May 31, 2006

Hot Weather Meme

A meme inspired by an unseasonably hot day yesterday. It's my meme so I get to make the rules, which means that there are no rules. Change the questions, add questions, do whatever the hell you want. It's so damned hot here that I won't care.

How do you cope with hot weather? I don't. On hot humid days in the summer, I just lie on the floor and whine.

When does the heat make you most crazy? My car does not have air conditioning, and on hot days, when I am at a traffic light in the city, and the sun is beating down through the windshield, and heat is radiating off the melting pavement, and the kids are complaining about the heat, and the light is STILL RED, I come close to losing my mind.

Your favorite hot weather music? I don't know why, but it seems like summer nights when I stay up late and it's too damned hot to sleep, and the house is dark and quiet, and I am feeling sad, Joni Mitchell’s CD Blue is the one that I listen to.

Where do you go to get air conditioning? The movies. My husband and I see a lot of movies on hot summer nights. I will see any kind of movie just to sit in a nice cool theater and eat popcorn and drink lemonade.

Your favorite place to sleep in hot weather? A tent. Unless I am in a place like Arizona where there are no bugs, and then I will would prefer to sleep under the night sky without a tent.

Your favorite hot weather food? Watermelon that has been chilling in river water, cut into slices for a picnic lunch on an island.

Your favorite people to visit in the hot weather? Well, on hot summer afternoons, we head over to the house where Neighbor Guy, Neighbor Woman, Older Neighbor Boy, Philosophical Boy, and Neighbor Girl live. They have a pool.

Your favorite way to wear your hair in the hot weather? I have lots of long hair – it's never been short – and I’ve never been one to tie it back or put it up. Instead, what I do it stick my head under the faucet every hour or so to get my hair wet. A whole head of long wet hair does wonders to keep me cool.

Your favorite hot weather drink? Lemonade. With lots of ice cubes. And a bowl of popcorn.

Your hot weather story? Seven years ago, we needed a place to live for the summerwhile our house was being built. So we lived in the upstairs of Neighbor Family’s house, which was pretty small and crowded. My husband and I shared a twin bed while the four kids slept on the floor. It was one of the hottest summers on record, and the upstairs apartment got so hot that when we finally moved at the end of August and I went to pack the bucket of crayons, they had all melted together into this weird wax sculpture. Despite the heat and cramped living space, we had a great summer because we just spent most of it camping – or in the backyard pool.

Is hot weather good for anything? Sure. Swimming. Sailing. Canoeing. White water rafting. Hiking on trails that include waterfalls. And hot humid weather is terrific for massage because the muscles will be all loose and relaxed. Hot weather sex has a special quality to it because of the relaxed muscles, the slow pace, the sweat mixing with massage oil ....

7 comments:

landismom said...

Wow, no air conditioning in the car? Ouch. I don't mind living without air in the house, but the baking hot car drives me mad in about ten seconds on a hot summer day.

Good idea on the hair--I used to do that before I cut all mine off.

Seeking Solace said...

I listen to Blue when I am sad too!

Flavia said...

Blue is ABSOLUTELY languid summertime music. But then, it's languid anytime music. I hardly need to take the CD out of the changer, ever.

timna said...

I don't mind hot weather at all ---- in the desert. here? I think I would not be very nice without air conditioning.

Anonymous said...

I HATE to be hot.

So perimenopause is such a hoot. I cannot do the languid slo-mo heat thing. I get cranky and whiny. So move over on the floor there and, whatever you do, don't touch me! I'm hot!

Pink Cupcake said...

I love what you do with your hair to keep cool, I'm going to have to try that. I don't cope well with the heat either, but watermelon and lemonade definitely helps... :)

susan said...

Thanks to this post, I stuck my head under the faucet mid-afternoon today, and it made all the difference! What a great idea.