Barbara J. Hamby

Real Cool

There’s no way to convince yourself you’re young, or even middle-aged, when your eldest child is celebrating a 55th birthday. That will happen to me this week.

I haven’t exactly been feeling young this week, anyway, with record temperatures and no air-conditioning in our home. I’m nearly ready to give up my noble sacrifice that I claim has been helping the environment, and get a small window air conditioner for the master bedroom. With fans properly arranged, it would probably cool all the other rooms, as well. Probably I’ll forget about it as soon as it cools off, as usual.

The heat never seems to bother men as much as women. Having to wear a bra could have something to do with the difference, I suppose.

Today is more comfortable, so far, than the last three. Yesterday was the worst. It takes two or three days for the brick walls of this building to heat up and then it’s very hard to cool the inside down, even at night.

This afternoon I’m scratching bites from tiny black bugs that attacked me when we went to the woods yesterday to cool off. I was even bitten while swimming, and it wasn’t much cooler there, so we came back home.

I’m looking forward to the weather predicted for the rest of the week: cool, cloudy and showery. California can have their heat back.

I’m loving being able to swim again, after the cataract surgery. Indoors or out, it’s my favorite exercise and I miss it when it’s verboten. The treadmill, I’m convinced, was invented by some Satanic being. It’s my hope I’ll never have to step on one again.

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