Friday, August 5, 2011

This is NOT funny!

Today is likely the day that we'll begin to see planned rolling brownouts across Texas.  Unlike other areas of the country that have regional electric production/distribution systems that can shift power from one side of the grid to another in an emergency, Texas is so large it has it's own intra-state system.  And the whole damn state is HOT!


I walked the dog last night at 9 pm and it was still 104.  This morning at 6 am it was 88.  We've set all-time record high low (overnight) temperatures, too.  


We've also been setting electric consumption records (68,000 mega(?) watts) and we've been asked to use as little as possible.  Don't wash clothes in the afternoon when it's the hottest, don't use your ovens or cooktops, turn off lights, etc.  They've even brought back on-line several old mothballed electric generation plants, but it apparently isn't enough.  Now they're gonna turn off our air conditioners through rolling brownouts.


What?  No air conditioning?  OH, THE HORROR!


Somebody tell me again why I'm supposed to love summer?  I'm not feelin' it.


Whatever I did wrong, God, I'm sorry!  Pleeeeeeze.......


S

8 comments:

  1. Wow! I can imagine summer for you must be eternal doom if you do not live by the water man.

    I have lived with those temps for several days but we can get in the water and it usually keeps things cool.

    If it was 105 and I had no where to go it would make for a long day outside. My wife is of Dominican descent and likes the heat even more than I do. I think she could live without air conditioning.

    You acclimate however. Our boys in the Arab world say those temps are rather cool. Personally, I like the heat BUT I am pretty good about picking my spots.

    Anyhow, I'll trade anytime for the heat if you want my fall and winter. My desire is more driven by seasonal affective disorder. I just don't like longer nights and the weather associated with it.

    Would I rather burn up or go through this personal depression?

    Let me burn. It is a secret/personal hell for me when the season goes back to Fall....

    My love of summer and the outdoors is really a survival mechanism. I'm sure I would make it in Colorado although I understand the water is very cold!

    East Coast Beaches rock the house in terms of comfortable swimming temperatures...

    Cheers,
    Bobby

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  2. I'd love to say it's a dry heat, but it's not. And you're right, Bobby, our troops over in the sandbox are Superhuman! This heat with plenty of surrounding water would probably feel pretty good. Unfortunately water has been curtailed too, although we're still allowed a splash with scotch. ;)

    S

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  3. it's the humidity that kills me, not the heat (though in my world I could use some heat... this has got to be the worst summer EVER here). I grew up in dry California heat....loved it. But it has gotten humid there, too.

    I do NOT like the way some stores put the A/C so cold that it feels like a friderator and when you step outside you collapse!

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  4. Our temps generally peak in the mid 80s with a fair amount of humidity, which comes from the large lake about a mile away. It does feel better the closer you get to it, though.

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  5. I feel for you Texas! I'm up to my knees in tit sweat! No A/C for two days, first day was 115 with tons of humidity, second day was 110 with tons of humidity. I'm surprised I'm still alive.

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  6. The humidity isn't bad at all. 20% isn't much. I lived in So Cal for a long time and we would have 100 degree days but not in the desert. Was the same. You get used to it. But the deserts were dryer.

    Hay is going to cost a fortune.

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  7. It's disgusting isn't it? It sucks all your energy away. Blah. I'm sure we have at least another month of it.

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  8. yesterday we had temps of around 86°F, this morning (after thunderstorms in the night and rain) we have only 60°F!! I prefer your heat, honestly I do!

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