Summertime



Oh my gosh it's hot!  This is the third week of July and that generally means warm temperatures here in Nebraska, but this is really excessive.  And to make matters worse, it is predicted to continue through the week.  It's already been five days. 

It's not actually the temperature.  That's been in the upper eighties and low to middle nineties.  The humidity is so high that you just want to towel off when you come in from outside.  Remember, we're having major flooding here so everything is wet to begin with and now the air is full of water too.  Heat advisories have been in effect for days.  A friend told me today that she had asked the pastor of her church if he knew of anyone who needed an air conditioner.  She and her husband would like to do that for someone in need--and there are a lot of people in need around here right now.  He told her that he did know of someone, but he was relatively certain that this person wouldn't use it even if it was given.

I don't know anyone of my generation that would turn down an air conditioner if it was offered.  Maybe we're just spoiled or maybe we've changed our DNA so that we just can't handle the heat like the previous generation.  I really don't know, but I do know that heat is a killer--literally. 

You learn survival skills:  you only do outdoor things early in the morning, when it's cooler outside.  Not that it's really cool.  It was already 83 degrees this morning when I got up with the humidity at about 85 percent.  (If I sound like I'm whining, it's because I am, sorry).  You learn that you can put the window shields in your car to keep the sun out, but it's still going to be in excess of 85 degrees in your car when you get in.  You learn to drink lots and lots of water.  If you can't drink water, then you drink something.  Water is much better for you, but you need to replace the liquids that you are sweating away.  Drink!

You learn to dress in the least number of clothes you can legally get by with.  Someone asked me this morning why summer was worse than winter.  I told him that in the winter you can keep adding layers of clothing and blankets until you get warm, but there comes a point that you can't shed any more clothing and remain employed. 

I actually usually enjoy the summer.  I'll be the first to admit that I am a little further south this year than I was last year.  The humidity is higher here.  The temperatures are higher here.  I knew that when I moved here.  I thought I was ready for it.  Maybe it's because I'm older.  That's my excuse for a lot of other things.  I think it would work for this too.  Anyway, I think I'll stick with it for now. 

I do have air conditioning and it is working quite well.  My car has air conditioning that also works well.  Yes, I am spoiled.  And I like it that way!