It's a sticky 33 c or 91 f today and you can feel the humidity hit you like a brick wall as soon as you move from air conditioned bliss inside to outside world, according to the heat index it's like 102 out there. Matt hates it, but I quite like it, my bones no longer creak, the metal in my leg hasn't moved for ages, thus no aches, thus I am loving it. Although, maybe if I was working, or doing something more energetic than just net surfing and reading books, I might feel a little different. Tomorrow the TV weather people advise temperature averaging out around 97f, now that is bloody hot if you ask me, I'll probably need a sun hat and a bottle of water or two. Anyone wanna go for a run? And the heat index, which is how hot it feels, taking into consideration the humidity, the due point and the temperature, it's basically the opposite thingy to the wind chill factor, anyway, tomorrow it's due to be as high as 106f ! Bring it on, the only downside to this kind of temperature day time means that it's warm at night too, last night it was 78f and tonight Mr Weatherman says it's gonna be 83f at midnight! Phew scorching!
When we were driving about yesterday something strangely beautiful caught my eye, it was nothing outrageous, nothing dangerous or destructive. It was something sweet, gentle and innocent, just a mother and her two young children doing a little shopping, just a few essential items, items that they can't make or grow themselves. Something you would see everyday, well not exactly, you see this particular mother and children belong to a community that don't mix very well with the rest of society, indeed they shun the luxuries we call necessities - like air conditioning, electricity, TV, and telephones. This little family was from the Amish community which live not far from Vienna, where Matt's folks reside.
I can't claim to know much about the Amish, except they wear plain clothes, they don't socialise in the way people outside their communities do, it's Swiss in origin, it's religious, they usually shun unnecessary contact with the outside world. They usually send their children to school up until 8th grade, which is about 12 or 13 years old, believing that the general education they get up until that age is more the sufficient for Amish life. Although various different Amish communities have different rules and customs, like the use of power, telephones for business or for emergencies, the access to the outside world and various things like that, it's not a cult, although it's often viewed as such for it's isolation and religious bias. It seems a rather peaceful and enchanted way of life, the whole community acts as a big family, helping each o
ther out as and when the need arises. They have simple tastes, simple needs, simple clothes and come to town in a horse and cart!
ther out as and when the need arises. They have simple tastes, simple needs, simple clothes and come to town in a horse and cart! Not a sight you see every day that's for sure, and whilst I knew there was an Amish community nearby, I hardly expected to see them doing a bit of shopping. I find their lifestyle, or rather their life choices intriguing, it may not be the choice I would make, gosh there would be so much from the outside world that I'd miss. This, the medium of the internet for one, but I respect them for the conviction they have. We snapped this photo of them discretely through the back window of the car and from a distance so we didn't encroach on their privacy.
More soon.
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