It's hot here. It's a Seattle kind of hot - I believe my car's thermometer topped out at 98 degrees today. The highest I've seen my car thermometer go (and mean it) was 110 a few years back and THAT was hot by anyone's standards.
But here in Seattle, when it's hot (about 5-10 days a year, with only one or two REALLY hot days), we complain. We also complain when it's too cold, and when it's too rainy, and when it's windy and the power goes out on Christmas for ten hours. But I digress.......
The point is, we don't have air conditioning. Which, really, is quite an expense considering how little we'd use it, but seems worth every penny on the days we WANT it. Many of our neighbors actually DO have air conditioning, which explains why we seem to be the only family walking around like sweating pigs, with our hair stuck to our faces, our shirts plastered to our backs and feeling the unpleasant effects of boob sweat. Don't even get me started on boob sweat.
But here's the thing. If you really just EMBRACE the heat, let yourself get all sweaty and be o.k. with it, then it's not so bad. For example, this morning, when it was already 73 degrees, I took my dog for a long walk. I was hot and sweaty when I finished, but I was o.k. with that, because it's exercise, right? Then, I picked up my son and noticed the temp had climbed a full ten degrees in just over an hour. By the time I got home with him, it was around 85 and getting hotter by the minute. I decided then and there to clean my car out. And I don't mean just clean it out - I washed every surface, cleaned the carpets, vacuumed every inch, organized the trunk, the glove box and every place anything could be stored. It took me just over two hours, at which time the temperature was in the mid-90's. I was hot. I was sweaty. I used my shirt to wipe my face so much, it felt as wet as if it had just come out of the washer. I used hot, soapy water to clean the interior of the car, which didn't make things any easier. I had to stop and wet a cloth so I could use it every two minutes or so to wipe my face off as sweat trickled into my eyes and threatened to wreak havoc with my contacts. When I was done, I made myself a bit of lunch and checked my email and only after I'd cooled down several degrees did I finally go take a shower. The shower felt amazing, BUT, I was only cool and dry for a few minutes before it started all over again.
I heard my kids say today, "I don't think I've ever been so hot!" I'm certain they have been. Like the time it was 110 degrees and they were at an outdoor day camp and it had to be canceled because so many kids had to leave due to becoming sick from the heat. We're just not used to that around here. I once foolishly agreed to take a 3-hour yoga workshop with two of my best friends. This was taught by a yoga guru and was supposed to be a very special event. I PAID good money to go to this thing. Little did I know it would be Hell on Earth. I figured we'd do a little yoga, maybe sit and meditate a little, break for a snack. Nooooo......we did intense, constant yoga in blistering heat for three solid hours. After a while, I had to just give in to it. Sweat and all. I was so sweaty my mat was slippery and I could barely do a downward dog for all the sliding. My hair was "fresh from the shower" wet. I'm sure I didn't smell fresh from anything. My face was an alarming shade of purplish-red. I was so "warmed up" I could bend in ways I never could before (and never have again!). It was, in a word, HOT.
So, I sit at my computer in my stuffy dining room. One meager fan oscillates the thick air. I've considered resorting to the redneck air conditioner (a bowl of ice water in front of the fan) but I'm pretty sure my dogs would just overturn it, or drink from it. I do have a room air conditioner in my bedroom but I can't just sit on my bed all day. So, I sweat. And I'm hot. And tomorrow it will cool down and pretty soon it will rain and we'll all be saying "It's so rainy! It's so cold!" So, I'll take it. Sweat and all. I'm hot like that.
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