Humid as a swamp, the temperature rising, like a steam room coming to life. Yesterday was similar, hard to breathe, the edge of hot, but that was mid-afternoon in the heat of the day. This morning, we’re just getting started. “Can we turn off the AC for a few days? I’d rather be hot than cut off from the world.” This was me speaking last evening as the temperature hovered just above our thermostat setting of seventy-eight degrees. The AC’s been on for ten days.
Last summer, past years, we sucked it up. We let our house heat up each day to the point of discomfort. Doors open, leaving the impression of a much larger house. The back screened porch our favorite room. And then, each night, the weather broke. Evening struck with a cool breeze, and with the aid of the house-fan we installed five years ago, we cooled things down to sleeping comfort. This year, the doors and the AC unit become a barrier. A thermocline between dry and cool, and hot and wet. We’re trapped in the house.
The forecast today is ninety-five, far beyond discomfort. Millions trapped without cool air, hobbled with headaches, their brains slowly baking, trips to Walmart for relief. Or a baby pool on the side lawn to soak their feet, braving mosquito bites and West Nile for an iota of reprieve. We all sweat, relaxing into our morning routines, I’m writing, Susan is planning her week. Sophie and Eli, watching Netflix on their phones. Ceiling fans spinning, simply pushing around the damp, warm air. We sit, counting the minutes until we give in once again. We’ll close up the house, and fire up the AC.
Photo by Rohan Reddy on Unsplash
The Other Stuff 
We are babies in this house. I swear there are times we turn the air on in April. As soon as we get the least bit uncomfortable we start to get really snappy and fighty. On the flipside, we don’t use much heat. So our electric really evens out. And it is so hot right now. It was a soccer tournament weekend for us, and as a spectator, I was so filmy with beads of sweat after five minutes of just sitting outside. So gross. I support your choice to turn on the AC.
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The AC is on, but today has been remarkably outdoors oriented. Everything in my house is mountain bike related, so rides and bike maintenance, And of course cut the lawn, because that can only be done when it’s 100.
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I just went and checked to make sure our a/c was working ; started sweating profusely just reading your post. I’m the biggest baby ever. Stay tough, Canns!
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No one’s tough here. We flipped on our AC when the indoor temp hit 80 and it’s been on ever since. Oh, wait, Susan and I did go for a run tonight.
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Ugh. It’s miserable everywhere. I write this because for a couple years now my wife and I have been talking about moving north to escape the heat (currently we’re in Houston, TX). From your post, and my niece’s reports (who lives in New Hampshire) there’s not much reprieve up yonder.
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The northeast doesn’t seem to work anymore. Luckily we’re far enough south to have air conditioning. I feel bad for all those people on the edge of Canada without central AC and still dealing with temps in the high nineties.
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Right! That was something else I learned about. Not having A/C, which, wasn’t an issue in the past, but now . . . I can’t wait for December to roll around so we’ll have our Fall weather.
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