kitty companiona

kitty companiona

Friday, July 22, 2011

Trying to Beat the Heat

As everyone who lives in the northeast and lots of other places across the country, we are in the grip of a major heat wave.  The temperatures here for the last few days have been hovering around the triple digits.  We don't usually need air conditioning because our house is surrounded by large shady trees.  Yesterday and today A/C was a necessity if we wanted to be able to catch a breath.  Our air conditioner is a small one and only is effective in two rooms.  Right now those rooms are the kitchen and Zip's flytying and guitar playing area.

I moved one of my sewing machines to the kitchen table so I could at least do some work.  I haven't been very productive because even with the A/C it's not exactly COOL!  Just barely bearable!

I do not like the having to close all the windows and doors.  It makes me feel closed in.  In summer I LIKE all the windows open with the breeze blowing.  I remember as a child, Mom and Dad did the 'closing of the house' thing with all the windows closed at a certain early time in the morning to conserve the little bit of coolness from the night.  All the curtains and window blinds were pulled shut to keep out the sun.  We sat around in stifling darkness every summer afternoon.  Then late in the evening, the house could be opened up again.  It used to drive me bonkers!

I was so thankful this afternoon when a small front of cooler air went through and we could turn off the A/C and open up the house.  The kitties loved it too.  One of their favorite places is on the windowsills.

They did attempt to find their own cooler spots during the hottest part of the day.

Some cornhusks right out of the fridge are a cooling treat for Deiter and Izzy.


Reggie likes to lay on the cool metal of the woodstove.


Mom and Tippy have the fan and a book on CD to enjoy while hooking.  In fact, hooking is all I've wanted to do while sitting and sweating.  My sheep is now done except for finishing the edge.  Picture next time.


Deiter finds the porcelain bathroom basin to be a nice cool bed.


I never thought I would hear this from Zip who HATES the cold.  But today he said at least with cold you can put on a sweatshirt, wrap up in a blanket or throw another log on the fire.  With the heat, you just can't get away from it.

I want to show you a picture of one of my young willow trees.  Two years ago this tree was a little stick in a bucket of dirt, given to my by my friend Dottie.  In just two years it's taller than Zip.They are so beautiful!  And grow so fast.  A all it takes to start one is a small branch from another willow tree.



Hope you are keeping cool!

22 comments:

  1. Hi Pat....I'm with you about not caring for the long cold winters. I just posted the same thing on my blog too.
    I like all of your pics but the one of the kitty in the bath room sink is just too cute!
    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh Pat, I just love the picture of Deiter in the sink! I am doing something similar to him in the picture right now, sitting in the bathtub filled with cool water. I wanted it cold, but it is even coming out of the faucet tepid. My mom did the same with our house in the summer too. They must have read something in the Good Housekeeping magazine around the same time on how to cool down the house and put your children in a state of depression. I think it was all about control even back then!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm going to join the other two Lindas with my expression of how much I enjoyed the photos of cats trying to keep cool!! So cute! My cat is sleeping on his perch on the screen porch....he can't take being cooped up inside even if it is over 90 degrees on the porch at 8:30 at night!

    ReplyDelete
  4. i am with you on the open windows. We are in two rooms also waiting for the heat to break. tonight is beautiful still warm but with a breeze and no humidity. Love the way the cats stay cool
    Cathy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Pat,
    I know what you are going through! We have central air and it drives me nutty to not have doors and windows open! We have been painting the living room and I thought I was gonna die today with the paint smell! Finally turned off the air for awhile and opened everything up for the afternoon! But the AC is back on tonight!
    The kitties are so smart in finding the cool spots! Have you and Zip tried laying in the bathtub?
    I'll be thinking of you out there and hoping some cooler weather comes your way! Keep on hookin' as I think it's the only thing that helps keep us sane! lol!
    Hugs!
    Cathy G
    P.S. I loved your comment on my last silly blog post! Even as hot as it is I can't sit around with no ....... on! lol! To think of leaving the house without it...... no way Jose'!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love the pic of Deiter in the sink. His expression is priceless!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I do feel for you Pat. The last few years we have had that horrible suffocating heat and I cannot fuction in it. Spent more time laying on the bed under the fan that anything else.
    Thankfully, this year it is not here, instead we have the rain and cloud, We're still moaning though. Never satisfied are we.
    I think Reggie and Dieter are the cleverest, cold metal and porcelain, you can see Deiter's face say's it all.
    Hope Zip is still okay
    Briony
    x

    ReplyDelete
  8. Archie and Jimmy are sink-sitters at our house too!!!

    I've never really cared for A/C (I like the hot weather) but this week it was essential or it would have been impossible to sleep. The heatwave seems to have broken and we had a little rain last night. Soon enough the snow will be back - LOL!

    I love your willow they are such beautiful trees :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. That Deiter is too much. I just love the darling look on his face. My mother also did the close the house up thing in the summer. I like light and breezes. Yesterday was the worst for us...104. Hubby finally talked me into putting the AC in the bedroom. I fought him, but I was too miserable and finally caved in. Then, I spent the day in there reading. I happily ate chilled crow.
    Stay cool!!
    Courtney

    ReplyDelete
  10. The heat wave hasn't hit us yet but the weather channel says it's on the way. I agree with Zip, I'd rather be cold than too hot. We have no A/C at home so things could get ugly....lol. Great photos of the kitties trying to stay cool but that Deiter takes the cake. He looks like he is thinking "ahhhhh I'm sooo cool".
    I hope you get a break in the weather soon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Pat.......back again. I think it is official......you need to make the pic of Deiter in the sink a greeting card! Seems it is a favorite of a lot of us!
    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  12. The weather finally broke in Northern Michigan and things are a little cooler here now. No AC here...we usually don't need it. However, a few days ago I would have given just about anything to have one! Perhaps I should have taken Deiter's advice and curled up in the bathtub. He looks awful happy in that sink!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Pat ~
    I love all the kitty pics, but I'm with everyone else on the "Deiter in the sink" picture. I think it could be an award winner!
    Last summer my central a/c was broken and too old to have fixed. I opted for a new unit this year and I am thankful I did. I would prefer open windows, but not when it's this hot and humid. In spite of it all, I will still take this over winter any day of the week.
    Pug hugs :)
    Lauren

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh I love that photo of Deiter in the sink ...his expression is brilliant. If we ever get a heat wave I have been known to put ice cubes in the water bowl ...shame they cant unzip their coats. Hopoe Zip is stlii doing well xx

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow Pat, I'm impressed that you have already finished your sheep rug. Way to go girl...

    Deiter wins the photo contest this time. Too cute. It must be hot with a fur coat on in this heat, the poor things. The heat is hard on the cattle too. They were a bit restless today it seems.

    I don't have an AC and I open the windows early in the morning and close them as soon as the heat start and our house is an open plan and stays cool longer. The office gets stifling and I have a fan on full blast. I've been eating more ice cream than I should today.

    I hope that you and Zip are still doing great with healthy habits.
    Hugs. JB

    ReplyDelete
  16. The picture of Deiter in the sink is wonderful. What a face!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I used to have a cat that liked the sink too. Leave it to a cat to find the coolest thing to lay on/in!

    I love your work! That is so cool!

    Thank you for joining me!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Can you hear one more "love Dieter in the sink" comment? That is the dearest picture!! And I so sympathize with you ~ if we didn't have air, I wouldn't be able to move. I'm trying to change my attitude toward this sweltering heat but I am having a hard time making that adjustment! Stay as cool as you can and think fall!! I swear I can smell fall in the air the last couple of days!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Once again... Deiter steals the show!!!! He's smiling in that cool sink! lol! I agree last week's was unbearable... especially Thurs thru Sat... it was hot in the house even with the a/c on.... looking forward to seeing your rug update! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Morning Pat! OM MY on the cat in the sink! This
    should be in a magazine or calendar! TOO sweet...I saw where you had just posted on my blog. I wish your hubby the best on cutting back on his coffee and the other also. It has to be so hard...I love my coffee!!!! It is still cooking here in Indiana. YUK is what I say to this....Have a wonderful day and give your cats a hug for me!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I'm going to try commenting and postingiing on on your blog as "anonymous" and see what happens. So you know its just good old me "Barb".

    Our parents must have come from the same school when it came to keep the house cool in the summer. It was very effective until the late afternoon they it felt like a big old box of nothing but hot air. Like you we only have a small window air conditioner but I am not pay the money it would take to put in central air. Just not worth it.

    I am so happy my studio is in the basement. Cool and comfy all year long. Keep cool.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi Pat! Your cats are adorable. It reminds me of the time I cat-sat for a friend of mine and woke up to one a cat on my forehead, another on my chest and a third under tucked in between my arm pit. LOL! If only my spouse wasn't allergic.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting!