I can’t walk through Cres without thinking how much it has changed over the last thirty years. For one thing, the old ladies are different. I am trying to remember if there ever were the black-clad widows in Cres, there must have been when I was young. The Italian-speaking-patterned-tunic nonas of my grandmother’s vintage are almost gone too. There are a few seniors still hanging out on the benches in front of the post office now and then, but if I didn’t see “udruga-penzionera” (retirees-union) secured wireless web when I selected my wireless connection from the cafe I am sitting in right now, I would not even know they are here.

The communist slogans written in cheap red paint on town walls half way through the last Century are pretty much all gone and the remaining ones are so washed out they can only be found if you know what you’re looking for. Structurally, Cres is very well taken care of. Houses that I remember always having been boarded up have been renovated and show happy signs of life. Most year-round residents now live in the “suburbs” and the old town center now seems to be mostly cottage country. The “suburbs” have at least quadrupled over the last thirty years but with exception of one or two questionable architectural choices, they look very spiffy and I don’t blame the locals for moving there.

Despite existence of people not picking up after their dogs, the town is very clean. There are two guys with street grade vacuum cleaners walking around. Last year they were always together (one vacuuming up what the other had missed?), but they must have gotten sick of each other and this time I have seen them an entire street apart.

With the growth of the suburbs and revitalization of downtown, the summer season is now busier and it starts earlier. Being spoiled and snobby as we are, we don’t bother going to the beach before 5PM as it is too crowded. The beach is wonderful after 5 so it is well worth to use the “afternoon shift”.

My favourite description of our vacations in Cres is that it is like camping in a really old tent. I am continuously amazed at how good a shape our house is in and how bad a shape our house is in. This is the only location I have been “living in” pretty much continuously throughout my life so it is in a sense a second home. Unlike vacations where you rent a room, I don’t mind staying indoors and it is not unusual or unpleasant to stay in the house for as much as a third of the day. I would really like to know more about our house from historical perspective such as when was it built and what kind of family would have lived in a house like this. I know for a fact that this house is listed in the archives in Rijeka, but as I don’t know the last name of my grandmother’s cousin I can’t look it up.

One thing that I really didn’t care for as a kid but have gained appreciation for now that I am older are personal wooden boats. I had not realised how well a wooden boat can withstand time. There are still some wooden boats in the harbour that were “old” when I was a kid. Back then they looked like they were relics about to be replaced by the new plastic boats. Today, with their slick lines and fresh, gleaming, white paint they looks so much more vibrant than their plastic brethren. Not to say anything bad about plastic boats, they are still floating about, which is more than you can say about the cars from the same era.

Mosquitoes, which have been absent for the last 15 years, have returned. With them around the population of swallows has increased as well. Both seem to be the most active at around 4 in the morning. Note the swallow feeding her young and the other little swallows looking out for their moms in the photo above.

One of my ongoing projects every time I come to Zagreb is to sift through my belongings in the old apartment, clear things out and bring some things back to Ottawa.

As I did not pack a suitcase for Trev, I have allowance of one suitcase of junk I can bring back. That is just under 22 kilos.

Finding anything in the old apartment is not an easy task. As I have been “clearing” things out for the last twenty years, the pickings are getting slim. Additionally, even though my belongings are frozen in time, their location has been shifting between my archeological digs and attempts by various tenants to make room for living. However, I am prepared. Before going, I decide what belongings I want to bring back. The goal is also to categorize what is left and store it in such a way as to make future searches easier. There is always an option to throw things out, which I have been doing, but over the years there is less and less things I am able throw out without second guessing myself.

So what did I get this time? I got some blocks and toys for the boys, more weaving paraphernalia, a broken recorder, a hiking journal, some drawings, board games, knitting needles, sewing box, place mats and some fabric.

There are things I could not find such as my picture books and barbie dolls, but as I already had my 20kg worth of junk, I left it for the next time.

More than ever before, both Zagreb and Ottawa have been overrun by bicycles. It is great, but when I looked up “Zagreb Cycle Chic” and “Ottawa Cycle Chic” I got nothing of any significance. C’mon people! Will anyone please think of the children!!!

I can’t, I am working on my thesis.

I managed to pack really well for the flight. I fit all that I need for two and a half months for myself and the two boys in one medium sized suitcase. I also had two car seats, but they don’t count as luggage. Then there was a stroller and, despite my original plan to have only one carry on bag, my husband managed to convince me to carry the laptop separate from the diaper bag. Trevor had his own backpack with toys that he kept referring to as his purse (I hope his father does not hear him saying that) but he was pretty good at taking care of it himself.

The stewardess on the overseas flight was fantastic, she held the baby while I got settled and moved the other passengers around so I can have the seat with the bassinet. The man sitting next to me was amazing help as well and he held Owen while I fed myself and Trevor.

The boys behaved really well. They were a bit rowdy at first but then they settled and were a great help. It also helped that it was theoretically “night” for most of the flight.

The Frankfurt airport was a mess, but, from what I hear from other people, we did really well with minimal wandering and none of our baggage was lost.

Last month marked ten years that I had graduated and moved to Ottawa.

The noughties were less turbulent and exciting than the nineties, for sure, but we still got a lot done. We learned to sail and be grad students. We got houses and cars, we got more gray hairs and travelled on three continents. We got married and most significantly of all, we had kids.

Would write more, but I must now grapple with the future.

We went to see the last opera of the past season last Wednesday and I had a great time. This production was different in that there was no stage set except for the lighting on the back of the stage and the entire orchestra was on the stage. The singers and the chorus were wearing evening dress and not period costumes. At first we were wondering if we’re getting our money’s worth, but, by the end I was convinced. The sets and costumes are usually ugly and add very little to the experience so no big loss there. With exception of the tenor, I really enjoyed the performers. Overall, fun was had.