, just so you know Teresa, Patooty is fine. She's here, with me.

That's her giving the thumbs up.  She doesn't mind that I smell...she hasn't been washed since I was eleven so she kind of smells too.

Along with all our other stuff, which arrived in excellent condition. I cannot recommend more the company we used. They were professional and helpful and friendly here in Poland and in the states. Highly recommend!! )

6. And the Polish coast! Contrary to what a lot of American beach volleyball fans would like to think, Poland does have a coast (aside form the fact that you could just dump sand anywhere and bump a ball over a net...hellOOOoo). I didn't see any of it. We got there at 8:30am...took a taxi literally 8 blocks away, got our car and drove home. We were tired, hot and smelly, and hungry. And you know what else...we didn't want to get out of the car...why? you might ask... three guesses....  Air Conditioning!!!!! Lovely, lovely, lovely cold air, at my fingertips.....ahh... I think I may go down and sleep in the car tonight, with the A/C on, of course.

7. *I* drove home from Bielsko-Biala after we visited family there over Saturday and Sunday. I know, Dziadzu, I know. But it had to be done. And we all, that's right, the whole family, all 6 of us, lived. We're alive. So I guess I *can* drive in Poland after all. I'm a *real* adult now! (IKEA, grocery store, fabric, yarn, all at my fingertips!!!)

8. No new pictures. We went to the complete other side of Poland, the complete other side. We live South, Gdynia is North. We took a train up and drove back directly down the center of Poland and I have no pictures to show for it( except one,) because we still do not have a charger/converter for our camera. Pbalapgsbktgkubkjakbadb... or as we say in our family....*gerrrbles.*

The one picture

Martin enjoying one of the many sandwiches I made for the trip, *before* he knew there would be no drink s for 12 hours. And the only picture I could eek out of our iPod with it's non-existent battery life.