09 July 2007

Second Verse, Same As The First!

The weather, that is.
Well, that's not quite true. Big Bubba has commented that it sure gets old waking to sunny skies every day. He's actually prayed for a few clouds and maybe some rain. His birthday (the reason for our trip West), was July 6th. After he had opened the gifts we brought, Sara Jean was on the way to the dumpster with the used wrapping paper and packaging. She took one step outside the apartment door and called back for us to "come quick!"
In honor of Big Bubba's birthday, it was pouring down rain. It rained for 15 minutes, the sun came out, and all indications it had rained were gone in another quarter hour. Other than that blip it has been sunny and 110+ every day we've been here.

We did venture to the pool yesterday at Noontime, just to see if we could stand being out with the thermometer registering 112. I was worried the pool would be like a hot bath, but the water was refreshing. There was a decent breeze, making it tolerable to be out of the pool so long as you were in the shade. We stayed 90 minutes, and I got enough "color" that I'm a little worried about going to the pool again today unless I go buy some powerful sunscreen.

If you're tired of hearing about the heat, skip this paragraph.
Back in the summer of 2000, Mommanurse,
Ole Prairie Dog, Mommanurse's better half and yours truly played golf on a course in a Southeastern State that is named after one of Greybeard and Mommanurse's great Uncles. The temperature and relative humidity were both above 90. At the tee for the 16th hole, desert acclimated and obviously uncomfortable O.P.D. said "I've got to sit the remaining holes out."
The remaining three of us, accustomed to the air's high water vapor content, played on without him. That weather was dangerous for anyone pushing themselves beyond their body's limitations. The weather here, at 100+ with humidity less than 10%, is dangerous for ALL human beings. We've noticed sore muscles. Sara Jean has had a couple Charlie Horses. When we are properly hydrated, the soreness and cramps disappear.

Talk around the table with local acquaintances after dinner last night momentarily turned again to the subject of Scorpions. Like snakes and spiders, I'm fascinated with them. When he was 12 years old, our hostess' husband caught them for a bounty provided by University of Arizona research folks. He says there are five or six types of scorpions in the area, some as large as four inches in length. I have never seen a scorpion anywhere other than in a zoo. Scorpions "glow" when illuminated with black light... I'd love to go out late one night and watch as they hunt for prey. I'm gonna try to talk someone in to doing that with me sometime in the future.

We'll spend one more night here, then board the flying silver tube for Bigtown tomorrow afternoon. Plans are to eat "in" this evening and enjoy one another's company. Eating "in" also means getting out and consuming the contents of all the doggy-bag cartons we have accrued while eating "out" all this week. I hope that food is nearly as good as when it was "first-run".

I'll have to admit to having a minor case of cabin fever, bein' trapped in the air conditioning for our entire visit. ("Cabin fever may be too strong a term. I just wish we could have gotten outside more.)
Rain is predicted for our arrival home.
It'll be a welcome sight.

2 comments:

OlePrairiedog said...

That Humididity stuff es muy no bueno, we don't need no stinking humididity.

Unknown said...

The relative humidity in these parts has been averaging 70% every day, with temps in the mid to hi 80's.

And the best is yet to come -- August and September are spongy dog days.

Now's the time when we former northerners "hibernate" -- until mid October.

Aaah, summer. Best place for it is in the mountains!

Radio Patriot
On Florida's Space Coast