Back to Bay Area "Air Conditioning"

I have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for the better part of my life. One of the things that spoils us who live in the area is the "natural air-conditioning" of sea breezes and fog coming off the ocean and down the bay. Every so often the winds, shift, we swelter and some succumb to installing air-conditioning, which puts a greater load on the power grid that we all depend upon. So far, budet constraints have kept me from meeting the temptation head on and giving in to modernity in this technological form.

Last weekend was such a heat wave and I did not come to the computer very much. Without the computer, I have a harder time keeping myself occupied. Fortunately, friends came to my aid by bringing meals and fellowship so that the time went by quickly.

Sears also delivered a fan that I ordered on Wednesday on Friday. This is the fastest service that I think I have ever had for anything purchased on-line. The fan is an 18" pedestal fan and it means business. Industrial strength, it moves air. I have dubbed it the "wind turbine'. Wonderful!

While I was cowering inside, escaping the heat, one of my Amaryllis bulbs bloomed. Here it is.



It is so delicate, almost ethereal, that it was hard to believe it bloomed in the heat. It took my mind off the heat with its cool beauty.

The big Cecil Brunner rose bush in the far corner of my backyard is also blooming beautifully. It has a cool look to it as well, even in the heat.

I am grateful for these flowers. Looking at the Amaryllis this morning in its beauty reminded me of the beauty of God and that I ought to take time to think about that beauty more frequently.

Gadgets and Gizmos

The day went by quickly yesterday even though it was so hot. Today it will be hotter. A friend has lent me a spray mister that has a small, but powerful and effective fan for trial use. (I think I am going to buy one.) When I first saw it, I thought it looked kind of weird and awkward. It is an absolute Godsend. Everyone should have one. It is low tech, doesn't require electricity--survival in case of a power outage and is portable.

Right now at around 8:00 am it is cooler outside by five degrees than it is inside. Cool air is blowing in on me thanks to one of three box fans of varying age that I have in the house. These are fairly low tech too, actually. Faithful and simple in design they plug along year after year. Of course, they don't get used all year round. It doesn't feel like it could possibly become as hot as it is slated to be, but it will, so I need to run around the house closing windows behind me as I go. (Image a slightly elderly lady wheeling around her house wielding a cane. No she is not bats, nor is she chasing anything, the cane allows her to reach her window cranks and open and close, close and open. Tedious, but low tech, adaptable and effective.)

The "new" --nearly ten years old now, but I still think of it as new--furnace came with a programmable thermostat. I am tempted to put a piece of tape over the display. Do I really want to know how hot it is at the end of the day? Won't make me any cooler, but I can't resist looking at it.

My last gadget for this post is a lovely absolutely darling, kitchen toy er tool that scoops cookie dough in just perfect balls to plop on the baking sheet. It is a Pampered Chef goodie and may be ordered by clicking on the link to the right that goes to my niece, Jennifer Knapp's Pampered Chef site. (Shameless plug over.)