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Friday, July 22, 2011

Holy Heat Wave, Batman!

I have been doing everything in tiny increments.  Open door, walk outside, water one plant, go back inside.  The chickens have been on strike - it's much cooler, fluffed out in the shade under the bushes than in that chicken coop.  Sheep are unnaturally quiet, which is a small blessing.  If I could stand to walk out and stand on my back deck for more than two minutes, I would be enjoying the silence.  They are tucked under the shady trees, quietly chewing their cud.  Even Sage isn't doing her "screaming baby" routine.  The only way you survive in this heat/humidty combination is to lay low and keep quiet.

I have succumbed to my poor, panting dogs and keep the portable a/c unit in the living room on low or just on dehumidfy during the day.  All the windows are open during the night, not that last night let much cool air in.  I doubt if it dropped below 70 degrees.  When I finally gave up trying to sleep and got up at 3:30, it was already 75. 

When it's really hot, I give each dog a marrow bone section that I keep in the freezer.  They are so happy and it keeps them quiet and focused for ages.  The cats look like little black rugs.  This would be the perfect time for a solar oven - but I've only managed to find one box and need a slightly larger one before I can make my homemade version.  Maybe I'll root around the office. 

I hope you are all keeping cool and not overdoing it.  According to the weather service, we have two days to go before relief, counting today.  I cannot wait.

6 comments:

Erin said...

Our low was 82 last night, it's terrible isn't it? The poor sheep! I went out last night late and the only difference was like sticking your head in the oven with the oven light OFF, LOL! Stay cool, sista!

Mama Pea said...

Our weather finally broke yesterday. Good thing, too, 'cause I felt like I was ready to break! I actually closed one bedroom window in the middle of the night. It wasn't so much cool air coming in as saturated, DAMP air though.

Erin, love your definition of daytime, nighttime, oven light on, oven light off! If we all keep that sense of humor, we just may make it.

Susan said...

Erin - A "low" of 82? Isn't that an oxymoron??

Mama Pea - I can take dry hot air, but the humidity just kills me. I feel I'm swimming in wet cement. The forecast calls for our break to happen on Sunday. Yes, where would we be without our wacky senses of humor? Cryin in our beer, that's for sure.

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

It is one hot couple of days. The low temperature in my house last night was 90 degrees. I cant take much more of this. Cant wait to see your solar oven. I saw where someone took one of those metallic reflective things you put in your car windshield, curled in in a saucer formation, and put the pan in the middle and it worked. In this heat you really could just put a pan out on the sidewalk and that would work.

Sue said...

Our heat broke, and thank goodness it did. I couldn't get the house below 86 anymore--the nights didn't cool at all. And now the beans are coming in in droves, so all that blanching. Sometimes, just sometimes, I think of an air conditioner......

judy said...

Ours broke too but momma peas broke first ,since she is south of me, but I didn't have to close any window. I swear this house holds heat for days--wait a min-it did that at our old place too it must be all my hot air---BLOWING OUT---LOL