Triple Digit Weather

We have been experiencing triple digit weather this past week.  It gets very hot during the day, and does not cool off below 80°.  Because of that, the day starts off hot and gets hotter as the day progresses.

The problem is compounded by the continuous days of triple digit temperature. The breeze helps, but it is still hot. Basically the heat has a cumulative effect on people, and every day that the triple digits continue, we feel more and more oppressed. 

So, it is time to stay inside as much as possible.  

I did paint the garage door today.  I got up early and bought paint, but then went home and sacked out for a while, so started painting late morning, and finished early afternoon. And, then went inside to cool off and take a cooling shower. 

Haiku and Being Cold

Haiku does not like to be cold.  We have had some very warm weather, and the house has been warm.  I have not turned on the air conditioner. I have just been opening the windows at night, and that cools down the house enough that it does not get too stuffy during the day. There was one day it was stuffy, but I turned on all the ceiling fans and opened the windows, and that took care of it.

I have not shut the heater off, yet, and a couple of nights this past week or so, I shut the windows when the heat turned on. Today, or more like overnight, a cold front blew in. It was grey and drizzly this morning, but by early afternoon, there was some sun, as I left the house to run errands.  I could see the clouds to the north and  west, moving in and it started raining mid-afternoon. It has been windy all day.

Haiku likes to be on the hood of the Vue after I have been driving: she likes the warmth.  And, the dryer is in the garage, so she likes to be in there when the dryer is running. I do not like for her to be in the garage when it is wet, so she was not happy that she could not go into the garage after I returned home.  She could not get settled. When I held her, her ear tips were cold, my clue that she is cold.  I closed the door to the computer room, and turned the space heater on and Haiku settled down almost immediately. 

Lubbock Hit 109° Today!

Lubbock hit a record high temperature for the day of 109° http://www.kcbd.com/story/32395771/lubbock-breaks-heat-record-with-high-of-109-on-thursday.  The highest ever was 114°; I remember that summer and how dry and hot it was.

I sat out to read this morning until about 10 AM.  My back yard has trees on both sides, some in my yard, and some in my neighbors' yards to the East and West.  The morning was cool, with a breeze, and only started warming up about 10 AM (low 80s).  I could have stayed out longer, but had projects  I really wanted to work on inside. So, I moved inside.

About 7 PM, I hauled some trash out to the dumpster.  It was still very hot, and the air was still, so even the shade did not offer much relief.  No storms so far in the area. The local weather people said the humidity was down, which partly accounts for the high temperature.  And, the official readings come from the Lubbock International Airport http://www.ifly.com/lubbock-international-airport.  So, even though the National Weather Service http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Lubbock&state=TX&site=LUB&textField1=33.5759&textField2=-101.875&e=0#.V38IkI-cFkQ offices are in south Lubbock, the readings come from the airport.  And readings off the tarmac can be affected by the tarmac. 

But do I doubt it was very, very hot today in Lubbock?  No, I do not!

Haiku in the Garage

Haiku likes to be in the garage when it is warmer than the house.  Even in the summer. She likes to be in the garage when it is warm, and the engine on the Vue is warm, and she can lay on the hood of the vehicle.  She likes to be in the garage when the clothes dryer, which is in the garage, is running and spews humid heat into the garage. It is like her sauna.

Haiku also likes to get on the top shelves in the garage, and stay on them for long periods of time.  So if I am needing to use the vehicle or go in and out of the garage from the overhead garage door, I have to prohibit her from going into the garage. Because once she gets on a high shelf, she does not come down on command.

I am in for the night. The garage is warmer than the house. The Vue hood was warm, and the clothes dryer is in operation.  Haiku is in the garage.

Rain Would Be Nice

Earlier this year, we had lots of rain.  So much so, that the water table was full, and the ground was saturated, and when it rained, there was no place for the water to go.

It has stopped raining, and the heat has arrived, late this year, but hot.  We have some cooler days, and chances of rain are sometimes at 20% or 30%.  But what that really means is that for our extended South Plains area, there is a 20-30% chance any one area will get rain.

There was a heavy storm southwest of Lubbock last night, near Brownfield, with possible street flooding.  The clouds were heavy to the northwest, but no rain in Lubbock.

When I drove to work this morning, there were sprinkles.  I walked from the parking lot to the Unit in the sprinkles.  I got wet, but dried off almost as fast as the sprinkles wet me down.  

We still have those sporadic chances of rain.

If we do not get it, I need to water the trees.

The Heat

This is highly unusual, but Lubbock, Texas reached its first 100° day of the year on 8/6/15, that last 100° day being last September.  We have had a lot of rain this year so far, and the temperatures have been warm but not so oppressively so until the last three weeks.  So, the temperature has flirted with the 100° mark, but not made it until yesterday.  It happened again today, and probably will for some days to come.  There is no rain in sight.

We have been fortunate regarding the rain and the lack of oppressive heat. We live in semi-arid territory, in semi-desert, so what can we expect.  I am grateful for the respite we have had.

I can still get an evening walk in, if not every day, than every other day, braving the heat as it starts to cool down, after 7:30 PM, when the neighborhood is in the shade and the breeze helps to cool things off.  Even so, the pavement is hot on the feet.

It is West Texas.  It is summer.  It is to be expected.

Cooling Off

We have had some interesting weather patterns lately, including flooding rains, large hail, wind, cool nights and warm days.  Today, as it has recently, the house has warmed to the high 70s.  But already, tonight, the air is outside is at the low 70s.

This is good. I have the air conditioner on, and about 10 PM, it comes on  for the first time of the day.  And about 10:30 PM, the night air is cool enough to open the windows.  Depending how cold it gets overnight, the house cools off to the mid 70s or even the high 60s by morning.

This is good. Because the days are not that hot, I am not running the air conditioner all day, even though I leave it on in case things get super-heated while I am at work.

What The Heck

I have been thinking about getting a heated massage pad for some time.  Tonight, as I was doing some shopping, I saw one for $20.  I decided, what the heck.  I am not sure how much it will help me, but it certainly feels good and will not hurt. I am not thrilled that the heat is not as intense as I would like.  But the massage is really good.

Getting Comfortable

I keep my house warm in the summer and cool in the winter. If I get uncomfortable, I kick in the air conditioner or turn on the central heat. I also use space heaters, depending what I am doing and where I am in the house. And, I have ceiling fans in every room of my house. The moving air really makes a big difference.

I turned the heater on for the first time last weekend.  It was cool enough, and I wanted to be sure it was working correctly. It was not.  Somehow, I had a hold on a day time temperature that kicked the heater to 79°.  Well, in the summer time, this was okay, but in the cooler time of the year, this was oppressive to me.

I use a heat lamp in the bathroom when I am taking a shower and getting ready for the world, in the morning.

Tonight, I was working in the computer room, and the temperature was cool, but not bad. The furnace came on a couple of times.  But Haiku was not happy.  So, I turned on the space heater, and she almost immediately snuggled into the chair near the computer desk.

I appreciate that, but I will not leave the space heater on all night.  She can snuggle in bed with me, or find other places where I have covers under which she can snuggle.  The house may be cool, but not cold and not unsafe.

I like to wear layers of clothing for warmth.  It is comforting to me.  But I also do not want to be uncomfortable throughout the house.  It is a balancing act, and one I am able to adjust to as needed.

Hydration

I have thought to write about this before, but honestly it is one of those things that I think I have done, but cannot find evidence that I have done.  If this is a duplication, then please forgive me, especially if I expressed myself better in a previous blog.

Lubbock, Texas is considered a semi-arid region, but when the temperature climbs into the 90's and 100's, who are we kidding: this is the desert, especially in the years when the rains are below 15", our "average rainfall," which happens quite frequently. Of course, I have lived in Lubbock since 1977, and in the early years, the emphasis on human hydration was minimal, but has especially increased in the last 10 or so years.  As we learn more and more about bodily functions, we learn more and more about the need for hydration.  However, in the nutrition classes I attended in college in the early 1970's, and perhaps, even in junior high and high school, we knew to drink at least 8  8 oz glasses of water a day, minimally. That has been a standard for quite some time.

A few years ago, I visited family in Phoenix, Arizona in June or July.  I was impressed that in the downtown area, around commercial buildings where pedestrians are expected, they had "hog misters" or hoses that misted the area to help keep pedestrians cool. 

The first time I had experienced "hog misters" in a commercial setting was when I was married to Lisenby, and we made a trip to San Antonio.  We went to "El Mercado" and the area was repleat with "hog misters."  Of course, as with Phoenix, it was so hot that by the time you walked away from the areas affected by the misters, you were neither cool nor damp.

The other things about hydration in Phoenix that impressed me included that there were street vendors lined up along the pedestrian ways, selling ice cold bottled water, at reasonable prices. We went to an Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game at Chase Field http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/ari/ballpark/index.jsp, and  there were all sorts of ice water vendors.

Additionally, we went wandering throught the malls or stores or whatever they call them in Phoenix, downtown, and even the high dollar gift, accessory and clothing stores had small refrigerators near the cash registers. They sold cold drinks, predominately water, but sodas as well. A store of that ilk in Lubbock would have a large, unfriendly sign on the door that said "No food or drink."  I did not see that in Phoenix. It may exist, but I did not see that. Human safety prevailed over merchandise security, I hope.

This reflects the awareness of the importance of hydration of humans in the desert.  Accomodations such as air conditioning make desert living possible. What is so sad is that in the north and east, so many poor people do not have air conditioning, and surviving a heat waves is not possible.

Partly, that is due to their not knowing how to survive in the heat: increased fluids, moving air, ice buckets in front of fans, decreased activity, and seeking air conditioned buildings when their homes are not air conditioned.  But it is also in part due to their bodies not being acclimated to the heat. How can they be? This takes time and patience.

It is also due to their not having the resources to install air conditioning, or to seek an air conditioned venue, including because the heat has so weakened the person, they cannot reach out for help.

But ultimately, I believe hydratrion is the key.  I think humans need to consume at least 64 oz.of water a day, more if the temperatures are in the 90s and 100s, and more if they are working physically in heat of 80° or more.

They need to pace themselves, take plenty of breaks that include fluid consumption, and watch for signs of heat stress, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.  I think the reason these are not endemic problems in Phoenix compared to Chicago, is not because the poor in Phoenix necessarily have air conditioning (they may or may not) but because they understand how to survive the desert heat.

Ultimately, utimately, hydration is so important.  Seek shade. Seek moving air. And hydrate.

Endura Cool Instant Cooling Towel

For years, when I have worked in the heat, I have used a wet towel around my neck to help keep me cool, and to help cool off my face.  I have also used a wet bandanna on my head, to help keep me cool.

I saw the advertisement for Endura Cool Instant Cooling Towel http://www.missionathletecare.com/products/enduracool-instant-cooling-towel-large and decided to splurge.  Well, the jury is still out.  I have had this towel now for about a month. I do use it when I am working outside.  The directions says it will stay cool for up to 2 hours, if you snap it when it starts to get warm.  But, it has to stay wet.  Well, the reality is that if frequently dries out well before the 2 hours. Is it better than a towel? Yes.  And when I move inside and am still trying to cool down, it still works if it is damp. Is it worth $15 dollars.  That is why the jury is out. But, since I own it, I will definitely use it.

It's Hot Outside

It is hot outside.  We have had 100° plus weather the last few days. It makes it hot outside and inside.  I dropped down the thermostat temperature inside of the house because 80° just was not comfortable. Last night, at dark, I went out and watered the vines, trees, bushes, vinca and etc.  You would not know it today, when I was in the back yard, everything looked droopy.  I know from experience I do not need to water every day, but every other day in this heat will keep the plants healthy.

I like living in Lubbock, but I do not like the 100° plus temperatures.

Chilé Limón

I like spicy hot food.  To an extent.  When I was growing up in New England, I thought Italian spaghetti sauce was too spicy hot, and I did not like it.  But, in 1977, I moved to Texas and was introduced to Tex-Mex food, and I found that I liked it, and that I liked jalapeños if they were not too hot. Over the years, I have developed a taste for spicy hot food, be it Mexican or Oriental.  I even find myself having "withdrawal symptoms" if I do not have spicy foods for some time.

Last weekend, when I went grocery shopping, I found some Chilé Limón chips from Herdez http://www.herdeztraditions.com/.   I bought a bag, and some queso cheese http://www.ricos.com/.  I have purchased the queso before, but not the chips.  I like hot but these chips are much hotter than I enjoy.  I eat very few before I find my mouth is burning hotter than I prefer. When I eat them with queso, I find that even though I slather them with queso, the queso does not quell the heat of the chips.

I will not buy these chips again.  On the other hand, I am eating very few chips at a time, which is good for my diet.

Safety Features

I have had a space heater, and decided that I needed two for the house.  The one I had has a feature that if it is tipped over, it will after a while, shut off.  The new space heater I purchased today also has the same feature. But it is very sensitive.  If it is at all moved from an upright position, it stops. So even adjusting it in the room stops it, sometimes, because the unit is tilted.

That is an excellent safety feature. I much rather have that inconvenience than the inconvenience of a house fire.

Cold Blowing In

I thought I paid attention to the weather this morning.  I thought it was going to warm up some and not be too bitter today.  I left work about 5:45 PM and the wind was blowing in from the north. Well, I had been outside around midday, and the wind was blowing in briskly from the north.  But at 5:45 PM, there was  a real chill in the air.  I do not know what the wind chill factor was, but it felt very cold outside.  The Weather Channel www.weather.com/ says it feels like 33° at 8:50 PM.  I thought it felt like that when I left work at.  It was almost dark when I left work, and maybe things have not cooled off that much more since then.  But, it is definitely cold tonight.

The wind howled when I was in the back yard after work tonight. That howl always makes me think it is a warning regarding how bitter, how dangerous, how menacing, the wind could be. It almost makes the wind feel colder.

My house is comfortable.  It is strange.  When it is really, really hot, the inside of the house is comfortable at 80°.  Bumping the temperature down 2 degrees makes it cool.  When the temperature outside is below 40°, the house is very comfortable at 70°.  But when the ambient temperature is between about 40° and 80°, it seems the house is either not cool enough, or not warm enough. 

I understand this phenomenon.  Because the outside temperature is middling, the heating and cooling elements are not stressed or forced to provide enough moderating influence. 

So, tonight, I will be warm.  I will be grateful, as there are people in our country, due to homelessness, poverty or disaster, who will not be warm tonight.  God bless them.

Checking the Heater

The last few days have been cool, and yesterday was not very warm.  The house cooled off into the mid 60's.  I have the programmable thermostat set at 65° for the days, and for sleeping, and 69° for the evenings and early morning.  Often, on weekends, I pump it up.  Haiku likes it warmer, and will spend a lot of time sitting on me when the house cools off, as she did this weekend.

Yesterday, the house was not uncomfortable, but may have become so as time passed. However, I did turn the heater on.  Mostly, I wanted to be able to be present the first time it worked this year.  It smelled like burning dust, which it always does when I first turn it on (I have not had the ducts cleaned.) Sake was up and concerned, sniffing.  She checked out the kitchen, which is where a lot of the burn smells come from (I am sometimes distracted while cooking, and burn stuff.)

The heater appeared to be in good working order, for which I am glad.  If it needed work, now is the time to call, before the weather gets freezing cold and the house is uncomfortable without the heater.

Hot!

It's summer in Texas.  And it is hot.  As my favorite local radio sports talk show host says, this is what happens in Texas this time of year.  Why do people act surprised?

I have not been opening the windows before I go to bed, lately, because it has been too hot, and I did not need to let the hot air in.

This morning, I awoke about 3:40 AM and could not go back to sleep. I checked the temperature and it was 77°.  I opened the bedroom windows, but it did not help much.  The air was too still, and too humid. The bedroom became passing cool, but not the rest of the house.   However, the low this morning was 73°, and I left the house open, and was able to enjoy the cool morning air in my back yard.

For a while.

By about 9:30 AM, it was too hot to sit outside, and too hot to have the windows open. This has been the case recently.  The house just does not cool off much overnight due to the heat. The A/C bill is high, but I deserve the comfort.

 This afternoon, a storm blew in. There were very few big drops of rain, but some thunder and lightning, and wind. For a while. The clouds stayed, so the temperature stayed below 100°.  But it was still HOT.

I went to the brass band concert to night, and for the first hour or so, the air was dead still. Then the breeze picked up. And the temperature dropped. At almost 10:30 PM. the temperature was 78°.  It is not cooling the inside of the house yet, but I have some of the windows open to get some cross breezes and try to cool the inside off.  It will take a while. But hopefully, the house will cool off tonight.

Capsaicin

I like analgesic creams and rubs that soothe muscle and joint pain when rubbed on the body. I like the menthol or eucalyptus smell, and I like the heat generated by the rub.  I have also discovered rubs that have capsaicin as the active ingredient.  I like the way these rubs work, too. Capsaicin is the chemical that produces heat in hot peppers.

Years ago, I bought a box of Capzasin patches for my back, and brought them to work, to use if I had back pain at work. The patches were thin, and did not smell of menthol, so were suitable for the work setting. I can not longer bring patches in like that, but I can wear one into work, if I wake up with back pain.

I have looked, for years for more patches by Capzasin, but could not find them. I have used various types of back patches:  I used to use ThermaCare, but while the patches work, they are held on the back with a cumbersome belt, and the patches themselves are a little bulky.  I used IcyHot, and like the patches: they are thin, use an adhesive to hold the patch in place, but have a menthol or eucalyptus odor.  I dislike pulling the patch off, but if I time it right, I leave the patch on until I take a shower, and let the water remove the adhesive.

I have tried the Tylenol Precise patches. They are okay, but I prefer the IcyHot patches.  Just recently, I was in the market to purchase back patches.  If I have a coupon, I use it.  But, I did not have a coupon when I was going to buy patches.  I saw Capsaicin patches, sold in individual pouches for $.97 per patch, which is less expensive that if they are sold for $5 in a box of 4. And, other brands are even more expensive than that. So, I purchased a couple to try them out.  These patches are attached by adhesive.  They have no odor, and are thin.

When I used the Capsaicin patch the first time,  the relief was immediate. Not only that, but the relief continued after I removed the patch, even after I took a shower.  I  am sold!

When I am just sitting, at the computer, reading, or watching TV, I use a heating pad. But, I do not use a heating pad if I have a heat patch on my back.   The heating pad helps, but it is not as portable as the heat patch.  I have discovered if I am going to do serious work that might hurt my back, a dose of medication and a heat patch makes the work much more tolerable.  This has been a blessing, as I enjoy doing yard work, but my back becomes sore very easily these days.  This has been a good discovery.

A Beautiful Day

It was an amazingly gorgeous day, as far as the weather goes, in Lubbock, Texas.  I had planned to spend my day watching the Daytona 500, but it rained in Daytona, and the race was postponed.  Long before the race was officially postponed, and it was just in a rain delay, I ventured outside and discovered how pretty a day it was. 

I was going to just sit outside and read, but I could not resist getting some yard work done, and as you may guess, way leads on to way, and I did get several pieces of yard work done.  And still had time to sit outside and read.

I opened up the house, and the wonderful warm air outside warmed the house comfortably, for which I am a thankful.

This is why I live in West Texas.

Sympathic Cold, But No Power Outage

It was cold enough last night for the furnace in my house to turn on last night. I am thankful for that, and I have a very warm bed in which to sleep.

The sun is bright today, the air temperature was never below freezing this morning, and has mightily warmed up, to 58 °.  However, there was a very early, large snow storm in my childhood home area. In addition to the snow, there are wide spread power outages, and some of my family have informed me they are safe but without power (cell phones, ipads, etc.)  I am experiencing sympathetic cold.  The sun is brilliant in my back yard. The winds are from the north, so my back yard is protected from its full force. I will be able to enjoy my back yard today.

Currently, though, I am feeling chilled and have the space heater helping me to stay warm.