Dateline: Hotter 'n Hell, Texas

It's really odd for me to see weather reports from YankeeLand (defined as any place north of the Texas/Oklahoma border...aka the Red River) where it's hotter than it is here in Hell...er...Texas.  We're expecting 104 today, but it will feel more like 110 the weatherguessers warn.  While many will be at the area lakes today trying to keep cool, I won't be one of them.  Lakes just seem dirty to me, plus fish poop in there!

This would be much more my style, except on weekends it seems to be overrun with little kiddlettes.  I'm guessing all the divorced dad's get their DNA for the weekend and park them here while they admire the stunning 'birds' lounging around, showing off their attractive plumage.

Before it gets too much hotter K and I are making a run to the farmer's market for some cantaloupe, watermelon, corn, and whatever else looks good.  Probably have a bite to eat out, too.  I'm also going to Lowe's for some wood filler, as my dog Luke all of a sudden seems to think he's part beaver:

This particular window sits right on the floor, perfect for him to sit and see the world outside.  Apparently he was too lazy to get up and walk to his dog bowl, and this was the result.

That's all for now.  I've got to burn up the roads and get back before the concrete melts.  Stay cool everyone.  

S

The record is ours!

To paraphrase FDR, today, September 13, 2011 is a date that will live in infamy.  Summertime has come back to Dallas for one last hurrah, and today we break the record making this our hottest year ever.  Today will be the 70th day this year that temperatures have made it into triple-digits.  (We normally have 16 days per year at/over 100.)  I hope this isn't the "new normal".


On top of that, because our overnight low temperatures remained so warm (in the mid-to-upper 80's) in August, Texas has taken the record from the 1950's Dust Bowl Oklahoma as having the hottest month EVER recorded in the US, based on average temperature.


Now for the trifecta:  The drought we're now in is the most severe since such statistics began being kept in 1895.  AND our drought is expected to last into 2012.


I'm surprised bookies aren't taking bets on what's coming next: earthquake, volcanic eruption, or swarming locusts.  Hahaha!


S

Playing "air timpani" with Enya

As my idol Alfred E. Neuman once said, "Why be normal?"


I learned long ago I wasn't coordinated enough to play "air guitar", but I can tear a timpani up!  (It's a kettle drum)  Tonight I was sitting around listening to my iPhone/Pod (Aaron Neville, Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, Carla Bruni, Norah Jones, Pink Floyd) and I re-discovered my Enya collection.  She's an awesome Irish female singer/songwriter, really big in Europe.  I wish she'd tour here as I would go out of my way to see her.  And if her timpani player should suddenly take ill, I'm ready!


We got a bit of a break on the heat today....until about 4 pm.  It was cloudy all day until then, and we even got sprinkled on.  Nice!  But late in the day the sun broke through and the temperature shot back up into "Oh Shit!" territory.  We officially topped out at 102 for the 25th straight day of 100 degrees or more.   :(


My favorite OCD client notified us today he was going to be out of town on business until August 8th.  Actually things will soon be much better from my standpoint as my part of his home (structural) is about finished, and now my brother will soon be taking the lead with color selections and the detail stuff.


Hope you have things going your way, too.


S