Katarina's days in Subotica

Today, Wednesday 7 October

1. 7:45amCourtyard quiet again after the frost finally settled in
2. 9:55amAunt lena’s voice kept cracking when she said goodbye last night
3. 11:40amForgot the word for hazelnuts and the stall woman laughed
4. 2:10pmWatched three people leave the café just to stare at the same doorway
5. 8:30pmHot chocolate tasted like yesterday’s, poured the rest away

On her mind: Waited all week for lena’s call about the flat

Tuesday 6 October

1. 7:30amSubway tile walls still wet from the first real frost
2. 9:45amAunt lena cried twice during the ceremony, red eyes glowing under the veil lights
3. 12:10pmBought overripe pears from the woman in the blue scarf, paid in euros by mistake
4. 4:40pmSat on the bench by the lake for three songs without the bike
5. 10:15pmMade hot chocolate thick enough to stand a spoon in, finished the whole pot

Monday 5 October

1. 7:30amSummer racket across the courtyard, lids clattering down trash chutes
2. 11:20amBiked the long way around the lake just to stay in the shade
3. 3:45pmPushed open the blue doorway on košuta again, counted the tiles aloud
4. 7:10pmCocoa with yesterday’s bread standing at the sink because it’s sunday
5. 10:45pmOverhead thunder rolled south and never arrived, lights stayed on anyway

Sunday 4 October

1. 7:17amAlmond milk in the same chipped cup, still too hot
2. 11:42amWatched a wedding from the doorway, nearly cried at the wrong moment
3. 3:09pmBike chain snapped on the way back from lake palić, swore in hungarian
4. 6:20pmArt nouveau door on korzo had new lavender paint, took it personally
5. 10:55pmHot chocolate at the window, counted the last tram lights before bed

Saturday 3 October

1. 7:30amHot chocolate for breakfast felt like a real meal
2. 10:45amBiked to lake palić with leaves blowing everywhere
3. 2:15pmTraced an art nouveau doorway until my finger got cold
4. 9:00pmMixed up the coins again and turned it into a story

Friday 2 October

1. 8:10amHot chocolate for breakfast again, warmed the whole kitchen
2. 12:45pmCycled out to lake palić, wind cut through the leaves
3. 4:20pmPaused under the same art nouveau doorway on the way home
4. 9:05pmGave up on the radio after the third sad song

Thursday 1 October

1. 7:45amHot chocolate again, thick enough to call dinner
2. 10:30amLingered at that green art nouveau doorway on the corner
3. 2:15pmBicycle to lake palić, wind pushed me the whole way
4. 7:40pmThe upstairs violin started again, still missing the same notes
5. 10:10pmSat by the window until the street went quiet

Wednesday 30 September

1. 8:15amDrank hot chocolate as breakfast, too sweet today
2. 12:40pmRode bike around lake palić until legs ached
3. 3:50pmStopped to admire that familiar art nouveau doorway
4. 7:10pmWatched the sun set over the quiet streets
5. 10:30pmRemembered a wedding story and laughed out loud

Tuesday 29 September

1. 7:30amCounted coins in hungarian by mistake at the bakery
2. 11:00amBicycled to lake palić, stopped for the view
3. 3:45pmStood too long admiring an art nouveau doorway downtown
4. 8:00pmMade hot chocolate for dinner, no regrets

Monday 28 September

1. 8:00amCycled to lake palić while the air still felt sharp
2. 12:15pmTraced the curves of an art nouveau doorway on the way back
3. 3:00pmMade hot chocolate the main meal and stretched it out slow
4. 9:30pmSat by the window listening for any hint of winter

Sunday 27 September

1. 8:15amHot chocolate thick enough to call it a meal
2. 11:40amWatched rain streak the art nouveau doorway opposite
3. 3:20pmThought about yesterday's mother of the bride again
4. 7:50pmBiked nowhere near lake palić but wanted to

Saturday 26 September

1. 8:10amCoffee cooled too fast by the open window, started again
2. 12:45pmChose the blue art nouveau doorway as today's favorite on the walk
3. 3:30pmLake palić loop on the bike felt longer with the headwind
4. 7:00pmMade hot chocolate thick enough to call it dinner, no regrets
5. 10:15pmTold the full exaggerated story of the hungarian coins out loud

Friday 25 September

1. 8:00amHad hot chocolate as breakfast and pretended it counted as a meal
2. 11:30amCycled around lake palić until the wind chased me back
3. 3:45pmStopped to trace the lines of an art nouveau doorway downtown
4. 7:20pmThe leaves on the way home already turning, too early for snow
5. 10:50pmLay in bed thinking about nothing at all, which is perfect

Thursday 24 September

1. 8:00amDrank hot chocolate for breakfast while the sun came up
2. 11:45amPassed three art nouveau doorways heading to the market
3. 3:30pmBiked toward lake palić but the wind pushed back
4. 8:15pmTurned the change mistake into a longer story than needed