July 06, 2005
Summertime
Springtime Gazebo the gardens of the Crescent Hotel Eureka Springs Arkansas
"You understand that its very hot and humid there in both Texas and Arkansas?
"The weather is obnoxious, it rains all the time and is horribly hot and humid, to downright nasty... In the winter you will freeze you butt off."These and many other such comments were made to us as we looked at where we were going to move. I knew that as far as climate was concerned we have always lived in the best places in the nation if not the world for climate, LA or Hawaii.
Hawaii is hot and humid too. It rains everyday and when the sun comes out and hits the wet ground its so hot fog is created. When it rains in Kona or in Puna on the Big Island at mid day after the sun has been out steam rises from the asphalt...so how much worse could it be?
A lot worse. Woody and I were sitting is a resturant in Rodgers, having supper at 7pm and it said on the outside thermometer 99 degrees. The winds were picking up and we had one whopper of a thunder storm later on last night, wasnt the usual morning wake up call you get here, but an attention getting one.
It is said that we are in a drought here I found it hard to believe with the rain and the reletivfe greeness of the place, but Im told we didnt get enough rain this past winter and the thunderstorms dont generate enough water consistantly to make up for the shortfall, learning new things all of the time.
But the pounding heat is new, I thought that after enduring the 38 years of LA's smoggy Santa Anna heat that I could cope. This heat here is so bad at 90 that God help you if you dont have AC or a cooler spot to just sleep in . Gives me headaches just walking in it, and poor Woody is comming home from the car lot so sweaty that the dye on his belts is bleeding off and he tells me that hes drinking two gallons of water and not going to the can, sweating it out. Fortunatly the guys at this place all watch out for each other and have been keeping the big guy inside except for a few ups at mid day... a hat is a must, though I have never been partial to them.
Im sure we will get used to this. It will be interesting as we get into our house and beging to use the outside screened Lanai, The workmen use it to rest in and they say its a lot coller than te rest of the house but for us to be careful and dont leave the cats out there with out water and a sleeping box. In fact I am looking forward to getting my comfy lounger out there and sleeping the summer afternoons out there, to the sounds of the song birds and the squirels.
In the mean time, crank up the AC please!
