The Heat is On

We'd barely gotten into May when the thermometer soared into the 90s. Now, at the end of June, we've seen almost no rain and the weather forecast shows nothing but high 90s and occasional 100 degree temps. It's too darn hot to be outside for any length of time, so I water plants as early in the morning as possible. Mostly we hibernate indoors, with ceiling fans twirling to keep the air moving. Our electric bill is ridiculous. I think I'll go to Canada for the month of August.

One would think a dip in the pool would be cooling, but the water can feel like lukewarm soup on some days. So, we tend to swim in the evening to avoid getting fried by the Texas sun.  My son-in-law Reagan bought us a big sunshade that can be tilted to give maximum coverage over the water and collapses like a giant umbrella, so that helps, too. The kids seem unfazed by the heat and want to swim anyway, so we cover them with sunscreen and limit their time in the water.

Such is life in the Lone Star State. The payoff is that in about eight months of the year, the weather is very pleasant, with sunny days and cooler nights. We rarely see snow or ice and don't miss shoveling or scraping it. Even so, the Texas sun can be very direct and hot, even in the cooler months. 

Update: I am pleased to announce that after a two-month-long hassle with delays, underestimates of wallpaper needed, disappearing contractors, a discontinued and now unavailable pattern, etc., our guest bathroom has been beautifully papered with a blue botanical pattern and nicely put back together with a new soap dispenser, hooks on the back of the door and shower curtain liner. Yay!

---