Una pioggia rinfrescante

After weeks and weeks of high temperatures, we finally got some respite today. Not only has this summer been a scorcher, but the humidity has been so high that the air hasn't been cooling down at night. Everywhere I've been people have talked about the weather, but not in the usual way. If I see someone I know, we've just been looking at each other, shaking our heads, and saying, "Ma quando finisce questo caldo? Non ce la faccio pił." (When is this heat ending? I can't take it any more.)

I've seen that it's raining in the northern parts of Italy on TV and had hoped that we could go up there. The weather reports had announced lower temperatures and rain here this entire week, but none came until this afternoon.

The previsioni meteo (weather forecast) said it wouldn't be like the rain we have been having in the form of temporali (thunderstorms), but una pioggia rinfrescante (a refreshing rain) that will make the temperatures dip a little as well.

Today, our high was in the low 80's instead of the upper 90's. We felt the relief and were finally able to open our apartment windows in the afternoon. Previously, we've been unable to open the windows because of the "oven effect," which is much like the feeling you get when you open up a hot oven. You feel the gust of scorching air and you quickly step back and shut the door.

And if the high temperatures weren't bad enough, we've had many problems with the zanzare (mosquitoes) too. The Vape, which we use to repel the zanzare, isn't working and we are getting attacked all night by the zanzare. But instead of buzzing around our ears, they concentrate on biting us. When I talked to the farmacista (pharmacist) the other day to buy some cream for a few mosquito bites that I had, he told me that this year the zanzare are even more tremende (terrible).

Now that we're in the middle of summer, I can't wait for it to be over. I don't blame all the Florentines who have abandoned their city for the spiaggia (beach). On the other hand, I feel bad for the large number of tourists who are visiting the city while trying to stay cool. I've noticed that many people eat a gelato to take the edge off the heat. I have tried it a few times, and I admit that I feel refreshed.

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