Whew! Yesterday it was 107 degrees and that was the actual temperature, not the heat index! I didn’t even bother to check the heat index, because I really didn’t want to know. I’m not checking either today, but it’s hot. We have occasional August heat waves here, but wow. I really wasn’t ready for all this.
I’ve had to get a little more creative to deal with the heat, so I thought I’d share some tips and ideas, that you may find helpful if you are experiencing high temperatures.
I’ve had to adjust my routine and I’m doing more things in the evening, once temperatures drop some, that I would often do during the day. If I wash clothes during the day, I’m hanging most of them up to avoid turning on the dryer during the hottest hours. Mostly, I try to hold off on laundry until evening or even later at night.
When it comes to cooking, you can pretty much forget about it. I refuse to turn on the oven and I also avoid the stove top as much as possible. I use the toaster oven to avoid heating up the whole kitchen and I use the microwave sparingly, because I have to turn the air conditioner in the kitchen off to use it, afraid I’ll blow a fuse otherwise. We’ve been eating a lot of cold food the past week or so, due to the cooking predicament, but also because it’s just more appetizing when it’s so hot.
My hair has been up on top of my head (wet) and my blow dryer will probably need to be dusted soon and I’m seriously considering giving up coffee for iced tea for awhile. Maybe iced coffee.
Some other things that may help make you and your family more comfortable during high temperatures are:
- Drink plenty of cool water and pay special attention to make sure children don’t become dehydrated (don’t forget to add ice to your pet’s water)
- Bathe children in lukewarm water or give frequent sponge baths to keep body temperature down
- Hose down your pet to cool him or her off
- Soak your feet in cool water
- Soak your hands, up past the wrists in cool water
- Put a cool, damp cloth around the back of your neck
- Place a sheet in a plastic bag and pop it into the freezer; family members can lie on a cool sheet to rest (this works for pets too)
*Please take a moment to check on folks who are sickly, elderly, or alone during extreme heat.