Yep. Springfield is smack dab in the middle of that heat wave plaguing the U.S. Alabama can get this hot, but dang, it seems more humid here. I’m no stranger to heat. We moved to the Chicagoland area in 1995, the year 600 people died over a five-day period and the temperature topped out at 106 degrees F. Now, 97 degrees isn’t quite that bad, and this time around, officials have learned a thing or two and precautions are being taken to help the most vulnerable.
I think we’ll hang at the lake this weekend, and I’ll take my first dip in the water despite the old wives’ tales about nests of snakes in the water. I grew up hearing this popular story in Alabama even before the term urban legend was applied to it.
Or maybe I'll try my hand at frying eggs on the pavement as the two women in the photo were attempting. We never seem to get tired of this gimmick, do we?
21 comments:
Our heat wave has passed, and we're back to really cool weather. Funny how I can't remember how extremely hot I was a week ago, when I'm now wrapped in sweaters!
When I was young (you're not going to like this, lol) we swam in Stamp Falls River. One time, a big old snake climbed from the water right up my leg. It wasn't a poisonous Snake, just a critter having a look. But as I looked down into the water, I saw a few Snakes swimming along.
Good thing I wasn't afraid of Snakes. That experience could have given me nightmares, but it didn't.
Oh Marion, I think I would have just about died if that happened to me. I've been swimming in rivers and seen snakes and I got out as quickly as possible. My grandmother used to tell me tales about snakes wrapping themselves into hoops and chasing her, but I never really believed her. The closest encounter I had with a snake was when as a kid I was playing on a barrel which happened to have a rattlesnake underneath it. Let's just say I respect snakes and don't want to get up close and personal again.
You can bet the old sarge would have made it to the happy hunting grounds if a snake crawled up my leg.
We have had great weather here in the North Ga mountains, high around 80, but today the heat and humidity will suck the sap out of you.
You know my choice for replacement Blogger in Chief was just my way to tweak my liberal friends.
Best wishes for your test next week, Miss Bee has a small mass in her breast we are getting that checked on Monday.
Sheila,
It's hot down here, too, and a bug shorted out the capacitor on our HVAC unit, leaving us without cool air for one day and night. We were miserable. I don't know how we used to live without Lennox and Trane. We are so spoiled!
It's so funny to see people frying eggs on rocks and pavement. Are they actually gonna eat 'em? Nooooo! Hahaha!
BFF,
Miss T
Thanks, Sarge. I hope that Miss Bee and you find out the mass is nothing to worry about.
Miss T,
Our AC is working so hard but not keeping up with the heat. The blower motor sounds like a 747 is taking off in the basement. I'm not so foolish as to think I could a repairman out here and will put up with the noise in return for a little coolness. I might have to go jump in those college boys' pool next door if it gets any hotter. That, or take husband up on the invite to the floating man cave this weekend.
If you would, we pay for the postage to have some of those heated waves over hear. We've been experiencing a "green winter" type of summer. We have a few grouchy people over here - and Tim's about figure out a way to lasso a piece of sun down to the locals.
We are back into a 3 digit summer, not unlike back in 2000. Add the worst drought in the US to it, and I'd say it's pretty miserable outside. So far, fingers crossed, our AC is handling it fine, but we leave it on 72 day and night. Normally, when we're going to be gone for awhile, we would turn it up, but not now. The house just can't recover from it if we do.
To make matters worse, we had to cut down three big old trees close to our house. I'm still grieving for them. That means our house is getting the full brunt of the sun for the first time ever. We'll be adding more insulation, I feel sure, after a few of the kinds of electricity bills we will get in the next month or so!
Oh, and I've been swimming in Lake Michigan many, many times as a child. And I never saw a snake.
Tim,
I'd be delighted to swap out a day or two for that Norwegian cool weather, but I don't think I could much tolerate a whole summer of temps as low as what y'all are having. What? You have grouchy people in Norway? Hard to imagine. Stop by again. I missed hearing from you.
DB,
You have the right idea to keep the AC setting constant. We turned our AC off and returned to over 90 degrees when we went out of town recently. As far as paying for the cooling, I'm glad we are in Springfield and not having to pay Alabama Power bills. We have our own local utilities and it's almost a sin how low they are. Well, it helps that we aren't cooling and heating a barn as we did with the old house.
Yes, Sheila, you had a big house! My own is 2,600 square feet and the most recent electric bill was something like $470.00. It will be higher next time.
The previous owner of this house lived here 31 years and kept old appliances, etc. I doubt they ever added any insulation, so that will be first priority after our kitchen is remodeled.
By the way, you remember Betty my dog? She had a bit of difficulty doing a Number Two recently. She didn't realize that she had squatted on a pine cone!
Jay,
I'm sure the lack of insulation contributes to your high electric bills as it did to ours. I got out my last City Utilities bill and here's the breakdown: electric, $83.83; gas, $9.39; water, $12.70; sewer, $13.48 for a grand total of $119.40. And yes, that was for a month. Next one will surely be higher but not like those we had in Bama.
Of course, I remember Betty. She was so cute, I have added Bostons to the breeds I might like to consider if I ever get a new dog. Watch her with those pine cones--I used to have a dog that would try to eat them. Can't imagine squating on one was much fun. Ha.
Meanwhile, back in Alabama, this is copied from today's email from EmergencyEmail.ORG
"TEMPS WILL ONCE AGAIN CLIMB TO WELL ABOVE NORMAL TODAY.
AND WILL LIKELY SET NEW RECORD HIGHS IN MANY LOCATIONS.
TEMPS WILL CLIMB ABOVE 100 DEGREES IN MOST LOCATIONS.
POSSIBLY TOPPING OFF NEAR 105 DEGREES IN SOME LOCATIONS. COMBINED
WITH THE HUMIDITY.HEAT INDICES WILL BE BETWEEN 106 & 114
DEGREES FRI AFTERNOON."
Oh, my Don. That's going to be dangerous. You and Rosemary and Jay stay inside and try to keep cool. I'll be thinking about you. Here in Missouri, we are still up in the upper 90s but the heat warning is cancelled since the humidity is down.
Yep, for the time being we have quit walking at the track, even at 5:00AM!!
DB,
When is there a break? We are going to the lake tomorrow and I fear it's going to be hot if the breeze is missing. I don't ever remember it being 106 in Alabama. We are so spoilt with air conditioning. What did our parents and grandparents do? They probably weren't out running around in the heat trying to carry on as usual like we do.
Now, now, you remember not having AC, don't you??? I sure do! I remember sleeping with the bedroom window just barely cracked open, with the bed right up against it, so the whole house fan could pull in just a little breeze. I even remember sleeping on the front porch as a child.
I remember my mom got a room air conditioner when I was in junior high and it was just one room. We'd sit outside in the evenings to cool off and hang out in the little air conditioned room during the worst heat. We didn't have a front porch and I can't remember sleeping on the back one. Boy, things have changed. I guess it's all what you get used to.
Sheila, copied from today's Montgomery Advertiser:
August 11, 2007
Editorial
Montgomery's Hottest Days
Montgomery's temperature Friday matched the second highest recorded since 1872. The 17 days with the highest recorded temperatures in Montgomery and the dates they occurred were:
HIGH TEMPERATURE€·························DATE
107€·························July 7, 1881
106€·························Aug. 10, 2007
106€·························June 27, 1881
106€·························Sept. 5, 1925
106€·························July 9, 1881
105€·························July 8, 1881
105€·························July 24, 1952
105€·························July 12, 1901
105€·························June 28, 1954
105€·························July 25, 1952
104€·························Aug. 9, 2007
104€·························July 20, 2000
104€·························Aug 24, 1983
104€·························Aug 28, 1954
104€·························Aug 9, 1954
104€·························Sept. 6, 1925
104€·························June 26, 1914
Source: Alabama Office of the State Climatologist
Thanks, Don. Just as I thought. I'd never been in Alabama when it was this hot. In 1952 I made my appearance in Washington, D.C. and my dad didn't move us to Alabama until at least 1955. Then, after I graduated law school, I left again (1979).
It was 102 today here and we foolishly went to the lake for a free barbecue. Not fun. I can't take heat like I used to could.
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