Cursed by the Gods of Heat
7:55 PM - Wednesday, Jul. 16, 2003
I have foolishly joked in recent days that I did not mind the heat as long as I had my air conditioning. Laugh, haha! I said at those who complained of the heat. Not I! It is miserably hot, but I run from the blast of the A/C in the house to the A/C of the car. No worries with frigid air blowing on me.
The Gods of Heat and Sweat looked down upon me and laughed--haHA! Today as I made my way to my parents' house, a 45 min drive minimum, I realized, with more than a little chagrin, that the A/C in the car had died. Gone. No trickle of cold air. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Ok, you get the point. Fortunately, it was still morning and the temp had only climbed to about 90. On the way up, I managed to keep the vents blowing and made it with minimum discomfort.
Not so on the return trip. I do believe the temps had climbed to 142 degrees (farenheit or celsius, it doesn't matter). The humidity had to be 211%. I don't care if that is not possible. It was hot and humid and sticky. There is one strip of a few miles between their house and the main highway that has numerous stoplights. Joy, oh joy, I managed to hit every single one!! Brought back memories of my childhood, riding in cars without A/C. No cars had them back them in the stone age, you know. Traveling anywhere was fine out on the open highway, but every highway went through dozens of little towns with 30 mph posted limits and at least one stop light. The heat would build up and build up until we were finally back on the open road. I had not thought of that in years, but it all came back today. And back then, we had no A/C in the house, nor in the cars, so we were much more acclimated to the heat.
I would like to state very strongly now that I am NOT acclimated to heat. I was not meant to be out in the heat. I am not a pretty girl when I am sweaty. I am not a happy girl when rivulets of water are coursing down my body and puddling in every little crevice (and I have many, I assure you).
I had to pick up son#1 at the high school. Of course, he was running late after his lesson. I parked in the only shade I could find, got out of the car and stood where the breeze helped cool me a bit. I was wearing a denim skirt and frankly, it was all I could do to keep from lifting it up and letting the breeze do a little more cooling. I figured getting arrested for indecent exposure in the high school parking lot while my son and friends stood by and watched would not be prudent. So I restrained myself.
Finally, he came out with a buddy and I picked them up. Drove to the friend's house to drop him off. THEN had to drive to another friend's house in the next town over to pick him up to spend the night with my son. We called ahead and begged him to be ready to dive into the car as I drove past so we wouldn't lose what cooling we might have achieved on the drive over. I needn't have worried. We achieved no cooling on the drive over.
All told, I was in the car for almost two solid hours. I was sitting in quite a little puddle by the time we made it home to blessed, wonderful, praise be to the gods of A/C, cool house.
I really wish I had not had two teenage boys in my house because this would have definitely been the time to strip down and hit the pool. Again, I realized this would not be a wise move on my part (see previous entries for other stories of wild hilarity that ensues when old parents go skinny dipping with sons at home). Oh well.
I made it and I am NOT driving anywhere in that dadgum car again until it is fixed.
We had planned to take two cars on our trip this weekend. Yes, it is ridiculous, I know. The reasons for such a goofy plan are too numerous to list here. I had agreed with the understanding that I would drive my precious Lexus which was ripped away from my possession months ago. The hub could drive the Buick. I was actually looking forward to a long drive with possibly one boy, possibly no boys. I have my book on CD ready to go. I am up for a road trip! Now those plans may be dashed. Ah well, I would say that as long as the A/C in the Lexus works, I won't complain. But we know where optimism like that got me today!!
