On heat and other conditions of summer!!

We do not have whole house a/c - we never have. I used to think that someday we would - but it's expensive to put in, we actually need to re-pitch our roof in back to make a whole-house system efficient, and frankly I'm usually not miserable, so I don't think about it much.

I certainly didn't grow up with a/c - we thought a fan was a luxury! Stores didn't have it - nor did the church buildings - or schools. (I might object if my classroom wasn't air-conditioned!!)

Like little Harry as a toddler, we ran around in abbreviated clothing when I was a little kid. Everyone did. I think that made it much more bearable - everyone kind of slowed down their pace to accommodate the heat.

The summers when I was pregnant - and there were 4 of them - seemed pretty miserable - and I complained a lot and suggested we get a/c. My pleas fell on pretty deaf ears. We can keep our house very pleasant with window units, fans and our whole house fan at night. But it doesn't stay pleasant if little kids are running in and out. Dawn spent a pregnant summer here - and she can vouch for it!

When we moved here, we used Grandma's pool a lot!! I started wishing for a swimming pool. Grandma T. never had a/c - she'd dive in the pool at night before going to bed, swim a few laps and get her body temp down. Then she'd go to bed with a fan going - and sleep beautifully through the night. I think she's always tolerated heat well. My dad did too.

Of course, the beach is a great option for beating the heat. I don't think we went all that often when I was a kid - but when we did go, it was a major treat. After we moved here, we would go to Santa Monica Beach every Thursday - often Damond came with us. We'd take a jar of peanut butter, a jar of jam, a loaf of bread and a jug of water. We were fine.

I've been swimming in the mornings this summer - either at Seeley's or at Karan Davies. It's for my knees. And then I pretty much stay in the house. Lying on the couch with ice on my knees is very pleasant. I sit in my laundry/computer/sewing room with an oscillating fan and I'm good to go.

Just thinking about how life goes around in circles.