Comments on: Heatstroke

By: David

David — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:07:01 +0000

You are SO DEAD ON! I have been griping about the heat in Dallas for the past couple weeks. I have started looking at moving to San Francisco to just get away from Texas summers. I can’t take it anymore…

By: Duchess

Duchess — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:56:54 +0000

Well, yesterday the UK Met Office issued the first of this year’s health warnings because temperatures here were due to reach 82.

The Met Office spokesman said that (among other things) we mustn’t drink tea, because it was “dehydrating”. Afterwards the BBC was flooded with letters, phone calls and emails in protest.

Tonight they issued a “clarification”, explaining that while eating dry tea leaves would indeed be dehydrating, an average mug of tea would provide at least 200 ml of useful fluid and that therefore it be, on balance, hydrating. Dry tea leave eaters were very disconsolate.

I am very sorry and embarrassed that I cannot tell you exactly who the Met Office are, though I assure you they are the ones who give us our forecasts and tell us not to drive when the roads are slippery, and that we mustnt go out in the noon day sun and we pay for them, of course, out of public funds. This is what their website says:

“We are one of the world’s leading providers of environmental and weather-related services. Our solutions and services meet the needs of many communities of interest… from the general public, government and schools, through broadcasters and online media, to civil aviation and almost every other industry sector – in the UK and around the world.”

It’s possible that Austin is a community of interest! In that case you could apply for a solution to your heatwave.

Or you could just have a nice cup of tea (wet).

By: ruthpennebaker

ruthpennebaker — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:25:28 +0000

It rained today! I bet the temperature won’t even get out of the 90s! I just may get religion.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:50:24 +0000

I actually am as close to Canada as I care to be (Birch Bay, WA), but I put in enough years in Southern California and then Northern to deserve this. Agree with Kate in that we giggle a little when we hear complaints about the heat here. Our third summer and we finally are getting some ripe tomatoes…but all of the fabulous wild berries have made up for their lack.

By: Kate

Kate — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:23:10 +0000

I get it, truly I do. After living in Houston for 15 summers I know what you mean about heat, real heat. You’re right; you just put up with it or as you say, “move to Canada”. That’s sort of what we did 17 years ago when we moved to Seattle. The natives here get restless when the thermometer hits the high eighties and God forbid the mid nineties for all of the 5 days out of the summer that it decides to be warm. When we moved here we were really freaked to find out that NO ONE had airconditioners except in their cars. EEEEEK! But, for the few days that one would want A/C in Seattle, we take a deep breath and before long it blows along.
I feel for you though; when the sidewalk at night radiates the heat back into your face, you know the day has been a scorcher. Keep cool if you can.
Love your blog!

By: Anne Gibert

Anne Gibert — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:14:12 +0000

Just thought you’d like to know the temperature here on the island is 68 and sunny. A gentle cool breeze is blowing.

Just kidding, I’m really really sorry you Texans are cooking.

By: Cindy A

Cindy A — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:49:57 +0000

Understandable how the Texas population increased exponentially after the invention of home air conditioning. Before then, Yankees that came to visit knew better than to move to the furnace of Hell.