We haven’t really needed air conditioning in the new apartment — things have been pretty mild this summer in the Portland, Oregon area. I’m not trying to gloat; I know things have been hot and humid around the rest of the country.
All in all, we haven’t needed to worry about air conditioning. There have been a few days here and there that have passed 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Today feels like it’s going to be a hot one. So how do we deal with the heat without having an air conditioner?
- Plenty of cool, fresh water. The drinking bowl is always full. On extra hot days, I’ll put out a second bowl, just in case. And it doesn’t hurt to toss a few ice cubes into the water, either. And speaking of ice cubes…
- Crunching on ice cubes. Moose likes his to be dipped in soda or juice first — he’s so funny! He’ll happily crunch down on a cube or two. Lally isn’t particularly fond of them.
- Fans. I’ve got one in the bedroom and one in the office. Lally is sprawled in front of the bedroom fan as I write this.
- Windows. The windows are open to catch the breeze, but the blinds are down and mostly closed to keep the sun from baking us. It’s a pretty good balance between fresh air and pounding sun.
- Walking in the shade. I’m trying to keep our walking routes under the trees. We’ve also got a little creek nearby; we may walk down that way later.
- Cool floors. Most of the apartment is carpeted, but I’ve got linoleum at the front door, in the kitchen, and in the bathroom. When it’s hot and still, I’ll often find Moose sprawled out on the linoleum.
- Cool walls. Part of the apartment is underground, and that helps keep things cool inside. The walls are usually nice and cool to the touch, and Moose will often stretch out against the wall.
We also have a park nearby that has fountains and wading pools to play in. I don’t know if Lally would especially enjoy that, but I know Moose loves to play with water from the hose. I bet he’d like the fountains as much as I do!