Hot, Hot, Hot Friday

Today was another scorching hot day. It was probably close to 40 *C (104 °F) today in many places. It was challenging for students in school: Rhenish cancelled after-school sports events, except for swimming. Schools all dealt with the heat in different ways, including passing out bottles of frozen water to learners. Fires are raging again, too. A bad one in Paarl has taxed firefighting capabilities in the Boland.

For a family dinner this evening, we went to Col 'Cacchio Pizzera in Stellenbosch. They give the kids a ball of pizza dough with which they can make their own shapes to be cooked in their brick ovens. The food was good and the kids enjoyed the experience.

Some of you will know that Tracy had a crown replaced in Michigan right before we left for South Africa (first week of January 2009). It never felt quite right, but in the aftermath of our car accident, the sensitivity and pain went away. A few weeks later, it returned. Apparently, pain pills for your back also work for teeth!

It has become bad enough that she wanted to get the crown checked, and today was the day. We're happy that the dentist says the crown looks great and everything is supposedly fine. It may be that the root canal wasn't completely successful in removing the nerves, which is causing the discomfort. We hope that's the problem, anyway.

The Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour is coming to Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula on Sunday. We remember the race fondly from our participation in 1993, before it became the mega-international phenomenon it is today. Tracy and I rode the entire 105 km together (at her pace) and arrived at the finish in Camps Bay at the same time as our friends who we hadn't seen since the start of the race in Cape Town. There will be over 40,000 riders this year in what has become the largest individually-timed bicycle race in the world. The scenery is stunning and the race is just plain fun. Too bad we can't participate this year!

--Matt