PNW people, do you all have a/c? Praying for your region

[TravelingChris]

6 hours ago, Resilient said:

As I mentioned upthread, DH gets A/C the minute we close on a new house.  I have always thought it ridiculous ... until I didn't.

Here is something to consider: the fires that burned in WA, OR, CA last year put tons and tons of ash into to air.  It was difficult for many people to breathe when they were outside or relied on "natural" ventilation.  (I am all in favor of natural ventilation--don't get me wrong.  I prefer it...except...)  A/C also provides a lot of air filtration.  In our house and our cars, after last years fires, the air filters were completely shot...black.  All of them had to be replaced.  Better that than my lungs.  

Yes, that is also a good thing

[KungFuPanda]

7 hours ago, Laurie said:

I think this is the reason we don't have AC...dh was born and raised in NYC without it and he has always said that it isn't worth it here for the few hot days in the summer without the humidity.   (I also get zero sympathy when it snows here!)  

The house I grew up in had a basement, and my dh couldn't understand why a basement was so important to me when we were looking at houses!   

 

8 hours ago, Frances said:

Compared to the Midwest, far fewer have basements, mainly older homes. They are especially rare in newer homes. It was one of my husband’s criteria when we bought, so we do have one.

 

7 hours ago, Resilient said:

They are rare partly due to geology but partly because the cost to build vs return is very low on basements in this part of the country.  Developers get a lot more ROI on a second story and have for about 30 years. 

I don’t understand not having a basement if geology allows for one. I think of it as a safety feature. If the heat goes out, it’s warm enough to sleep. If the AC goes out, it’s cool enough to sleep. It’s the best place to be in a storm and it’s a good place to store your root vegetables and canned goods when the main part of your house might be a little warm for this. Mine is rough storage, laundry, and a studio. It’s a nice place to nap in the summer when you don’t want to crank the AC mid-day but would prefer it a little cooler for sleeping. 
 

 

[Pawz4me]

1 minute ago, KungFuPanda said:

 

 

I don’t understand not having a basement if geology allows for one. I think of it as a safety feature. If the heat goes out, it’s warm enough to sleep. If the AC goes out, it’s cool enough to sleep. It’s the best place to be in a storm and it’s a good place to store your root vegetables and canned goods when the main part of your house might be a little warm for this. Mine is rough storage, laundry, and a studio. It’s a nice place to nap in the summer when you don’t want to crank the AC mid-day but would prefer it a little cooler for sleeping. 
 

 

I won't say a basement would be a deal breaker for me, but it would be very close to being one. I know way too many people who've had trouble with water leaks. Most basements smell musty/nasty to me. I absolutely wouldn't have a house where the laundry was in the basement. I want that on the main floor for ease of use with age. I grew up in a house with a basement. Many of my friends/relatives have basements. But . . not for me. Thankfully DH is 100 percent in agreement.

[Jean in Newcastle]

3 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

 

 

I don’t understand not having a basement if geology allows for one. I think of it as a safety feature. If the heat goes out, it’s warm enough to sleep. If the AC goes out, it’s cool enough to sleep. It’s the best place to be in a storm and it’s a good place to store your root vegetables and canned goods when the main part of your house might be a little warm for this. Mine is rough storage, laundry, and a studio. It’s a nice place to nap in the summer when you don’t want to crank the AC mid-day but would prefer it a little cooler for sleeping. 
 

 

The water table is so high here. We do have a basement but it has flooded twice in the twenty years we’ve lived here. This is despite having a sump pump and a french drain. Both times we spent a lot of time, money and energy on “fixing” the problem. Fortunately our last fixes appear to be good ones and we’ve stayed dry despite our neighbors having flooding. 

[LucyStoner]

3 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

 

 

I don’t understand not having a basement if geology allows for one. I think of it as a safety feature. If the heat goes out, it’s warm enough to sleep. If the AC goes out, it’s cool enough to sleep. It’s the best place to be in a storm and it’s a good place to store your root vegetables and canned goods when the main part of your house might be a little warm for this. Mine is rough storage, laundry, and a studio. It’s a nice place to nap in the summer when you don’t want to crank the AC mid-day but would prefer it a little cooler for sleeping. 

Basements in older homes in Seattle often flood.  People frequently have trouble with their sump pumps and drainage systems. So they try to avoid them.  In all the time I have lived in Seattle, other than when I lived in a basement apartment I have only had a basement twice.  I think drainage alone may be why they aren’t a feature Seattle people often demand. The other thing is since we are a hilly place, a lot of basements are walk outs/daylighted.  In newer homes I think they are often omitted as a cost saving feature.  We also don’t have storms that require people to take shelter underground here.  I would love a basement myself for the cold storage options.  

[Roadrunner]

I soak t shirts in cold water and wear them. We are in CA with no air conditioning and periodic heatwaves like that. Every couple of hours pour the cold water in kids’ heads…. Cold showers. 

stay safe! 

[Frances]

4 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

 

 

I don’t understand not having a basement if geology allows for one. I think of it as a safety feature. If the heat goes out, it’s warm enough to sleep. If the AC goes out, it’s cool enough to sleep. It’s the best place to be in a storm and it’s a good place to store your root vegetables and canned goods when the main part of your house might be a little warm for this. Mine is rough storage, laundry, and a studio. It’s a nice place to nap in the summer when you don’t want to crank the AC mid-day but would prefer it a little cooler for sleeping. 
 

 

Besides the water problems others have mentioned, I’m guessing cost comes into play for new construction. Housing is already so expensive here compared to some other parts of the country and adding basements would just increase the prices even more.

[aggie96]

12 hours ago, Laurie said:

mommyoffive,  I like your list!

I haven't used foil on the windows, but I have a big collection of auto sun shades in a variety of sizes/styles!  I also use space blankets to cover some of the bigger windows.    

I can attest to foil in windows making a noticeable impact. This was a common tactic in west Texas (115 degree days was normal) back in the 80s.

Texas can certainly empathize with PNW. STILL recovering from Uri. Plus we had the 10th wettest spring on record, and now scorching heat with highest temps on record in June.

Mother Nature is finally fighting back. And she's going to win... 

[Lawyer&Mom]

We love our 1925 basement.  If AC at grandma’s wasn’t an option, or if the power goes out, we will be in our basement.  (Grandma’s 1950’s ranch doesn’t have one.)

Our house is at the top of a hill.  I’m not saying the basement is completely dry, but I don’t expect flooding to be an issue.  

[Laurie]

5 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

 

 

I don’t understand not having a basement if geology allows for one. I think of it as a safety feature. If the heat goes out, it’s warm enough to sleep. If the AC goes out, it’s cool enough to sleep. It’s the best place to be in a storm and it’s a good place to store your root vegetables and canned goods when the main part of your house might be a little warm for this. Mine is rough storage, laundry, and a studio. It’s a nice place to nap in the summer when you don’t want to crank the AC mid-day but would prefer it a little cooler for sleeping. 
 

 

Having a basement can also be a little like having a panic room!   This has only happened one time, but one day the police were all over the neighborhood looking for a bank robber.  There was a police car parked out in front of our house in the middle of the street, and the policeman was next to his car holding his rifle and using his open car door as a shield!   My kids were small and I didn't want to scare them so I just said we were going down to the basement to play.  Nothing happened outside, but I was thankful for our basement bunker that day!

[Laurie]

I saw something kind of funny at the grocery store this morning.   I was laughing with the lady working in the meat department at the big pile of packages containing soup bones!   Not surprisingly, she said they weren't selling well.   

Maybe some people freeze them, or can you feed soup bones to a dog?   

The freezer section with ice cream and popsicles was practically empty.  I was surprised that the overnight stockers weren't working there, but maybe the shipment hadn't come in yet.   And one of the stockers that I see each week was putting cartons of broth on the shelf, so I guess if you want soup during the heat wave you're in luck

 

  

[LucyStoner]

4 minutes ago, Laurie said:

I saw something kind of funny at the grocery store this morning.   I was laughing with the lady working in the meat department at the big pile of packages containing soup bones!   Not surprisingly, she said they weren't selling well.   

Maybe some people freeze them, or can you feed soup bones to a dog?   

The freezer section with ice cream and popsicles was practically empty.  I was surprised that the overnight stockers weren't working there, but maybe the shipment hadn't come in yet.   And one of the stockers that I see each week was putting cartons of broth on the shelf, so I guess if you want soup during the heat wave you're in luck  

My younger son and husband have gone hunting for popsicles and ice cream.  I joked that they will probably come back with sugar free pineapple peanut butter because that will be all that is left.  
 

I am getting my son’s stuff sorted from camp in a home that is illuminated with only one lamp and all the shades and curtains are drawn except for the two windows on the shady side of our home with fans in the windows. I’ve closed off all the bedrooms and banned anyone from using the big computers in the office. My husband has rigged three wind tunnel fans in our sliding patio door.  We gave out two fans to a family in greater need than us.  We buy a lot of fans because my sons like the white noise sound.  

Oh, my son and husband returned from the store.  They must have gotten there right after the restock because they were able to get all the good stuff no problems.  No wacky undesirable flavors.  
 

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 hour ago, Laurie said:

I saw something kind of funny at the grocery store this morning.   I was laughing with the lady working in the meat department at the big pile of packages containing soup bones!   Not surprisingly, she said they weren't selling well.   

Maybe some people freeze them, or can you feed soup bones to a dog?   

The freezer section with ice cream and popsicles was practically empty.  I was surprised that the overnight stockers weren't working there, but maybe the shipment hadn't come in yet.   And one of the stockers that I see each week was putting cartons of broth on the shelf, so I guess if you want soup during the heat wave you're in luck

 

  

You can feed raw soup bones to a dog. 

BTW - I drink bone broth every morning for breakfast so I'm still drinking my broth even in the heat. 

[Resilient]

2 hours ago, Frances said:

Besides the water problems others have mentioned, I’m guessing cost comes into play for new construction. Housing is already so expensive here compared to some other parts of the country and adding basements would just increase the prices even more.

Frances, this is what I have been told is the main reason for no-basement building.  My contractor said that he was never able to recoup the cost of building a basement, whereas adding a second story was a lot less expensive as a way to add square footage.  I grew up in a house with a basement (another part of the country) and it was great...only one disaster when the sprinkler system installer screwed up.  But our last house's wonderful daylight basement flooded, and after $50,000 left the wallet, we were dry and waterproofed again.  And we said no more basements when we moved.  

Our contractor also told us that concrete's waterproof nature fails after about 40 years.  I had not known that.

I also suspect that the earthquake-proneness of this area is another bummer for the basement situation.  

[Tap]

Not trying to drill the point home....just adding to the no basement conversation....in case anyone is considering buying a home with one.

My parents house was build at the turn of the last century. It is built on a hill which has a portion of red clay. You would think that a house on top of a hill, wouldn't have water issues and it didn't for the first 15+ years they owned it (aside from sewer back ups but that is a different story LOL). The daylight basement has always been left unfinished because even though it is high on a hill, there are natural springs in thier yard. The red clay over the last century has shifted, not too much but a solid few inches. Every year or two, they have to jack up the house on the foundation, to level it.  These ground shifts have also caused a fresh water spring to develop close to the foundation. The water has penetrated the foundation for years despite efforts to fix it.  It is slowly eroding the ground around the foundation so there are pockets that can now hold water. There is a French drain, and it helps for things above the ground level, but not so much for water from a spring coming upward. Any fix will cost $50,000-100,000 and my mom lives on social security, so that isn't happening. 

[Frances]

1 hour ago, LucyStoner said:

My younger son and husband have gone hunting for popsicles and ice cream.  I joked that they will probably come back with sugar free pineapple peanut butter because that will be all that is left.  
 

I am getting my son’s stuff sorted from camp in a home that is illuminated with only one lamp and all the shades and curtains are drawn except for the two windows on the shady side of our home with fans in the windows. I’ve closed off all the bedrooms and banned anyone from using the big computers in the office. My husband has rigged three wind tunnel fans in our sliding patio door.  We gave out two fans to a family in greater need than us.  We buy a lot of fans because my sons like the white noise sound.  

Oh, my son and husband returned from the store.  They must have gotten there right after the restock because they were able to get all the good stuff no problems.  No wacky undesirable flavors.  
 

We went grocery shopping last night so that we could do a big grilling this morning before it got hot and then just eat leftovers for several days. All that was left in the popsicle section was one bag of opened lemon lime popsicles. My husband likes them as a quick treat while working on the remodel, so he was bummed.

We have everything closed up tight and have covered the few windows without curtains. Early this morning my husband installed a new attic fan to blow out the hot area. Our last one burned out a few years ago and we hadn’t replaced it yet. Meanwhile, my next door neighbors are reroofing their house!

Edited June 26, 2021 by Frances

[LucyStoner]

4 minutes ago, Frances said:

We went grocery shopping last night so that we could do a big grilling this morning before it got hot and then just eat leftovers for several days. All that was left in the popsicle section was one bag of opened lemon lime popsicles. My husband likes them as a quick treat while working on the remodel, so he was bummed.

We have everything closed up tight and have covered the few windows without curtains. Early this morning my husband installed a new attic fan to blow out the hot area. Our last burned out a few years ago and we hadn’t replaced it yet. Meanwhile, my next door neighbors are reroofing their house!

Your neighbors are braver than me!  I think I’m getting a sunburn just thinking about being up on a roof right now!  I sunburn really easily.  

Edited June 26, 2021 by LucyStoner

[Frances]

2 hours ago, LucyStoner said:

Your neighbors are braver than me!  I think I’m getting a sunburn just thinking about being up on a roof right now!  I sunburn really easily.  

Me too. I just noticed lots of crows in our shady front yard which is unusual. I think they are looking for water, so I set some out for them.

[Melissa Louise]

7 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

I soak t shirts in cold water and wear them. We are in CA with no air conditioning and periodic heatwaves like that. Every couple of hours pour the cold water in kids’ heads…. Cold showers. 

stay safe! 

Yep. Temps up to 45C here, no A/C. 

Hibernate during the day, with hydration and cooling ( showers/baths, fans blowing through wet sheets, house darkened, cool foods and drinks) and do everything at night or very early morning. It's horrible, but bearable. 

[LucyStoner]

I was laughing at the camp packing list.  Long underwear, rain coat and rain pants, fleece, beanie hat, warm thin coat or vest.  We have all of that (of course, because we use it all year long) and it's all heaped up on my kitchen table but I'm thinking I could save some space in his bag if I leave it out.  It's a canoe trip.  He's 12 and I'm figuring he's unlikely to change his clothes that often anyways...

OTOH, if I don't send it and he ends up needing it, I'll feel like sh!t.  If it wasn't a canoe trip where everything goes in a pretty small wet bag (from sleeping pad to mess kit to shoes), I would lean towards packing it all but I feel like a lighter bag might make for an easier trip for him.  Also, I don't want to send stuff he won't need and might end up losing.  Erm.  

[BeachGal]

If you do have an AC wall unit or portable, make sure your filters are clean so that they run efficiently. For wall units look for filters just beneath vents. Pull out filter, wipe dust and fluff off with a wet paper towel, then rinse clean under tap water, dry and pop back in. For portables, filters are often on the back of the unit. Same process.

[prairiewindmomma]

We’re at 108F/42C outside right now. Tomorrow’s and Monday’s forecasts are for 115F/46C. They keep revising them upwards. :(

[Starr]

It wasn't in the 100s but we used window fans before we got a couple of window air conditioners. Once it was cooler outside than in you have a fan on the sill or in the window box and blow the cooler air in. Of course someone has to get up at the crack of dawn and move the fans and close all the windows and the curtains! Fortunately at that time I was the late night sleeper and dh was an early riser. If it's in the 90s we close up a bedroom with air conditioner on and keep that for the cool room. I feel bad especially for the elderly who often don't have AC and have a hard time drinking enough water as it is. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

11 pm and the heat has just really gotten to me.  I'm not sure why now - perhaps because I got hotter and sweatier exerting energy doing all my evening chores?  The a/c isn't keeping up.  I put the bunnies in their room now (they were in with the a/c most of the day) but I have the windows wide open in there and the fan on full blast.  I have just told dh that I just can't manage going to church tomorrow.  For one thing, I still have a sick bunny here and with tomorrow being even hotter, I don't see how I can do everything I need to do in time to commute to church.  The nice thing though is now we have online church as well because of Covid so I won't really miss out. 

[LucyStoner]

29 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

11 pm and the heat has just really gotten to me.  I'm not sure why now - perhaps because I got hotter and sweatier exerting energy doing all my evening chores?  The a/c isn't keeping up.  I put the bunnies in their room now (they were in with the a/c most of the day) but I have the windows wide open in there and the fan on full blast.  I have just told dh that I just can't manage going to church tomorrow.  For one thing, I still have a sick bunny here and with tomorrow being even hotter, I don't see how I can do everything I need to do in time to commute to church.  The nice thing though is now we have online church as well because of Covid so I won't really miss out. 

It’s still 80 degrees outside at 11:20 so it’s definitely not like other heatwaves we have had in Seattle. I got some new light weight PJ pants when I was at Target getting the last stray items for camp (quick dry shorts, travel sized toothpaste, sunglasses and flip flops) and they feel oppressively warm after 25 minutes of wearing them.  
 

I hope you and the bunnies are ok and that it actually cools off a little overnight so you get a little bit of a reprieve.  

[prairiewindmomma]

 

Be careful, Jean, and best wishes. Heat stress is cumulative. My youngest just told me she is nauseous. I suspect her blood sugars were up a bit from the heat and she’s gone reactive. We are having a midnight snack trying to get her rebalanced. 

 

[Tap]

1 hour ago, LucyStoner said:

It’s still 80 degrees outside at 11:20 so it’s definitely not like other heatwaves we have had in Seattle. I got some new light weight PJ pants when I was at Target getting the last stray items for camp (quick dry shorts, travel sized toothpaste, sunglasses and flip flops) and they feel oppressively warm after 25 minutes of wearing them.  
 

I hope you and the bunnies are ok and that it actually cools off a little overnight so you get a little bit of a reprieve.  

This is going to be hard on so many people. We will absolutely lose some fragile people during this just due to the heat and related consequences. 

Just a little funny....I was in Lowes today. There was a couple in thier twenties who asked a store clerk where the A/Cs are. The clerk said, "oh, we ran out 3 days ago". As the couple was walking away, I saw the girl smack the arm of the guy. That slap totally said "I wanted to come last week and get an A/C and you talked me out of it! Now you are going to suffffffer! "  HAHA People like that young couple will be fine.

A similar couple in the 80s...not so much. 

Edited June 27, 2021 by Tap

[LucyStoner]

17 minutes ago, Tap said:

This is going to be hard on so many people. We will absolutely lose some fragile people during this just due to the heat and related consequences. 

Just a little funny....I was in Lowes today. There was a couple in thier twenties who asked a store clerk where the A/Cs are. The clerk said, "oh, we ran out 3 days ago". As the couple was walking away, I saw the girl smack the arm of the guy. That slap totally said "I wanted to come last week and get an A/C and you talked me out of it! Now you are going to suffffffer! "  HAHA People like that young couple will be fine.

A similar couple in the 80s...not so much. 

We have a neighbor who is a very robust 88 (I was shocked to realize she was over 75 TBH).  My husband dropped by to see if she needed anything and found that she just had one small fan so he went back with one of our big wind tunnel fans and a smaller box fan.  Unfortunately, we don't have an AC to offer but we do have fans, ice in an extra cooler and some cold food to share.  We are going to check on her again tomorrow and Monday.  

I told my brother to buy fans last month for this summer and he didn't listen.  Thankfully, we had some to share with him too.  We are big white noise people so we have a lot of fans.  I was honestly surprised to realize how many we have because we pulled them all out of seasonal storage plus I picked up two that I could run on batteries while we were staying in a rustic cabin earlier this week.  

Edited June 27, 2021 by LucyStoner

[Jean in Newcastle]

Church is doing one session instead of two.  Even with a/c it's too hot.  I'm glad that my dh is sending everyone home. 

[73349]

For folks who would like Gatorade but can't get it (or can't have the food coloring, etc. in it), you can mix

• 1 liter of water (A quart is pretty close.)
• 6 level teaspoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• juice of a lime, lemon, or orange as available for flavor.

Stir to dissolve, chill, and drink.

Also, virtually any kind of juice can be made into popsicles. If you don't have popsicle molds, 3- or 5-oz. paper cups can work, with popsicle sticks, tongue depressors, or cake pop sticks as available, or eat with a spoon as they thaw.

 

I hope everyone is able to stay safe and comfortable.

[Tina]

PSA:  If you have central AC, make sure you have a clean air filter in your furnace!  A dirty one blocks the air flow.

[Laurie]

16 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

11 pm and the heat has just really gotten to me.  I'm not sure why now - perhaps because I got hotter and sweatier exerting energy doing all my evening chores?  The a/c isn't keeping up.  I put the bunnies in their room now (they were in with the a/c most of the day) but I have the windows wide open in there and the fan on full blast.  I have just told dh that I just can't manage going to church tomorrow.  For one thing, I still have a sick bunny here and with tomorrow being even hotter, I don't see how I can do everything I need to do in time to commute to church.  The nice thing though is now we have online church as well because of Covid so I won't really miss out. 

 Jean,  how are you and your bunny doing today?

Yesterday I took Roadrunner's advice about pouring cold water over your head, and it is wonderful!   I had a headache in the afternoon and the cold water cooled me off and my headache went away, too!    I'm doing the cold water rinse again today.   (I haven't gotten to the wet t shirt stage, but it could happen!)

 

[Laurie]

It's almost 3:30 pm and according to the local tv news headline, we're supposed to get up to 106 degrees today.  At least that's what their huge red headline and gigantic map on the homepage announce.  But when you look at the very tiny weather info on the other side of the page it's currently 95 degrees.  Then when you look at the hourly temps, we're supposed to reach a high of 97 by 5pm.    I hope the tiny info is correct and we don't hit 100 today!!!   

Right now, it's 87 degrees in our kitchen (SW corner of the house and lots of windows so it gets hot in the afternoon).   I'm hoping we can keep our windows open tonight.  Last night I was on duty to try to keep my daughter from turning off the fan in the upstairs hall window.   I was able to keep her away, but some considerate neighbor started burning something...maybe a fire pit since it didn't smell like bbq?...and I had to close the window.   I really hope we don't have a repeat of that tonight!   

[Laurie]

For those of you who don't have AC,  check your chocolate !    I eat some Dove dark chocolate candies everyday, and today it seemed softer like it was just starting to melt.  I put all our candies into the refrigerator!   

[Jean in Newcastle]

23 minutes ago, Laurie said:

 Jean,  how are you and your bunny doing today?

Yesterday I took Roadrunner's advice about pouring cold water over your head, and it is wonderful!   I had a headache in the afternoon and the cold water cooled me off and my headache went away, too!    I'm doing the cold water rinse again today.   (I haven't gotten to the wet t shirt stage, but it could happen!)

 

The bunnies are in the air conditioned room again today. It’s still hot in here. If you step even ten feet away from the direct flow of the a/c you are met with a wall of hot air. The dog is obviously uncomfortable. I have no idea where the cat has hidden himself.   Dh is busy remodeling and doesn’t appear to notice the heat. 
 

I am gorging on watermelon chunks. 

[Frances]

We’ve hit 110 here and still climbing, so we already broke the all time temp record, not just for this day or for June. Fortunately, our central AC is keeping up pretty well and we are at a comfortable 72. The crows have definitely decided our yard is the place to be for water. I’ve never seen so many here before.

[Melissa in Australia]

If you drink lots of water  to keep hydrated and get that whooshing  water in the tummy thing then putting a small piece of rock salt on your tongue can help. 

[LucyStoner]

Well, we went to the wrong hotel.  There are two hotels in this chain in basically the same neighborhood.  My dad is greatly relieved and the teenager who is not at camp already seems significantly less cranky. He’d changed his t-shirt several times today before it was hotel check in time.  

Edited June 27, 2021 by LucyStoner

[Jean in Newcastle]

4 minutes ago, LucyStoner said:

Well, we went to the wrong hotel.  There are two hotels in this chain in basically the same neighborhood.  My dad is greatly relieved and the teenager who is not at camp already seems significantly less cranky. He’d changed his t-shirt several times today before it was hotel check in time.  

If your dad lives in the brick building for seniors that was on the news it’s good that you took him out of there. They were talking about how the bricks act like an oven. 

[TexasProud]

On 6/26/2021 at 11:44 AM, aggie96 said:

I can attest to foil in windows making a noticeable impact. This was a common tactic in west Texas (115 degree days was normal) back in the 80s.

Texas can certainly empathize with PNW. STILL recovering from Uri. Plus we had the 10th wettest spring on record, and now scorching heat with highest temps on record in June.

Mother Nature is finally fighting back. And she's going to win... 

???? We have had the coolest June. So far, we haven't got above lower 90's and next week it will be in the 80's.  For July, that is unheard of. We are often in the 100's by this point. I am in Texas.

[LucyStoner]

9 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

If your dad lives in the brick building for seniors that was on the news it’s good that you took him out of there. They were talking about how the bricks act like an oven. 

 Fortunately, he doesn’t but I know how hot some of those towers get.  His is bad but it’s not the worst by far.  He stayed with us last night because our place is easier to cool down than his.  He’s forgotten why he is here a couple times so I honestly don’t know how much longer he will live alone (the dementia is not a new thing so I’m not concerned that the forgetting is heat related.) He can tie complicated ties for fly fishing from memory but he can’t remember that he’s staying with us until at least Tuesday.    

Edited June 27, 2021 by LucyStoner

[prairiewindmomma]

There's a power outage a handful of blocks away from me.  When I look at the outage map, they are starting to pop up all over. 😞 We're at 111F.  Forecast is still 113-115F for tomorrow. 😞

[Jean in Newcastle]

4 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

There's a power outage a handful of blocks away from me.  When I look at the outage map, they are starting to pop up all over. 😞 We're at 111F.  Forecast is still 113-115F for tomorrow. 😞

That got me to look at our outage map. There aren’t too many but there are small pockets all over. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

I am actually pleased to report that the extra insulation we had blown in when we got our new roof is doing it’s job.  In the past our main floor (because it's a split level) would be HOTTER than outside. But despite the heat in here the inside temperature (outside of the a/c zone) is 92 vs 100 outside. 

[Ali in OR]

I never saw higher than 108° on my phone today--the forecast was flipping between 111° and 113° but we never hit that. And thankfully that's the worst of it here--we go back down to 93° tomorrow. Hang in there everyone.

[Loowit]

It got up to 109.5 and has stayed there for a couple hours.  Our a/c is keeping up okay.  Upstairs is pretty hot, but downstairs is around 76 which is nice.  It is only supposed to get to 107 tomorrow.  My poor DS has to work outdoors in the heat.  I am hoping they will pull them inside for the hottest part of the day, but I don't know if they will.  I will make sure he takes plenty of water with him though, and he knows the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

[Slache]

1 hour ago, TexasProud said:

???? We have had the coolest June. So far, we haven't got above lower 90's and next week it will be in the 80's.  For July, that is unheard of. We are often in the 100's by this point. I am in Texas.

I think she means in general. I think it was 111 last July? I'm in San Antonio.

[Resilient]

2 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

If your dad lives in the brick building for seniors that was on the news it’s good that you took him out of there. They were talking about how the bricks act like an oven. 

Hose them down frequently.

[Resilient]

We have people who have work to do sitting at spots all over our house.  And the third rotation of families through the pool.  I have told anyone I know who doesn't have AC they can come here and study.  I'm not going to hostess--bring your food and beverages, feel free to swim, and don't expect a lot of convo.  I have things to do, as well....but you need not roast in your apartments.  

Yesterday we had 16 young adults in the pool. Friends from church, son's friends...I was so happy.  We came back from church and The Remnant was sitting in the AC.  :0) 

[Jean in Newcastle]

46 minutes ago, Resilient said:

Hose them down frequently.

The five story brick assisted living facility?  Or the elderly who live there?