repose

It’s been quite cold and snowy in Georgia. And I know that this is my first winter here, and thus have nothing to compare it to, but it does seem like it’s worse than usual for this area. Sure, some mountain roads are impassable, as they are every winter. And everyone has been wearing their long underwear, as they always do this time of year. But still, everyone keeps suggesting that things are particularly terrible this season. For example, a foot of snow recently fell in Batumi, a subtropical city on the Black Sea that I’ve visited a couple of times, including last August. That seems rather epic to me. And weird. Yes, I know that weather is not the same as climate. So when I joke about this crazy weather being a sign of End Times, I’m almost completely not being serious at all. But still, it’s a bit End Times-y, no?

It’s been especially chilly here in Akhaltsikhe, my little town that rests a comfy three-hour marshutka ride away from Tbilisi. It’s been months since we could go outside without being all bundled up in our winter gear. It’s miserably cold outside. The wind is vicious. My boots are always dirty from the slushy mud. In general, it’s tiring. I think all of us are ready for it to be over. All of us want spring to arrive. And until that happens, all of us are hunkering down, trying to stay as warm as possible next to our gas heaters or wood-burning stoves.

Piso, dreaming of spring.

Even Piso is doing what he can to stay toasty these days. In addition to being fed generous portions of table scraps (being the discriminating cat he is, he prefers the expensive sausages), he also gets to enjoy shelter from the cold. His favorite spot is right here in our front window where he is simultaneously warmed by the heat from inside and the rays of the sun beaming through the pane. He really is the luckiest cat in all of Georgia.

So this is where Piso currently spends most of his days. During warmer months he’s outside during daylight hours prowling the streets, doing his cat thing. My host mom calls this “whoring”. Seeing as he is un-neutered this is probably an accurate description of his lifestyle. But now, it’s too cold to spend much time outside. Even the lady cats aren’t enough of a draw. So, like the rest of us, he’s very often indoors, waiting out the cold.

I can hardly wait for spring. I can’t wait to be able to take long walks and not choke on air full of petchi smoke. I can’t wait to wear light jackets and my cute mary janes. I can’t wait to eat fresh veggies. It’s going to be divine.

But in the meantime, I will be indoors trying to keep the chill away. Like Piso, we’ll all be curled up in our own little sweet spots until it’s warm enough to get back out there in the streets. After all, winter can’t last forever.