Nana always said that things come in threes...

Seasons are changing over here in Poland. The leaves have turned and dropped. It is getting darker on the ride to and from, school. The orange and yellow decorations are changing to red and green. Pumpkin spice becomes peppermint. And, our COVID numbers are starting to rise.

At school, we got a much-needed and well-deserved “fall break,” and everyone seemed to clear out of Warsaw for the last week of October. Lolly, the girls, and I decided to keep our travels local, opting to see more of this amazing country we now call home. We headed south for a few days in the mountains and some time in Krakow, Poland’s cultural capital. A family road trip in our new car, with the dog in the back, was sorely needed. This was familiar to us; it is what we do, and we do it well. There were musicals and audiobooks to listen to as a family. With Chase in the back and our bags up top (thanks to the Pavroses for the borrowed cargo box), we happily headed out on our first Polish adventure.

Just as Lolly was sharing her gratitude to all for getting things together and hitting the road in such fine form, our car told us that all was not right. My mom always said that “things come in threes,” often as a predictor of what was to come if two bad things had happened. That morning, after I returned from a run with fresh pastries from our local bakery, our coffee pot blew up. And then, lights on the dashboard and a lack of umph from the gas pedal. Just what else could happen? (I’m foreshadowing here…).

Thankfully, we have an amazing mechanic who met me at his shop within an hour and diagnosed and fixed the problem --local rodents chewed through a hose in the engine that provides pressure for our acceleration system. Lucky for me, I got to see all that he did to fix it, as I would need to do some MacGyver work of my own with tape and a little chewing gum later in the week --this was not my third thing, and the gum was just for my nerves.

Two hours later, we were back on the road for our 6 hour trek south to the Tatras Mountains. Part of the Carpathian mountain chain in eastern Europe, they create a natural border between Slovakia and Poland. We shared a house with the Lennon family, our new friends from school, near the center of Zakopane, Poland’s premier mountain town. We enjoyed exploring Zakopane and the mountains that surround it. We ate good food and played games together, swapping stories, and learning about the mountains and cemeteries of the Podhale region.

For our hike day, we trekked up to Morskie Oko, and Czarny Staw under Rysy, Poland’s highest peak. It was a 13 mile day, with most of the hike on a paved mountain road up to a hut and an amazing view of the lake and mountains. The peaks reminded me of the Tetons; jagged and massive-- rising out of the surrounding forest and inviting you up. And the hut and crowds reminded me of the Whites, although they had their own Polish flair and Polish beer. In the summer, this trek sees thousands of folks each day. It’s really accessible and part of the culture here. We saw a lot of folks on our hike to the hut, much fewer on the trail up to the next lake, higher up. Frost was glazing the rocks and the seasons were certainly changing. We decided it wise not to attempt anything higher or farther without proper gear -- instead, we scouted future routes and adventures.

In Krakow, Lolly found us an amazing hotel to stay in that was just south of the main central area of the city. It was perfect as they had a birthday cake waiting for Phoebe and a dog bed warmed up for Chase. We pushed ourselves (and our girls) to be tourists - walking everywhere and looking to wander down new streets and into different shops and restaurants. We ate incredibly well, and we really enjoyed being in a European city with a rich, deep, and varied history.

The girls and I hit two museums, giving us a foundation of understanding for just what has occurred here in Krakow over the past century and beyond. The Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory Museum taught us about Krakow during WWII and what life was like throughout the Natzi occupation of the city. It was moving and overwhelming at times, but needed for all of us to better understand our new home. It broadened my sense of humanity, on both ends of the spectrum. We also explored the Rynek Underground Museum that exists under the central Market Square of Krakow. With artifacts dating back to trade in the eleventh century, this underground museum brings you up through the ages showing how Krakow and Poland have been connected to surrounding Europe through the ages. Lolly and the girls also got to cruise around the city square and surrounding sites on segways as they took a two-hour site-seeing tour as well.

While in Krakow, we celebrated Phoebe’s 13th birthday with a delicious meal, and some shopping. We also reflected a lot on our first 3 months in Poland. There were some tears and some tension, but we are stronger for it. The girls were happy to hear that we booked flights home for the holidays, but that did little to change all of the feelings of what the fall in Buffalo might be like. This is tough sometimes, even when on a break in an amazing city. Reed and I did get out for a run on the last day, up to the highest point in the city, the Krakow Mound - supposedly, this is where King Krak is buried. It’s always good to get out and see things from a different perspective, and I especially love doing it with our kiddos.

With all of that, I have yet to mention the third bad thing to come our way. We returned home, and prepared to start school with 2 days of Parent/Teacher Conferences. As I headed in to meet 2/3 ‘s of my new parents (I had ~ 60 conferences scheduled), I tested positive for COVID at the routine screening that our school does for everyone entering the building.

So now I’m halfway through my 10 days of isolation in our 3rd floor bedroom. All of our laundry is done and folded, daily - the washer is in my bathroom. I have read 2 books (including Plunder, about Polish history and Natzi treasure hunters), painted, watched my fair share of Lasso reruns and an amazing movie about the Warsaw Uprising during WWII called Warsaw 44. This is tough, and I’m lucky because I have few serious symptoms. Thankfully, I’m vaccinated, and my biggest worry is passing this along to others. It’s much harder on others - Lolly and the girls, folks who have to cover my classes, those who worry about the spread of COVID. I suppose it was only a matter of time; that COVID would creep into our home and affect us directly. I just didn’t see it coming and adding one more challenge to what feels like a fall full of new challenges has not been easy.

So, in true form of “living the mess,” I’ll just leave it there. I’ll let you know when I’m off of the third floor! Much love to all.