Making Tracks
By Kat Bryant
A few months ago in this space, I promised I’d point and laugh at people who thought 80 degrees was too hot.
Never let it be said that I’d be anything less than honest with you. This Arizona girl was busting a gut during last week’s historic Pacific Northwest heat wave.
Yes, I know the Harbor’s never seen anything like it. And yes, the heat can most certainly be dangerous. (More on that later.) But to me, it was still quite pleasant.
So last week, as my local friends posted all over the interwebz that they were “sweltering” or “melting” or “dying,” I lounged on my back porch every evening — cold beverage in hand, breeze in my hair, chickadees on the bird-feeder, dog at my feet — enjoying every moment of it.
Ahhhhh.
In Phoenix, mind you, my AC was always set at 85 for the summer — and that felt fabulously cool, because it was about 30 degrees hotter outdoors. It didn’t even drop much below triple digits overnight, so opening my windows for the evening wasn’t an option. The ceiling fan in my bedroom was my best friend — especially since my fuzzy family members chose to sleep on the cool tile floors rather than my bed during those months!
This summer, I haven’t even turned my air conditioner on — and I probably won’t. I consider it a luxury to be able to open my windows and get a nice cross-breeze in August.
Now, all that being said, I can laugh for two reasons: First, I’m used to far worse; and second, I learned long ago what the dangers are and how to avoid them. That’s not true for many of my friends here.
They may not understand, for example, that cracking the car windows is not enough to protect a child or a pet when it gets like this. In fact, given just a little time in a parked car, the heat can kill them.
They also might not know they should mow their lawns or tackle other major outdoor chores in the cooler morning hours. And keep tabs on elderly friends with no AC. And make sure outdoor pets have extra water and shade. And stay better hydrated themselves.
These things are second nature to me; for my friends here, maybe not so much. So, while I will continue to point and laugh at any whiners (you know who you are!), I will also try to use my knowledge for good.
As a side note, I have to say the smoke from Canada was a nice touch, bringing back memories of the annual summer wildfire season in Arizona. It almost kept me from opening my windows at night.
… Almost.
Kat Bryant is lifestyle editor of The Daily World. Reach her at kbryant@thedailyworld.com or on Facebook at Kat Bryant-DailyWorld.
