The heaventree of stars hung with humid nightblue fruit.
Oppressively humid is about the best description I can give for today. Even Gracie, the whirlwind, is lying in the cool darkness of this room. The two cats are stretched out as far as they can be, both near windows. I actually slept until 10, unusual for me. I think it was the air conditioning and my body’s reluctance to get up and leave the cold. Then again, it might be the traveling. It does take a toll whether I realize it or not. My coffee maker didn’t work this morning, a tragedy. I think it has gone to appliance heaven. I, uncombed and unkempt, jumped into the car and drove to buy a cup. No morning can start without coffee. Later this afternoon, despite the heat and humidity, I’m shopping to buy another.
Nothing was air-conditioned when I was a kid. We had fans which my father carried from room to room, and I can remember pushing and shoving my siblings so I could be the one in front of the cool air. The worst, though, was any car trip. The six of us were crammed together. The seats were upholstered, and they were hot. Even opening all the windows barely sent a breeze our way. I used to put my arm out my window and use it like a propeller to push a bit of air my way. My father would seldom stop. He was a get there right away sort of driver, but sometimes, with four kids, he was forced into a bathroom stop. I remember the backs of my shirt and shorts were always soaked from sweat when I got out of the car. I have to think we were miserable and cranky. It’s no wonder we seldom did long rides.
I love my cold room at night for sleeping and the chill of the car as I drive. Just about everything is air-conditioned now. We’re spoiled, and there’s no going back.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: air-conditioning, humidity
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
June 28, 2010 at 12:12 pm
In 1953 we moved to Texas from New York. My father had an air-conditioner installed in his Buick. The air came out from two clear plastic tubes located on the package shelf. The evaporator and two huge fans where located in the trunk. My mother always wore a sweater in the car since my father liked to keep the temperature really cold.
Once while he was driving in West Texas he stopped for a cold drink in a cafe. An older gentleman with a straw cowboy hat and a well tanned neck sat down beside my dad at the counter. My father asked the man how people survived in the days before air-conditioning in Texas. The man replied that it never used to get this hot.
June 28, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Bob,
I laughed at this story-love the older gentleman!
I’ve never heard of air conditioning for the car like that, and I wouldn’t have believed it was around so far back..
June 28, 2010 at 1:06 pm
Aircondition outside ncars and office buildings are still rare over here. But what´s the use buying that when we have warm weathar one week every year 🙂 🙂
I read a blog where the blogger said her electricity costed around 4-5 dollars/ kilowatt hour!!! Is that normal? How on earth can You then afford to use the aircondition? Over here they take around 1/3 dollar/kilowatt hour and wee feel we are skinned 🙂 🙂 🙂
Have a great day now!
Christer.
June 28, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Here the electric rate is about eleven cents per kilowatt hour. Where are you located? In Europe all energy is expensive because they have no energy sources and because of high taxes. Here in Texas much of our electricity is produced from natural gas which we produce and nuclear energy.
June 28, 2010 at 2:49 pm
I live in northern Europe, Sweden. But that high prise I´m writing about was from a state in the US and i got quite surprised!
Christer.
June 28, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Christer
The Blogger probably looked at the average daily usage and not the monthly totals and came up with those wacky numbers for you. Here in beautiful Michigan, we average about .14c per KWH including all taxes and service charges.
Our house is somewhat “conflicted” about the amount of air to pour in, especially at night.
June 28, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Christer,
Today was totally beastly-humid and horrible. I sweated whenever I did any sort of activity. The air conditioner in my bedroom is already humming.
My electricity is not at all that costly.
June 28, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Hi Kat
I remember those long summer drives as well. Our early cars had cloth seats which were hot and dusty. Later cars had plastic seats that stuck to your legs. Remember the sound of pulling your damp skin off the vinyl seats? Bleh. My mother used to put towels on the seats and that helped a little bit.
My air conditioner is still in the cellar. It’s too big for me to lug up the stairs and I haven’t gotten around to calling my brother for help. I managed without it last summer so maybe I can do it again. We’ll see.
June 28, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Caryn,
I remember how much it hurt to pull your legs off the vinyl seats. I’ll never forget that sound either. It sounded as if my skin were ripping.
My bedroom is on the third floor of my house and it never gets cool once summer rears its hot, humid head.
June 28, 2010 at 6:24 pm
We can no longer live without AC here in Florida. We would die without it or have to move north. The humidity and 110 temps are like working outside in an oven. Can’t even garden and the daily electric storm tries to cool the environment but if you are on the mainland, not so much. Overnight temps are 88. Good post Kat. Lots of good comments too. I agree that as a kid I don’t think it was so hot, like now, that Air Conditioning was life or death. I remember those wall units and we hardly use them. They made so much noise it was hard to carry on a conversation.
June 28, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Z&Me,
I have a window unit in my bedroom, and that’s it for the air conditioning. I was going to put it in the rest of the house but figured I’d only use it a few days. Most of the time I can sit on the deck with a wonderfully cooling breeze.
I totally understand why you have air conditioning.