Friday – Things Could Always Be Worse (Or So They Tell Me)

[ninanevermore]

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It seems lately that I can't escape the long arm of Murphy's Law.

Houston is in the midst of the worst heat wave in 30 years, so of course our air conditioner self destructed last night. We did manage to make it to Lowe's hardware store to grab a window unit 15 minutes before they closed last night. Air conditioning is not a luxury in Houston. Yesterday's high of over 100 degrees F (38° C) would be considered pretty hot in a dry climate. Houston is a humid climate, though, and 100 degrees feels more like 150, because your sweat does not evaporate and cool you off, it just runs down your skin and makes your clothes stick to you.

If you are the kind of macabre person who would wonder if it would be worst to be baked alive verses steamed alive, I can tell you since I live in the world's largest natural sauna, a.k.a. Houston, Texas, the answer is "steamed." I've been in the New Mexico desert on a day that was 110 degrees, and it didn't feel so bad. Houston at 98 degrees is much, much worse.

The insurance company is sending a technician within the next 24 hours to see if the central AC needs to be replaced or repaired. Considering that the air conditioner is as old as the house (circa 1976), I'm betting it should be replaced.

In the meanwhile, my email at work has not played anymore fanciful tricks on me, but I know it's just a matter of time before it happens again. I think it's waiting for me to let down my guard so that I will someday soon try to type out a message to my boss along the lines of, "I assume you want me to correct this report for office-wide distribution…?," which Outlook, with the help of our wonky network, will interpret as "Ass, you f off."

That should go over good.


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Comments

[squidflakes.livejournal.com]

Personally, I can take 100 degrees in Houston better than I can take it in Las Vegas. I can't deal with dry.

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

I didn't even feel the heat in the desert. When they told me how hot it was, I was like, "Really?! Wow." Since my clothes weren't wet, it didn't register. Warm, moist air wraps itself around you like a blanket. Dry air doesn't seem to touch you at all.

[squidflakes.livejournal.com]

I always feel like dry air is actively sucking the moisture and will to live from my body. My eyes and lips hurt and I get this salty crust where there should be a life-giving slick of wet.

But, that's just me. I'm one of them there water loving squids.

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

You're right, it's no doubt a squid thing.

[simplecity2htwn.livejournal.com]

Every year about this time, I start fantasizing about having enough money to be able to afford a summer home off the coast of Massachusettes where it's not 100 degrees and 99% relative humidity. I love the fall and winter months down here, but I don't think I'll EVER get accustomed to the summers.

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

This summer is the summer to beat all others. I still remember the summer of 1980, when I was 10 years old. I wish I could say that the idea that this one is going to be hotter gives me chills, but I'm not lucky enough to get that kind of relief and comfort from a mere thought.

[skipperja.livejournal.com]

I only vaguely remember the summer of 1980, but then, I was almost four times your age at the time. :) (I must have been the age you are now.)

I hope this summer heat isn't a sign of what's ahead of us in the next few years.

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

Since I was a kid, I played a lot outdoors back then. I used to love to be barefoot, and that was the first year I ever remember the pavement burning the bottoms of my feet and forcing me to wear shoes.

I, too, hope this weather is a fluke and not the future we can look forward to.

[m-malcontent.livejournal.com]

Houstonian...been to Vegas in July...count me in the humdity is worse group.

Vegas was 105 and I thought it was fine..at least it cooled down at night...Houston has 94 degree LOWS.

Ouch on the AC..hope they fix it up right quick.

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

We got a couple of window units to get us by until it's running again, a small one for the bedroom and a larger one for the main house. We'll sell the big one when we don't need it any more, and keep the little one for future emergencies. I passed one of those time and temperature signs today that said it was 107 out there. I hope it was exaggerating.

[drippedonpaper.livejournal.com]

I wish I could send you a snowstorm wrapped in hugs...

Murphy's law is biting me over and over, you're not alone in that, (that probably doesn't help much:(

I wish I could send snowstorms but all I can send are black little letters marching across your screen that say "I am thinking of you" Sorry it's not a fan...or a snowflake or a nice gentle cool rain...or...

[neanahe.livejournal.com]

What you're sending is enough to make me smile, and the little window air conditioners are keeping the house bearable.

It feels and sounds like I'm in one of those lake cabins you can rent: the white noise of the little air conditioner, the air a bit more humid than it would be with central air, and the temperature being different depending on how close you are standing in relation to the window with the a/c. It reminds me that it's been a long time since I went anywhere for fun. A quite lake cabin would be a nice get away, but for now I can close my eyes and pretend that my house is one of those places. :)

[jenelycam.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Humid hot is way worse than dry hot!! We get humid hot here. Not 100°, but in the nineties... Vegas hot wasn't that bad, except you have to make sure to keep hydrated.

Glad your email is behaving...for now. *HUGS*