Ways To Handle The Heat

I put this together last week in the middle of our 100+ degree days and posted it on Facebook.  The worst of the heat wave might be past us now, but just in case you need to know.....here's my two cents worth on the subject.

Having lived all but 4 years of my life in the south, I’ve become well acquainted with the how-tos of dealing with high temps (and I mean more than keep water available for the critters, here).  So in the heat of the moment (tehehe) I’m going to give you my best recommends for staying cool as a cucumber.  FYI…these are in no particular order …..except that the first item IS most important….the rest are random.  And no, I didn’t google this….this is life learning here….just for you.

1.        Water.  I would say stay hydrated, but some people think sweet tea hydrates.  It does not.  WATER!  And LOTS of it!

2.       Turn the lights out…psychologically it’ll make you feel cooler.

3.       Take your shoes off or at least wear open shoes.

4.       Wear light colored clothes.  Cotton is my favorite too….who cares if it wrinkles, it’s breezy.

5.       Unless you’re body is trained for it, DON”T exercise in the heat of the day and put yourself at risk.  Change it up a little and workout in the mornings or evenings.  And for heaven’s sake…..don’t mow the grass at 2, 3, 4 or 5 pm!!!  Use common sense.

6.       Fill water bottles 4/5 full, cap and freeze them over night.  In the morning before heading out into the heat, top them off with water and carry along.  As you go through the day the ice will melt and give you cooler water.

7.       Eat cold foods.  Using the stove REALLY heats up the house.

8.       Air conditioners can really only cool your house about 20 degrees less than what the outside temps are (unless you have a larger unit than necessary, which I highly recommend!).  That said, be kind to your equipment and reset the thermostats to match the expected heat wave temps.  You’ll be glad you don’t have to call the a/c repairman when he can’t see you for several weeks out.

9.       Chew/suck on crushed ice.  : )  My favorite is ice from Sonic.  It's like a snow cone without all that sugary syrup....crunch, crunch, crunch.

10.   Leave the windows of your car cracked for air to circulate when parked in the heat.  Believe me, if somebody wants to steal your car or break into it, they don’t need that little window crack to do it. 

11.   When opening a car that’s been parked in the heat for a while, be aware!  Open the door and let the heated air seep out for a few minutes before getting into the car.

12.   If you have leather seats in your car, keep a towel or light blanket handy to put on the seat when you’re wearing shorts or have the kiddos along.  I promise, NOT doing this will give you a hair removal treatment on the back of your legs when you get out of the car that will make waxing seem like a trip to the candy store! 

13.   Fans.  Every room.

14.   Swimming may seem like the logical thing to do in a heat wave….but….no, not so much.  Yes you’re more likely to burn and all that, but….that swimming pool gets heated up, too.  And le’me-tell-ya….iIt feels like a warm bath!  So, unless you want a warm bath on a hot day, swim early or late, not in the heat of the day.  And again, DRINK WATER!  Just because you’re soaking in it doesn’t mean you’re hydrated!

15.   Garden early.  Like 6am.  Then you can sit on the porch and snap beans all afternoon, right?  Lol  Well, I did it…..

16.   Store Noxema or aloe in the fridge for sunburns.  It’ll give you a quick cool down as well as heal the skin. 

17.   And finally……….THINK SNOW!    What you think about determines where you go…..so take you body mentally to a cold place!

What do you recommend to stay cool on a hot day in the south? 

Summer Ten

Summertime presents us with things to do or enjoy that are particular to the season.  I tend to appreciate the snow much more than the heat of summer myself.  But I do have a few things I like to enjoy that are only available during the warm season.  So without further adieu…….

My Summer Ten Favorites 

 10.  Drive In Movies  or Movies on the Lawn (Dr M got me hooked when I

        was four years old.)

  

   9.  Swimming  (At the beach makes it even better!)

  

   8.  Frozen Margaritas and Sister’s Spicy Black Bean Salsa (It just doesn’t

        taste right in the Winter.)

  

   7.  Going Barefoot  (In St. Augustine Grass is the best!   

        Ing (my pedicurist) has a come-to-Jesus with me every time I see

        her.  Well!  : /)

  

   6.  Serenading the Cows (MooOOOoooo!)  Well, this is an all-time

        favorite.  Y’all know that!  : D

  

   5.  Cooking Out on the Grill…Yum!  (I love to put apple wood in my grill

        for that  little somethin' extra, too!)

    4.  Picking Blueberries (….and fresh

         fruits and veggies from the garden)

  

   3.  Fireflies or Lightning Bugs (Another

         joy from my childhood I’m thankful

         to give to my own kids.)

  

   2.  Sleeping in (No school bus pickup 

        at 6:25am! YiPpEe!!!)

        

         And the #1 Summer Ten Favorite is…         

       

AIR CONDITIONING!!!  (Well!  It’s the South, people!  It’s HOT!!!)

So, do you love or hate summertime?  What are your favorite things about the season?   

Bonds of the South

Lately, I’ve been made more aware of the intrinsic bonds of friendship and how women relate to one another in the south. Surrounded by architectural beauty and the charm of an ageless rhythm still presiding in local mannerisms and speech, women in the south are limbs on an ancient tree sheltering each other from the ups and downs of this world, just like the old Oaks at Auburn.

For a southern woman, no heartache is too deep. A southern woman’s arms are far-reaching, able to douse the fiercest flame threatening the frailest branch. Time does not disrupt southern friendship. Death cannot deal the ultimate blow. Southern women love forever, unless scorned. Movies such as: Steel Magnolias, Practical Magic, Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood, Hope Floats, Sweet Home Alabama, and even Terms of Endearment, exemplify a true southern woman’s spirit.

As a former Army brat and wife, I’ve lived a nomadic lifestyle, staying in one place long enough to make close friendships only to have to say goodbye. What I’ve learned in all my travels and experiences is that the world is a very small place. People you think to never see again are the friends you’ll meet somewhere down the road, in places you cannot fathom.

Life is a banquet and friends are there with you to share the feast. Some friendships are meaty, some sweet as a sugary dessert. Others can be bitter, tart, tasteless, even abhorrent, leaving you with an iron grip on the toilet.

True friends are like a recipe you can’t live without. One example is the tried and true southerner’s macaroni and cheese dish that Jean shared this week. Cheryl discussed the ‘fan’tastical ways Tiger and Tide supporters are joining together for a single cause, saving 130 year old Oaks, landmarks at Auburn University. True friendships hold a combination of these traits. Friends never tire of each other and will do whatever it takes to see the other one happy.

There is never jealousy in true friendship. Envy, perhaps, but never jealousy. After all, a friend should always wish a true friend the success he/she has so diligently worked toward. For example: in 2010, when Alabama won the BCS Championship, Cheryl and I were happy for our friends, Jean and Stephanie. Likewise, the same thing happened between us this year as Auburn won the 2011 BCS Championship. Though perhaps a small comparison in the large scheme of things, southerners understand the importance of sportsmanship and friendship, and perhaps that bond has made our relationship stronger.

The word 'south' comes from Old English suth, Middle Low German sut, Old High German sund, and Old Icelandic sudhr, probably before 1300, according to the Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, The Origins of American English Words.

In The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, south is the direction of the earth's rotation, the direction to the right of sunrise, the cardinal point on a mariner's compass, 180 degrees clockwise from north. In the United States, south implies the states lying south of the Pennsylvania and the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi, including those that fought for the Confederacy against the Union in the Civil War.

Southern Living Magazine, Southern Comfort, Southern Hospitality, are just a few things most people recognize about the south. Here’s something more, a personal take on the word south. Are you ready to play?


S ─ Sunshine, seaside resorts, sipping tea or mint juleps, sharing, and simple ways.

O ─ Outside parties, open bars, okra, oranges, and Orange Beach.

U ─ Under the Tulip Tree, umbrellas, undercover heroes, and Upside-down Cake.

T ─ Tulip Trees, tree-lined drives, cool glasses of tea, antique treasures, and trust.

H ─Healing, helpers, Antebellum Homes, history, Heart of Dixie, and humble.


I'm ever grateful for the friends that have been my mariner's compass, especially those who share their time with me beneathe the Tulip Tree.

What does the word s-o-u-t-h and the friendships you enjoy mean to you?