The Infernal Heat

It is only early June yet the oppressive heat is already with us. Yesterday it was 97 when I left my office. This meant that it was too dangerous to do yard work or to clean out the garage, both chores that I had planned to attack. After the sun went down I did get things out for the trash men and emptied the garage of about fifty cardboard shipping boxes and a pile of shopping bags. I am loathe to throw away boxes and shopping bags because it is such a waste of resources and they can always be reused ... by someone. There comes a time, however, when you can no longer maneuver around your garage and something has to go. By the time I came back inside I was a total sweat ball and I felt icky and sticky. This morning I realized that I hadn't put something out for the garbage collectors and so I zipped out there to throw it on the heap. I almost fainted from the heat. At 7:10 it already is so hot that a sun stroke could occur quickly. I dread thinking about how much hotter it is going to get today. It also makes me worry about the possibility of a tornado hitting this area (my neighborhood). One did in 1987 and seven people died. I know I shouldn't complain because there are people around the world whose lives are so desperate most of us cannot even relate.

Well, it is time for me to get off to work even though OFFICIALLY I am not working until June 27th. Okay ... whining mode OFF!

Addendum and Apology: Mea culpa. I failed to note above that Paul helped me with all exterior chores yesterday, especially the cleaning out of the garage. I always try to give credit where credit is due and am embarrassed that I failed to do so this time.

On another note, when I was leaving this morning I was relieved that neighbor Greg said he had "poached" several things from my trash pile. I feel less wasteful as a result. I hope some other neighbors helped themselves to anything they found useful.