HotHotHot

[OakLeaf]

Yeah, we just turned ours on for the first time since 2007, too. And it SMELLS AWFUL. But it was too hot to get off the couch and I was ruining the couch with my sweat - ran out of towels to keep it from soaking through!

[tulip]

My mother lives in the mountains and rarely runs her AC. But the HVAC people who service her system said that it's important to run it every once in a while. Maybe that's why your smells bad, Oakleaf. It's been 3 years...

[OakLeaf]

Naw, I think it's just the old air in the ductwork, sitting around getting musty since the last time we had the heat on. It's not an electrical or oily smell, just a closed-up-mouse-infested-house smell.

[Zen]

My mother lives in the mountains and rarely runs her AC.

I live in the hills and don't even have AC.
But I am on the lower floor of my house so it's sort of like being in the basement.

[sfa]

I went for a run at 3:30 today. I didn't intend to go for a run outside--I was planning to use the treadmill at the gym because of the heat, but the power in the gym went off as I was getting changed, so I switched plans and went outside. It was pretty hot (NWS reported 105 at the time I was running) so I took it easy and drank a lot of water, and ultimately it really wasn't that bad. Hot, but because it's so dry it was bearable. I just sweated a lot, which is what you're supposed to do.

I was very, very happy to get back in the A/C, though.

[divingbiker]

I'm sorry, but I don't go to work every day just to come home and suffer in a 90 degree house. I love my air conditioning and will gladly pay the electric bill.

[Selkie]

I'm sorry, but I don't go to work every day just to come home and suffer in a 90 degree house. I love my air conditioning and will gladly pay the electric bill.

Same here. My dad (the Original Miser) refused to get A/C until after my siblings & I grew up and moved out of the house. Pittsburgh summers can get hot/humid, and my dad was so cheap that he wouldn't let us even run fans at night (he claimed it might set the house on fire, but he was too worried about the extra few $$ it might cost--the man was an engineer at IBM, so we weren't exactly destitute!! ).

Anyway, that's probably why I gladly pay to run the A/C---too many summers spent sweltering. In addition, we have three big furry dogs---don't want them to suffer. Because our house was built in 1940, there's no insulation in the walls. The new windows we got this spring have made a HUGE difference, however, in keeping the cool air in and the hot air out.

Running ceiling fans helps, as does keeping the blinds shut.

DH and I went for a walk around noon. When the sun was behind clouds, it wasn't that bad, but being in the sun was brutal. Back to work tomorrow, unfortunately. I have packed a sweater because my office will be like a meat locker.

[Cataboo]

Same here. My dad (the Original Miser) refused to get A/C until after my siblings & I grew up and moved out of the house. Pittsburgh summers can get hot/humid, and my dad was so cheap that he wouldn't let us even run fans at night (he claimed it might set the house on fire, but he was too worried about the extra few $$ it might cost--the man was an engineer at IBM, so we weren't exactly destitute!! ).

Running ceiling fans helps, as does keeping the blinds shut.

DH and I went for a walk around noon. When the sun was behind clouds, it wasn't that bad, but being in the sun was brutal. Back to work tomorrow, unfortunately. I have packed a sweater because my office will be like a meat locker.

I couldn't survive without fans - that moving air thing. I get car sick if don't have air blowing at my face, so often I'm driving around in the winter with the seat heater on, the heat blowing on my feet and my windows open.

We had window air units when I was young - at certain temps we were allowed to use them - otherwise it was the hang out in the basement (where my bedroom was anyways) or close the blinds & use fans. Fans really don't use that much electricity, I think - at least I use them constantly!

My brother tells this funny story about how when we were young and we used to go visit some family friends who lived in a double wide trailer in Alabama - that he always thought they were rich, 'cause they used their air conditioning constantly - which we weren't allowed to do 'cause of the expense.

My other brother just emailed to tell me that even his chihuahua wants air conditioning today - typically when he puts the AC on, his dog goes out to the un-airconditioned sunroom and sits under one of the skylights to stay warm or wants to stay outside. The dog hates AC.

[Possegal]

Same here. My dad (the Original Miser) refused to get A/C until after my siblings & I grew up and moved out of the house. Pittsburgh summers can get hot/humid, and my dad was so cheap that he wouldn't let us even run fans at night (he claimed it might set the house on fire, but he was too worried about the extra few $$ it might cost--the man was an engineer at IBM, so we weren't exactly destitute!! ).

Oh my, are we related? Raised in the burgh, house really did keep us a bit cooler than any other place I've ever lived - thank heaven for those old brick houses. We never had AC and my father "didn't believe in fans", which I really never quite understood. Good lordy some of those hazy/hot/humid days could be unbearable!

[Zen]

I just can't get used to this heat. i also think I'm getting dehydrated which is why I feel so sluggish.
i rode my bike to do errands in town today. At the service counter of a city office I stood fanning myself. I must have looked truly miserable; the lady who was assisting me turned her personal fan around so i could cool off

[Cataboo]

Here I was thinking it was awfully nice that it cooled down today - drink more water.

[Zen]

Powerade

[Selkie]

I just can't get used to this heat. i also think I'm getting dehydrated which is why I feel so sluggish.
i rode my bike to do errands in town today. At the service counter of a city office I stood fanning myself. I must have looked truly miserable; the lady who was assisting me turned her personal fan around so i could cool off

It was pretty humid yesterday, so it's no surprise that you had the vapors, Zen. I noticed that it's been hotter up in your town than it has in DC and Arlington.

Rain today. Very temporary relief. At least it's supposed to cut the humidity but temps tomorrow are going back up to 90.

[Cataboo]

A friend is visiting from the mountains of Idaho - last week I took her up Maryland Heights, the short hike that overlooks Harper's Ferry. I only had 3 liters of water in my pack, figuring you know - it's a 5 mile hike, that's more than enough for 2 people - but I stopped drinking myself after I saw how much she was sweating:



She's still asking how we breath and live in this humidity.

i did take her to the river to cool off afterwards:

[Selkie]

Nice photos, Cat. This has been one hot/humid summer. If I'm not mistaken, we're going to be very close to 100 on Friday (heat index has already been above that).