Missouri Heat

With school starting, I have come to realize I've survived another Missouri summer.

Anyone that knows me, knows I despise the heat. I probably despise it more than most. I haven't always been this way. I use to adore the heat of summer, spending every day at the lake that I possibly could or lay out in the sun to get that awesome tan every mid-20's year old wants. I grew up in a house that did not have air. I was accustomed to not having air conditioning from early on.

I'm blaming my old job at Silver Dollar City where I had to wear flight pants, button up shirts and heavy black boots to work when I picked up shifts. Combine that with black asphalt, enormous treks up and down SDC hills and a heavy EMS backpack and it made for some pretty miserable shifts. Those water rides at the bottom of the hills didn't help much either. Add the humidity to the heat and it was even more miserable. I few times down there, I overheated. I got so dehydrated and over heated I remember turning pale, horribly cramping, severe nausea and actually quit sweating for a short time. Now that is HOT. That was my last summer at SDC. After that, I worked Fall and Winter months there when NO ONE else liked to work because of the cold or I picked up shifts at White Water or Branson Belle where I could enjoy my air conditioned office or boat and most people came to me when they needed help.

Since that summer though, I've been intolerant of heat. Some say it's the fair skin and some other things but I think once you overheat that much, you become more sensitive to heat (and I read it somewhere too).

How do I stay cool during the hottest days of summer? Basically, I go from one air conditioned environment to another. I can only think of a couple of events that I stayed outside for extended amount of time since about mid June. When I go to get in my truck during the afternoons (which incidentally tend to be about 60 degrees higher) I will turn on the ignition while buckling kids in to blow out the heat before I have to get in.

I also do all my shopping, or us much as possible, in the early morning or late evening. I basically don't plan any events in the afternoon unless it's the pool. In those cases, I'm the first to jump in.

Our friend Rob was stationed in Minot, ND a few years back and I truly remember being just slightly envious as summer was approaching Missouri. Unlike others, I'm quite fine living in ice and snow for a majority of the year.

The past few days, it's been mid 80's. This is completely tolerable for me. I actually like the first of summer and the last of summer. Warm days and cool nights are where it's at.

I was trying to think of any good things of our "dog days" of summer. Ice cold beer maybe (not just refridgerated). Something about beer on ice makes it taste better for some reason. BBQ's are another thing but it's gotta be late in the day. I am NOT a fan of picnics in 95 degree weather. The kids bouncing in the yard under a sprinkler and swimming at the pool. Emily is my fish and took swimming lessons this summer and Ethan FINALLY likes the water this year. I actually had a good time swimming with them this summer.

And on that note, I love this pic I found on the internet: