Not fit for man nor beast

Image by benchilada via Flickr

It is unbearably hot and humid here in Indiana (as in much of the rest of the country).  I had an appointment with my eye doctor this morning.  I thought I could kind of beat the heat by having the appointment scheduled for first thing in the morning…well, I’m here to tell you, I don’t think there was any way to beat the heat today.  As soon as I walked out the front door, I felt like I was trying to breathe under water…it’s like the air in a tropical rain forest…ugh!  And you know it’s going to be entirely too hot when your sunglasses steam up as soon as you slip them on.  Great, so now I’m in the fog under water…I took my time walking, didn’t want to be drenched with sweat when I sat down in that chair at the eye doctor’s office. 

I appreciate air conditioning, believe me, I do.  But have you ever noticed how cold it is in a lot of the businesses?  I think movie theaters and restaurants are the worst.  I always bring a sweater or light jacket to slip on when I’m going to either of those places.  Then, when you walk outside, the heat and humidity slam into you all over again, crushing your lungs and searing all the moisture from your body.  Water, water, please keep water with you when it’s this hot. 

I have one last plea to make concerning how animals are affected by this awful heat.  Please, please don’t leave your pets locked in your car while you run into the store, or wherever.  Just leave your dog at home in the air conditioning when it’s like this.  They can’t take the heat in a vehicle.  It builds up quickly and can kill your beloved pet just as quickly.  If you’re one of those people who keeps your pets outdoors (I don’t understand that myself, but I know that’s what some people do), please make sure they have access to plenty of fresh water and shade.  They depend on us to give them the care they need in extreme weather.  If you have a pet, make sure you take responsibility for them.  Keep them safe.  Keep them hydrated.  And, while you’re at it, check up on your elderly neighbors.  It only takes a few minutes and you could save a life today.

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It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity…really?

Image by steven and darusha via Flickr

I’m thinking it’s both the heat and the humidity.  When I walked out the front door at work this evening, the heat slammed into my body, knocking the breath right out of my lungs.  I knew we were under a heat advisory, but I still wasn’t prepared for it.  Now that I’m a little older (and I guess just how much older is relative to where you fall on that whole age scale…if you’re 70, I’m still a young whippersnapper…but if you’re in your twenties, then I’m old enough to be your mother…now there’s a scary thought), I find the terribly high heat combined with a high level of humidity really affects me.  None of this running outside for me on days like today.  When I saw the thermometer on the bank down town had a reading of 102, all I wanted to do was go home to my nice air-conditioned house.   And for the inventor of air conditioning, all I can say is “thank you so much.”

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