Urban Hot Weather Tips

You may think that the Midwest is cool. Well, maybe compared to somewhere like Arizona it is. Still, in the Summer it can get mighty hot, especially this Summer.

From my many years working in Chicago, specifically the Downtown Loop, I’ve devised a few tips for keeping cool. These are not scientific, but they kind of work for me.

Maybe you’ll want to try one or two.

Shade – Not too many trees in Downtown Chicago, so I seek other shade. When needs be, when waiting for a light to change, I’ll stand in the shade of a street light, another person, or a building.

Cut Throughs – Speaking of buildings, when you work in a metropolitan area, there are various buildings you can cut through, such as banks, drug stores, restaurants, or just office buildings. A knowledge of their entrances and exits comes in handy. Sometimes you can not only cool off, but also save time and steps by using a cut through.

Time – Allow yourself extra time if you can. Rushing in the heat can make you hotter than ever.

Water – Bring a small water bottle with, enough for you to chug when extra thirsty, but not so heavy you’ll wish you didn’t have it with you. I’ve got a fairly new stainless steel bottle I use now. Because of another health scare I use it instead of plastic. I fill it halfway up so it doesn’t weigh me down. When I get to the office, I refill it for the trip home. While at the office, I drink pretty much water also to stay hydrated. Speaking of water, putting your hands under the faucet is a great way to cool down at work where you really can’t be taking showers or baths, unless you work at a gym.(g)

Clothing – Wear layers. I usually put on something light, but carry a sweater with me since I never know what temperature the train air conditioning will be set at. Also, the workplace temperature variations are quite iffy. I sling it over one of my shoulders, which makes that area hotter, but wearing the sweater or carrying it are worse options. At times, I’ll even tie a sweater around my waist instead.

So, those are my tips for keeping cool. What are yours, urban or otherwise?

Or, maybe you'd like to share something about a book you've written or read where hot weather or trying to keep cool plays a part in the plot.

Trials by Wind, Cold, Snow, Water

A new river - the backyard!

First we had the trial by wind, coupled with that of cold, when the wind chills dipped to 25-30 degrees below zero. Then came the trial by snow, when we were blessed with 12 inches of the white stuff. The latest is the trial by water, which began Friday night. All day Saturday it rained, alternating between light and heavy. Do you believe it? A tornado watch in parts of Illinois and Indiana in December. Fortunately, that's been lifted and we're spared that trial.

The good news is so far the ceiling in the kitchen is not dripping. We did have ice shoring up beneath the shingles from our prior trials. I was kind of worried about water dripping down the kitchen ceiling, since that had happened a few days before Christmas. We managed to control it with a few towels and a bowl then, but I didn't know what heavy rains would do so soon afterwards.

The bad news is seepage in the basement started very early Saturday morning and is still going on. This only happens in extreme circumstances, which is certainly the case this time. I know from experience to keep valuables on higher ground, such as on tables, or chairs or counters down there, just in case, so I didn't have to worry about rescuing items. So far, not sewer backup so at least it's not the germy stuff, relatively speaking anyway.

Normally, we can handle a day or so of rains, but not after the recent snowstorm which dumped 12 inches of snow on us. When the snow melted, it had to go somewhere. Some of it poured into the window wells, some under the window wells. Some gathered alongside the patio, making the river effect in my photo. Lots went into the storm sewers on the street outside.

When I watch TV and see the damage wreaked on other homes in the area and see the travelers stranded at the airport, I consider myself lucky. I was able to get to the show and use up my free pass before its expiration at year's end.

At home, the DH, I and Rascal still have electricity, heat and food. My computer and TV are in working order. What more do I need?

What about you? Have you had any weather related problems lately? Did it play havoc with your Christmas or the days after? Please share.

RAIN By Morgan Mandel

We're nowhere near Texas, where Ike was, yet Illinois still received way too much backlash rain. I believe our neighborhood got close to 7 inches. DesPlaines, not that far away, is way flooded and the river hasn't even crested.

As much as scientists talk about controlling the weather, I don't think it can be done. Not counting lives lost, it's sad to see so many people's memories and homes that they've worked hard for all their lives just washed away.

We were lucky. We got off with large pools of water in the yard, a foot or so of water in the basement, and some window well dripping. Not everyone can say the same.

Sometimes life intrusions interfere with writing. When that happens, after everything is back to some kind of normalcy, remember what you can about the experience and write about it.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com