Extreme Heat

A couple of weeks ago we had several days that were in the high 90s/low 100 degrees. They reminded me why I like living in Maine and not the deep south somewhere (because normally, ITS NOT THIS HOT IN MAINE!) These days also taught me that if I did live in a climate where it was normally this hot and humid, I would be a completely different person. I would either be a complete b*$^& all the time suffering in a house with no a/c or I would spend all my time indoors at businesses and places that did have a/c. Here's what we did (and tried to do) on that awful 104 degree Friday, because I could NOT entertain the idea of being in our un-air-conditioned house.

1. First we spent the morning at Walmart! I do not like Walmart, it is too bright and big, not to mention the cheap labor issues. BUT it is air-conditioned and there was no way that Calla was going to be able to nap in our oven house. Turns out she didn't sleep at Walmart either, but at least we were cool. I bought a sundress (because I didn't have one that I could nurse in) and changed in the car in the parking lot. Desperate times....

2. We tried to go to Bounce Zone (think big room with TONS of inflatable bouncy houses and slides) but air conditioner was broken (someone had stolen the copper coils?!!)  and a summer camp group was there which made it HOT and CRAZY. So we left.

3. After a picnic lunch outside in the shade with our neighbors, I tried to take both girls to the movie theater to see Winnie the Pooh (about to break all my philosophical rules about not letting Calla watch tv/movies so young) but just as we were getting out of the cool car into the sweltering parking lot, a man told me that the power had just gone out!

4. So then we drove to S. Portland to Borders to try to get A a free book from the Border's summer reading program giveaway. But after finally finding an employee, we learned that they were liquidated the day before and therefore were no longer giving away free books!

5. So after 3 strikes, we drove to the Mall. I do not like Malls, I do not like shopping, and as much as I do not like the environmental implications of air-conditioning, I love BEING IN air conditioning! And with two young kids this was about the only thing I could think of to do to keep us all alive and sane. We spent 5 hours there. 5 HOURS! A and I got pedicures, while C watched from the stroller. A rode in the little rocket ship that for 3 quarters, shakes and wiggles around for 2 minutes. We all rode on the merry-go-round. We did probably 100 laps of the mall. We drank smoothies. I lost my phone and then found it. A rode in the train that does a loop around the Mall, while C and I followed with the stroller. A had several melt downs because after several hours of getting what she wanted she thought that this was her new reality and she could apparently get EVERYTHING she wanted for the rest of her life.

I am SO glad that Maine is not normally this hot. Although I'm a little worried that with global warming, we might be headed in that direction.  Sadly,  the hotter it is, the more people use a/c, which then makes it even hotter, and then more people use a/c. How to break this trend while still keeping your sanity? I do not know.