sunshine

My first morning back in Liberia. Rather than being jarred awake by workmen shouting and car doors slamming, I woke to chirping birds and sunshine! In August, I always groaned and covered my eyes in the morning, but today, I actually skipped around the apartment. Pete thinks I am nuts. We are, after all, in the tropics.

Here are our very bright "offices":






A few years ago, a close girlfriend of mine, M, got married in San Francisco. The morning after her wedding, M's aunt hosted a brunch in the East Bay. It was late May, and though it was bright enough, the temperature wasn't particularly high, and most of us wore jeans and t-shirts. M's British in-laws, however, paraded out in tank tops and shorts - one of the aunts actually sported a bikini top and some "Roman" sandals with straps that wrapped around her lower shins- and the rest of us snickered. It isn't even that hot, we thought.

Now, after two months of London's still, pale, gray, I completely understand. When everyday is cloudy, damp, and dark, *any* sunshine is cause for celebration.