Western Washington had a late start to summer after a horribly long, cold, wet, and gray spring. But! As of this week, we officially crossed the 90-degree (Fahrenheit) threshold, joining the rest of the northern hemisphere in this epic heatwave.
I’m cold—think ice-cube toes and frigid ankles—about 80% of the year, so I generally avoid complaining about hot weather. Even before I had AC in my home, I did not start grumbling until day five. I love soaking in the heat and letting it relax my bones until I’m no longer a scrunched-up, shivering mass.
Summer is my favorite season. The sun. The growing vegetables. The grilling. Only one thing could improve summer, if—sorry twelve-year-old me—children were still in school! To be fair, I would give them two-week vacations periodically throughout the year in exchange. We could even stagger the school breaks between states, so no one has an overcrowded vacation spot.
All kidding aside, I would love to keep my summer heat without the global record high temperatures. Locally, several parks are turning on their sprinklers and setting up cooling stations for people to stop by. We have a low percentage of households in Western Washington with AC. I believe it is less than half, with a good portion of the rest only having a window AC. I know, from personal experience, that nights can get rough after a few days when even overnight temps and open windows will not cool down the house.
My pre-AC strategy: light clothes, hang out in cooler rooms, close off rooms getting the most sun, stay hydrated, use damp wash clothes, and take cold showers. It is also fortunate a main hobby of mine is reading because I can veg out with a book, unmoving, during the hottest parts of the day.
Whatever you do to stay cool, try to take some time to enjoy the great things about the summer season. Happy grilling!
Tiffany Shearn 