Life Above 100 Degrees -- or it's a Dry Heat

How does one spend a day when the forecast calls for 116 degrees? It's always hot here in Phoenix in the summer, and its summer six months out of the year, but those who live here shrug at 103 or 104. Once it climbs above 110 degrees, people began to pay attention. So when I woke up on this heat advisory morning I thought, well, I can either hide in the house all day in the dark like a vampire, or I could be brave, or perhaps the better word is stupid, and actually go outside. So, I put on my sunglasses, grabbed a bottle of water, and decided to take the risk.

7 a.m. -- meet friends for walk on Central Avenue bridal path which actually has shade trees. One of the few paths in Phoenix that one can walk in the summer. I never understood how important trees were until I moved to Phoenix.  Had a mostly shady walk for about an hour, but by end of walk need to dump my remaining water on my head. Got into car and immediately turned on air conditioning. (All anyone has to do in Phoenix is tell you the air conditioner is on the blink in his or her  car and you will be nice to them the rest of the day cause you feel so sorry for them.)

9 a.m. -- Went to an estate sale and purchased a muffin tin, old map of Denver and earrings. Spent $1.70.   Of course, I won't be able to turn on the oven and use the muffin tin until November, (and I really don't even bake) and who looks at maps anymore, but the earrings were fun. At estate sale I lingered in the room full of Christmas stuff and dreamed of cool weather. Also at estate sale made a note to clean closets and drawers so when I'm dead people don't say, "boy did she collect a lot of junk."

11 a.m.  -- Decided to take a quick dip. In Illinois where I grew up, the swimming pool was a buzz of activity in the summer. Here in Arizona people swim at night. I spent ten minutes alone at pool and began to feel as if  you could fry an egg on the top of my head. Actually I wasn't alone. There was a small buzz.

There were several wasps in the pool with me. Between the heat and the wasps I decided it was time to go inside and curl next to....

My best friend the fan. With my fan blowing on me I sit at computer and go on facebook cause what better way to waste time?

Noon: I see my friend Stella has posted photos of Paris (See photo below) Lucky girl! She posts photos of gorgeous old buildings that house famous paintings, and other lovely places, but all I can think about when looking at the photos is that it looks cool in France. There are clouds. There is green grass. And I imagine Stella strolling around, outside, without a hat, maybe not even water, and she's not sweating. Looked at more photos people have posted on Facebook and everything looks so much, well, pleasant. I feel as if I'm living on the sun. Decide to turn off computer and eat. Because I'm not in Paris, I eat a cold salad and not a fancy pastry or glass of red wine.

4.p.m. Get dressed for work.

I put on my black pants, tuck in my long-sleeved black shirt, put on my black apron and black shoes and socks. The only thing not covered on me is my head. I want to cry, but it's too hot. Drive to work and blast the air conditioning. Still I sweat.

Note:  I know there have been some amazing discoveries and inventions. Pencillin, the computer, eye lash curlers and other neat stuff. We've put men on the moon. Still, when you live above 100 degrees what I am truly grateful for is, you guessed it, the person who invented air conditioning. What a genuis!  Oh I've heard stories of how people lived in Arizona before the air conditioner. Blah blah blah. They slept with wet sheets on them, lived in adobe houses, and found other ways to survive the head.  I bet people back then were sweating and wishing someone would invent something to keep them from burning up. If air conditioning hadn't been invented, Phoenix in the summer would be way smaller, like maybe 100 people, and that would just be people with nowhere else to go. I love my air conditioner. I hope it loves me and keeps working.

11 p.m. or so...Arrive home from work. Still hot, but at least no sun! I try to avoid using exclamination points but it's just so nice for the sun to be gone for a few hours.  End my day by telling myself there is one good thing about the heat. You don't have to shovel it. I remember this Chicago snow storm from 1967. I think I'll just stare at this photo a little longer, makes me feel downright chilly without having to do the shoveling.