There are disadvantages to being on the first floor, but one advantage is that I am low enough to take advantage of the shade of trees. One disadvantage to facing this direction and having good eyesight is that I can clearly see the graffiti written on the wall on the other side of the playground. And, I get it in English, as well as Russian. The English part even has an artistic rendition of the gesture that expresses those words. You have to be able to read Russian backwards to get it.
Summer is here.
Actually, summer starts June 1 in Russia. A much simpler system used here. None of this solstice malarkey. The washing machine is humming. Got the TV going in the hopes that via osmosis the Russian language will sink into my brain.