She understood. It did not change.
The weather is all up in the news, what on earth is wrong with our climate, that we have such unbearably hot days in long stretches.
J said, "I just got an email from my students group (What's App). They wanna know if they have to come to school tomorrow."
In Germany there is "Hitze Frei" which means "too bloody hot to expect students to learn, with no public buildings being air conditioned." To be fair, in the past, Germany was not this freaking hot.
I almost didn't manage to clean up my pasture this morning at 9:30. I felt nauseus and the sweat was running so strongly down my face, neck, and back, I thought there were insects on me, and I kept "swatting" them away. My glasses could not stay on my nose. My sweat dripped onto my glasses in streams.
I escaped to the house and wondered if Ani actually rode today. Why would anyone choose to be out there. It's 34C.
It's not supposed to change, so I'm hiding out and just doing the bare minimal outdoor chores, including watering everything like mad. The horse and donkey are drinking water faster than ever, I can't believe how they nearly empty the trough every day.
Mag is not a horse who suffers in hot weather, but his PNW owner cannot take it.
I had to run to city hall today for a "proof of law-abiding citizenship" and that took it all out of me.
J is wearing shorts. That says a lot. I never get to see his legs. He looks great. But he has no AC in his office, as we do in our house. Then again, he's German and never had AC. I remember working in an office in Cologne, and in an all-hands meeting, I placed a thermometer on the cement floor, and it read 30. Insanity, that they expect us to work at over 30. There is no AC in Germany cuz Germany has not adapted to the fact that the climate might have changed.
To be fair, in Seattle, we didn't all have AC in the 70s and 80s. Today it's different, Seattle "noticed" the weather.
My grandmother used to stick her feet in a bucket full of ice cubes and water. That is exactly what I do when the weather gets like this. I can sit there with my feet melting the ice until there is no more ice. It might be genetic, my wimpiness to heat. That reminds me, I have to go make more ice cubes (trays are all we have here).
This photo is bittersweet - Mag is so adorable saying, "Don't you leave me tied in this strange barn!" and Ani is grooming her mare Mira after our ride. Mira died last August and Ani's been leasing from crazy owners ever since. I hope she finds something better, but I do appreciate that she's in our neighborhood and I don't have to drag Mag along heavy traffic streets to get to her barn anymore.
Mag may be sketchy about his hind end, but he can be tied anywhere; I've never seen him test a rope.
Mag and Bellis are on a newly recovered grazing strip tonight, lush and green and almost 6 inches high after rest. The weather is not going to change, so I'll be holed up in here looking at nostalgic photos until...?
10 comments:
The climate change is undeniable. Maybe you could ride early in the morning? I remember growing up that AC in a car seemed pretentious and unnecessary. Now it's essential
T, what I've noticed is that Germans don't even use the AC in their cars. They prefer fresh air and open their windows as they drive. I've done statistics. About half the cars on a sweltering day like this will have their windows down. And as you know, old cars are not common here, due to regulations they must be retired. The cars here are all new or new-ish and all have AC. But.....do they use that feature?
Latley in the night the temp does not drop enough to cool my house if I open the windows. I was astounded that the temp was 26 when I woke up this morning. 26 is my breaking point. Pretentious, *giggle* I know. Here, I'm the one killing the planet. Killing it right now.
I have to dress in layers for work, because some buildings are air conditioned and some are *over*conditioned! In the two library districts near us, 1/2 to 1/3 of the buildings don't have AC and they will close down if the temps get too high--but their parameters for "too high" are pretty extreme! We also have temp restrictions for our buildings, but it's only really a problem if something breaks. :-) Wearing a cute little summer dress doesn't happen for me--I'd freeze. Today I'm wearing a summer reading t-shirt with a flannel shirt over top, because I'm in a cold building.
Home has no AC, of course. But we have a pretty good routine to keep the house tolerably cool: we open all the windows at night, and suck cool air IN with the fans. During the day, windows are only cracked open, shades are closed. For really hot days we make a swamp cooler for the dogs by setting a fan to blow air over the top of a big pan of ice. Or...we pack everybody in the truck and go hang out at the river!
Riding in the heat happens at dawn or dusk, except in camp. When I was competing, Fee and I would work on trails during the days before Renegade so we would both be acclimated to heat and altitude before ride day--and the temps there were over 100* When we took the truck to town, we would deliberately NOT run the AC so we wouldn't lose the acclimatization. But when we came back home, we were happy to cool off again.
I never used to use the air in my truck, nor did we ever have central air. I wonder sometimes if it’s age that makes me use it more. More likely the blasted climate change.
I do think age, hormones, and fitness are factors. Regardless, I can no longer survive without extensive AC everywhere. Heat sucks every molecule of energy out of me.
I hope it cools down for you soon! 34 degrees would be a lovely summer day here, but we’re used to it (and with almost no humidity).
Ugh. 34C plus humidity is gross. I'm in Canada - we'll hit those temps soon. We are still lucky with the hottest days being maybe 28-30C + humidity. I tend to get up at 5am to do chores this time of year, that way at least the sun isn't frying me!
We do have AC everywhere here thankfully. It would be impossible to be in an office building without it...yikes!
I meant to ask you before if you have access to a cooling vest. We find them in work-wear stores here, mostly in "safety" colors, but you already wear a safety vest so you're good with that. They are a godsend when we are out working in the heat and there's no shade!
Here's a link: https://www.ezcooldown.com/us/standard-evaporation-vest
Aarene, acclimatization is a thing: ) Like you, I can somewhat adapt, because today I went outside and it was "only" 25 and I thought, "OK, this is great!" but normally 26 is my limit where I refuse to go outside. Hrm! Going to the river, or lake sounds like a dream. I am so blessed that my German husband even allows an AC unit in his house. Most Germans consider them planet killers and won't even discuss it. I'm surviving here because of it.
Also, we have three species of bees/wasps who have moved into our house this week. In the outer wall area. So, huh. What can you do?
You asked about a vest. I've heard of those! If you say godsend I believe you. I will have to see if they are available here, in a land that does not acknowledge the need for AC.
Camryn, when my parents installed central AC I knew the world had changed : )
Nat D, good you did not visit Europe in Summer. AC is the devil here. Hormones, yah.
Irish, 34 as "lovely" Are you bekloppt? I cannot breathe, I feel like I'm gonna pass out, they'll find me in a puddle of my own sweat. Irish! Ok I got your disclaimer. But hrrrrm...you've been to Seattle, you know what a freaking wimp I am. Thank you though, for wishing us a respite.
Laura, hey, you're part of my 5 AM "misten" team (poop-cleaning up)! I always say Germany is 50 years behind America so I should finally get to experience AC...oh, I'll be dead.
We were at 96, 76 dew point & humidity in the upper 50's. I know Exactly how it feels! The bugs are horrific with all the flood water turning fields into lakes. Watering twice a day & it's not enough. Flowers baking in the pots. Very thankful for AC & wonder how on earth my relatives farmed in it! I do remember laying in bed, upstairs at Grandma's & sweating all night long! I thought the vests just another layer, cooling didn't last nearly long enough.
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