SULTRY SUMMER DAYS

"What good is the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetness."
                                                                                                          ~John Steinbeck

Here in Ohio, our four seasons each have pros and cons. All things considered, summer always ranks number one with me. I'd rather be warm than freezing. Don't get me wrong, in summer I do appreciate cold iced tea, lemonade, water, and ice cream. And I'm quite grateful for air conditioning!

Several days ago my hubby pointed out HOT weather warnings, a week in advance, for the weekend of July 19-21, 2019. A weather app on my phone warned of "excessive heat." Meteorologists now report many days ahead of high eighty and ninety degree temperatures, with triple digit heat indexes. This made me think of my childhood summers. Back in the "olden days" we didn't seem to know much about the weather and temperatures until the day arrived, or maybe the day before. We knew it was summer and it was supposed to be hot! Back then we did not have AC. We did not have a pool. But we did have a sprinkler and a hose. Sometimes when Dad got home from work, we'd head to a lake to cool down and a picnic supper. Oh, and let's not forget the multiple window fans that kept the hot air moving in the house. And that's what we knew.

Then our community built a pool sometime around the 60's. Definitely a popular summer hot spot. We took morning swimming lessons. And if we were lucky, Mom would take us back to the Brooklyn (Ohio) pool in the afternoon.

As we got older, we rode our bikes or walked to the pool, on our own. Then came the time when we were too "cool" to swim at the pool. But going to the pool area and park, hanging out with our friends, and walking to the Golden Point for junk food were the things to do, no matter how hot it was outside. Funny now, huh?

So, during these hot summer days, let's put memories of the heat in our mental pockets. Then next winter during a "Polar Vortex," sub-freezing temperatures, and wind chills, we'll have thoughts of this summer to keep us warm!