Wednesday, July 6, 2005

Summer Survival



Tuesday, about 12:45 PM

As you have probably figured out by now, summer in Tucson is not pleasant, except maybe during a monsoon thunderstorm if you're safely inside with no plans to go anywhere. I've already ranted about this several times, but tonight, on the occasion of the Round Robin Photo Challenge, theme "Summer," I'm going to show you what the Blocher family does to cope with this time of year.

 1.  Air conditioning: 

The bedroom A/C, abetted by vintage curtains and Rat Fink. My office air conditioner wouldn't be cool evenough even if the printer weren't in the way.
Our central air conditioning broke down years ago and hasn't been replaced, and one of our room A/C units is waiting for us to call someone in to wire it up and get it going.  But we do have a semi-decent air conditioner in the bedroom, and a mildly inadequate one in my office, right behind my $50 printer.









2.  Cold and wet: 

Stay hydrated!
Soda, water and sugar-free popsicles are in heavy rotation in this house in the summer.  John currently favors club soda for some reason.

3.  Get outta town!

Mount Lemmon is cooler, but you're part of a crowd driving up there.
It's not easy for us to get away, but there is one place I can get to easily that's much cooler than Tucson: up Mount Lemmon.  There's a reason the town at the top is called Summerhaven!  Unfortunately, when it's hot, and especially on holiday weekends, driving up Mount Lemmon is something everybody does.  Also, Windy Point is still down to one lane with a nine minute traffic light cycle.  That didn't stop someone from falling to her death near Windy Point this weekend.  I have a number of pictures to post about Mount Lemmon, and more things to say, so I'll continue that discussion tomorrow night.

4. Tuffy's techniques!

Tuffy didn't understand that I wanted her to pose for the camera, taking up her usual position on the cool tiles of the bathroom just off the air conditioned bathroom.  She treasures freedom a little more than coolness, so she doesn't like to be shut in the bedroom, especially if we're not in there.  So far, I've been unable to explain to her that the room doesn't stay cool unless the door is closed.

Tuffy was here--cooling her feet!
There is something else she does in hot weather that I can show you; or,  at least, its aftermath.  See the wet spot?  This comes from Tuffy standing in her water dish. Sometimes she actually tips it over, creating a nice cool wet spot on the floor about three feet across.  No wonder our kitchen floor tends to be dirty!


Karen


Now check out the updated list of other Round Robin entries this week, which were to be posted between the midnights on Wednesday, July 6th:

Round Robin Challenges... http://journals.aol.com/ondinemonet/RoundRobinChallenges

1. Betty...My Day My Interests   http://journals.aol.com/rap4143/MyDayMyInterests/
Posted!

2. Karen...Musings from Mâvarin    http://journals.aol.com/mavarin/MusingsfromMavarin
Follow-up Posted!

3. Carly...Ellipsis   http://journals.aol.com/ondinemonet/Ellipsis
Posted!

4. Duane...sotto voce   http://journals.aol.com/fdtate714/sottovoce/
Posted!

5. Alan...F-Stop   http://journals.aol.com/botdotdotdot/F-Stop
Posted!

6. Steven...(sometimes) photoblog   http://journals.aol.com/sepintx/sometimesphotoblog
Posted!

7. Amy...Substance; or lack of   http://journals.aol.com/babyshark28/substanceorlackof
Posted!

8. Celeste...My Day And Thoughts   http://journals.aol.com/csandhollow/Mydayandthoughts/
Posted!

9. Patrick...A Stop At Willoughby   http://astopatwilloughby.blogspot.com
Posted!

10. Trish...A Journey To Peace   http://journals.aol.com/freeepeace/LivingroomSuperstar/
Posted!

11. Mary...Alphawoman's Blog   http://journals.aol.com/alphawoman1/Alphawomansblog
Posted!

12.Robbie...Robbie's Ruminations   http://journals.aol.com/krobbie67/RobbiesRantsRaves

13. Sassy...Sassy's EYE   http://journals.aol.com/sassydee50/SassysEYE
Posted!

14. Marie...The Little Things   http://journals.aol.com/gotomaria/TheLittleThings/

15. Aunt Nub (Liz)...Aunt Nub's Empty Head   http://journals.aol.com/montaukny/AuntNubsEmptyHead
Posted!

16. Derek...Picture of the Day   http://journals.aol.com/deveil/PictureoftheDay
Posted!

17. Kimberleigh...Life as I live It   http://journals.aol.com/demandnlilchit/LifeasIliveit/
Posted

18. Kat...From Every Angle   http://journals.aol.com/mskatdabrat/FromEveryAngle
Posted!

19. Midlife Matters...   http://journals.aol.com/oceanmrc/MidlifeMatters/
Posted!

20. Monica....Mamarazzi   http://journals.aol.com/photographybymon/Mamarazzi/
Posted!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi :)

There you go again, making me hungry for a popsickle! LOL. 116? There is NO WAY I could live there. I have a sweater on tonight! :) Great entry!

Always, Carly :)

Anonymous said...

Aww! I missed the challenge for this week. Ah well. I'll catch the next go round.

Anonymous said...

116!!!!!!!!  Wow!
V

Anonymous said...

Couldn't even imagine how hot 116 degrees feels.......if it's anything like a hot flash, I'd be booking a flight to Antartica by now! lol

http://journals.aol.com/demandnlilchit/LifeasIliveit/entries/1036

Anonymous said...

I am not one for heat, though I have lived in and visited some very hot spots across the states,  I much prefer the mild temp. of Washington any day. :D
Great little story of how you deal with the heat :)

Anonymous said...

Geez o mighty I would NEVER survive that!  The heat and humidity make me just wanna STING somebody!  I would be my own swarm!   C.
http://journals.aol.com/gdireneoe/thedailies

Anonymous said...

116?!?!?!  Boy, if that ain't summer I don't know what is!

~Aunt Nub~

Anonymous said...

Karen~Great entry; I like those pics that tell a story! Air conditioning is high on my list as I adjust to the humidity of PA! Stay tuned for stories of my baaaaaad kitty, Dustin. He likes to stretch out on the linoleum floor in the kitchen when he's in a mellow mood (not often) >"< Sassy (PS. I almost croaked in the airport in Phoenix in May!)

http://journals.aol.com/debbted/SassysSecondWord

Anonymous said...

LOL...We'd never SURVIVE summer without that air conditioning.

Anonymous said...

Time to leave town! That is way to hot!
Celeste

Anonymous said...

116º Yikes! That is summer :-)

Anonymous said...

Karen, I'm extending you an invite to our area :) You need to take a dip in our lakes!!! Wonderful interruption of summer!!!
Betty

Anonymous said...

Now that's some kinda hot.  That first pic says it all.  I'm thinking bags of ice in the bathtub!