There aren’t many things in life I detest but extreme heat is one of them. If I listen carefully I’m sure that’s the crackling of invisible flames I hear as the valley simmers in today’s sunshine. “The grandpappy of all heat waves,” quipped the TV meteorologist this morning, predicting it will last another week.
Sidewalks shimmer and a haze hangs over the valley turning skies into shades of murky steel blue. A sharp-shinned hawk glides out of the evergreens on a lazy circle towards the pond, catching a current from earth’s furnace as he searches for supper.
It’s hard to concentrate on plot and characterization when my brain is melting. Energy oozes from my pores and I flick the fan switch a notch higher, hoping for revival. Heat or no heat, this is my time to write.
MUSINGS 
Nice writing, Carol. Thanks for sharing but you can keep the heat there.
Thanks, but I’d give it away if I could.
I feel your pain. We’re roasting down here in the Portland, OR area as well. It’s about 106 at my house right now. I am SO looking forward to fall, rain and all!
It’s crazy, isn’t it? I bellyached about too much snow, too much rain, not enough rain, too cool a spring and now I have the gall to complain about too much heat! Living on the BC south coast, however, I tend to expect moderation and I grumble at the extremes.
I’m trying not to whine, but it’s hard…
My ankles are swelling as I type. But dang, it’s winter in 9 weeks.
Oh, forgot to mention. It’s been 36 C for 10 days.
When winter hits I suppose we’ll be wishing for some of this heat. Mmm, on second thought, no… I despise it too much!
At 9:00 a.m. it’s already 27 degrees here and I’m trying to get things done before lethargy sets in. We leave for the lake next week but with ten days of 36 degrees it doesn’t sound like there will be a reprieve up there either. [sigh] Then again, being our vacation time, that may be just when all this turns to steady rain. 😉
Isn’t that always the way?? 🙂 As long as this heat breaks I’ll be happy. We’re expecting 42C/108F today. Bleah.
Oh, yuck!! I’d never survive it! I hope you have a cool retreat somewhere.
Dare I say we’re only expected to hit 29 today? Ahhhh. Bliss.
Show off! 😉
I can’t feel sorry for y’all unless ya start talkin’ in Farenheit!
We’re in the Fraser Valley, which is a suburb of Vancouver, and it was 38 C. which is 100 F. The humidity is such that the temperature we’re actually experiencing is 44 C. or 111 F. I know other places have had it hotter but today’s news has just reported that Vancouver broke an all time record for its high temperature today. We just never get it that hot here on BC’s south coast. It’s brutal.
Ugh… We had a coupla weeks of 98 – 102 F but we get the sea breeze where I live – so the heat index factor is reduced somewhat. I’ll send some cooler air your way ASAP. Until it gets there – stuff ice cubes in your socks.
Oo, good idea, Dave! I actually have some ice cubes within reach–they’re in a bowl in front of a fan, trying to cool down the air that’s blowing in my direction. Then again, I’d rather trade ice cubes for the sea breeze. 🙂
Because the heat here is expected and predictable, every house is outfitted with central air-conditioning and most have pools. Unless I go outside, I don’t suffer at all.
Now I’m jealous! We do have air conditioning in the bedroom but we can’t live in there all day.
Yikes! I’m sure it would be incredibly hard to focus on writing when it’s that hot! My fingers slime across my keyboard when it hits the 80’s here! I can’t imagine any higher without air conditioning. Aren’t we spoiled? 🙂
Hi, Jody. Yes, we sure do take our luxuries for granted. My vacation takes me to our wilderness cabin where there is no electricity, let alone air conditioning or even fans. But I don’t mind trading those for the lakeside breezes. My laptop is still going with me because I love writing there. DH is taking the generator so I can charge the battery up once a day. Talk about spoiled! 😉
I’d much rather the cold then the extreme heat if I had a choice. It’s been pretty humid here and we’re running at 29-31. Can’t imagine how it is for you. Here’s hoping it soon breaks!
I’m with you on that, Laura. I’ll always take cold over heat. It’s a couple degrees cooler here today so I have hope that the hot spell is on the wane at long last.