I used to have a friend who said hotter than dammit. My own personal favorite is "hotter than chicken fried hell." My son complained about the heat in the car yesterday. I just said "It's almost July and we live in Atlanta. DUH."
I have little patience for people living in the south who complain about the heat. People who just moved here get something of a pass, though. It takes time to readjust your thinking. Summer should be thought of in terms of heat avoidance strategies.
If I lived in New York State or Maine and it was over 90 I would probably complain. LOUDLY.
I saw on the news the other night that this weekend it's REALLY hot across the northern part of this country. ABC News reported this story: Temperatures near 100 degrees across northeast as heatwave blazes on -- and even I, lifelong southerner, thought DANG. Over 100 is hot, y'all. Those temps are expected to continue through July 4th, too.
People always say to me "Why would I want to live in Atlanta? It's too hot down there!"
I just looked at our temperatures for the next few days. Highs between 88 and 90, with a 40-60% chance of rain. That will be cooler than Vermont, y'all.
Here in Hot-Lanta we have nice weather about 9 months of the year and it's hot 3 months of the year. It rarely snows.
I digressed. Back to my point.
Since I have lived here all my life, I understand how to keep cool when it's super hot outside. I go into Heat Avoidance Mode [HAM] when the temperatures are expected to head over 90.
I think in the north, where a "hot" summer day is 82 degrees, for example, there's the mindset that in the summer you get outside and do activities all day. You might go biking at 2 p.m. You might play soccer at 4 p.m. Here in the South, we don't do that. Whatever outdoor activities we do, we do when it's not the hottest part of the day.
When I am driving somewhere on a hot summer day and I see someone running down the road when it's 90 degrees I just want to stop my car and slap the fool out of that person and go DO YOU WANT TO GO TO THE ER?!? You don't RUN when it's 95 degrees and the humidity is 80%. DANG.
My father used to routinely ignore weather warnings and do things like mow the lawn when it was 90 degrees, in the blazing sun. I have seen him have heat exhaustion more times than I can count. It's scary.
So here are Dee's Rules for Keeping Cool:
- Stay in an air conditioned building between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., if possible. If you have to leave an air conditioned building, go to the pool, or lake, or beach, and get in the water a lot.
- Do not live or work in a building that isn't air conditioned. This is crucial. In the South most buildings have air conditioning and it gets used a lot.
- Take bottled water [or any sort of cool drink except alcohol] everywhere. I never leave the house without a cold bottle of water in my purse. If I am going to be outside, even if it's morning or early evening, I have a bottle of water close by.
- Dress for the weather. Don't wear wool. Don't wear pantyhose. Wear cotton and linen, fabrics that breathe. Try not to wear blazers unless it's a really formal occasion and you have no choice. Wear shorts and tank tops even if you don't have a perfect bod. Nobody cares.
- Make sure your car air conditioner works. Do not rely on rolled down windows.
- Do NOT do any sports outside [except water sports] if it's over 85 degrees. You risk heat stroke, which is a real thing and can lead to death. If you are a runner, it's particularly important not to run during the hottest part of the day, mid to late afternoon.
- Watch the weather report on TV, or check it online, or listen to the radio. Be aware, every day, of how hot it will get during the day, and plan accordingly.
- Don't leave pets or children in the car. Every year, pets and children DIE when left in hot cars.
If you follow my rules, you will have a more pleasant summer and you will probably not wind up in the ER with heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
