It wasn’t that long ago that I used this space to whine — yes, I admit to whining — about the cold and the snow and the ice. I believe I also warned that once it got hot, I’d be whining about that, too.
So now I’m out to prove myself wrong.
Iowans had a horrific start to summer — a devastating tornado in Parkersburg, historic flooding that left thousands of Eastern Iowans homeless — but when it comes to the temperatures and humidity, it really hasn’t been that bad. Maybe it’s a reprieve for having to deal with everything else, but when Friday’s steamy temps hit the 90s, I really didn’t mind. It was, after all, mid-July and it was the first really sticky day we’ve had.
Over most of the last decade I have done an about face and actually become more tolerant of the hot summers of Iowa; in fact, I mostly enjoy them. I’ve learned to golf, which makes spending time outside much more enjoyable, and even as a redhead I’ve grown to appreciate the sun.
Still, on days like Friday, there’s only so much a person can — and should — take. Like the people I talked with at Noelridge pool, the first thing I would do, if I weren’t working, is spend a day in the water. I love swimming, or just spending enough time in the water to get cooled off before laying out (with sunscreen — did I mention the red hair?!) and enjoying the warmth.
There are other things to do that let you get out of the house and yet enjoy air conditioning or cooler conditions. Go see a movie, or rent one and bring it home. Go to the library. Get a book and hit a coffee house and get an iced coffee. Have a picnic under a shade tree. Make homemade ice cream. Eat a popsicle. Run through the sprinklers. Have a water balloon fight with your kids.
Beating the heat doesn’t necessarily have to mean avoiding it. In my world, it means enjoying it.
