More Cooling Tips

As the heat wave wanes and I give thanks, I am thinking of more things to do to keep cool that are homely and inexpensive.

Stay hydrated. Water is best. It will seem like a delicious treat with a bit of ice. Keep a pitcher or refrigerator bottle full in the refrigerator. Pour the cold water into a glass over ice. Fill a reusable bottle three-quarters full and freeze overnight.
Now you can carry your ice-water with you wherever you go.

Wring a small towel or cloth out in cold water and put on your head or drape around your neck.

Spray mist yourself with water in a spray mister. (Put some ice in the mister bottle.) Don't overdue it. You want to cool yourself, not make a mess!

Lie down during the hottest hours, if you possibly can.

Eat cold meals so that you don't heat the kitchen and yourself. This is a great time for simple sandwiches and salads. Eat lightly. Put fruit in the refrigerator after you wash it so that you will have a cool treat.

Prepare meals in the morning and put the food in the fridge.

Slow down. If you need supplies, make lists and make one trip in the morning.

Follow the sun. Do things in the coolest parts of the house.

Dress appropriately. Light colored, light weight clothing that is loose-fitted will help you stay cool.

None of these ideas cost much money, but they are tried and true. They do not require going somewhere else to escape the heat, but allow one to cool in place--conserving resources in the process.

Winter is here!

Technically, winter may still be three weeks away but we are having a blast of cold Canadian air this weekend to remind us that weather is not under our control and even in Silicon valley is not always perfect! Very, very glad I don't live in Canada--or anywhere really cold. It is supposed to become cloudy tonight and therefore warmer.

Since it seems that wherever I set the thermostat, the furnace is going to run, I have set it back a bit and found my great outdoor vest to zip on. This is a garment made from polar fleece and wool. I have never seen another made from this mix--and would like more.

Even inside, a hat helps warm me and I wear knitted caps all winter long both day and night. (Remember, "Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap" from the Night before Christmas? There was a reason for that!)

Two pairs of socks help insulate my feet from the cold floor. A footstool or old pillow would help here. Our ancestors opted for the footstool. Most of the time I elevate my feet on another chair so they are level with my wheelchair seat. This counteracts the swelling from post-polio syndrome and lymphedema that I need to combat all year round and makes it easy to wrap up in a fleece throw.

Fingerless gloves help too. In fact, last year about this time I posted my directions for making fingerless gloves, also called wristers, on my Knitting soothes my troubles away Squidoo lens. Wristers make great Christmas presents, if you knit and they knit up very quickly. Some of my favorite yarn sources are posted on that lens too.

Even indoors, I wear a scarf or neck warmer all winter too. Neck warmers are also very easy to knit--just knit a tube. They are essentially the neck of a turtleneck, nothing more and ultra simple.

Last night I let my knitting fall to the tray table I set up across my lap and just enjoyed the Hallmark movie A Grandpa for Christmas. It was charming. I went to bed comforted and warm for a "long winter's nap".

Tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent. It is one of the most beautiful times of the year in the Liturgy and, I think, the one season that the feminine most comes to the fore. It is such a shame that it gets lost in the shuffle of the commercial bustle. We need to reclaim it. (Wear a button proclaiming I keep Advent from my cafepress store--shameless promotion here--and join me in reclaiming this lovely season.)