Cooling off

I know July is supposed to be the height of summer and naturally temperatures follow, but last week's temperatures in the upper 90s were almost too much for me to bear. We hit the kiddie pool most days and laid low in the apartment for long afternoon naps.  It was a good strategy, but still I wondered how we would make it through the month like this.  So far, this week has been much better with cooler evenings and days that don't feel like the oven is turned all the way to broil. Last Sunday in the middle of the heat wave, we drove over to Pier 6 in Brooklyn for a change of scenery and a chance to check out the Water Lab which was full of cool sprinklers and water pumps. Elisa loved messing with all the different equipment, and Carolina didn't mind all the kids running around and nearly stepping on her. Nacho brought us lunch and the day was almost complete...

Of course, we had to also get an Italian ice from the little push cart just outside the picnic area.  Elisa noticed another girl around the same age eating one and didn't want to be left out.  They laughed and compared the colors of their tongues while I promised them a photo so they could see themselves.  Yes, Elisa manages to make new friends on almost every outing which is kind of amazing to me.  I know she's a social girl (much like her mama), but still this kid is such a product of the city we live in.  When we were in Manhattan a couple weeks ago, we turned around at a stop light and she was dancing and chatting with a cabbie.  She's just so expressive and ready to meet new people.  And she loves telling stories and making conversation.  I know I'll have to have a "stranger danger" talk with her at some point, but I really don't think she'll get it.  Strangers are just friends waiting to be made, right?  Anyway, the drive home was going fine as we whizzed up the BQE until we rounded a bend and hit a parking lot of cars.  So off the highway we jumped and snaked our way home through Williamsburg, Greenpoint and the edges of Long Island City.  It was a nice detour of some areas we don't frequent that often and I loved the cool paint on some of the buildings and the trendy little cafes and eateries lining the way.  So much more city to discover. That's the best thing about living here. You can find a new part of a neighborhood you thought you knew and it's only a short hop away. But for that day at least, it was time to get home and nap. All that water and sun was as fun as it was tiring.