The migraine has gone off, whimpering, into its corner, where I hope it will stay for ages and ages. Thanks for all the nice words and feel-betters yesterday!
I know at least one other Arizona blogger has mentioned how hot it is here (I’m thinking of Ann at Velvet Lava. Be sure to go read about her cell phone hickey.). Maybe all of you in the rest of the country will say “Yeah, yeah, it’s not the heat it’s the humidity that’s tough to take.” (And because I grew up in Missouri, I actually do believe that.)
But when it’s 110, it’s hot. I was out for most of the afternoon with Girl, and by the time I left the grocery store (errand #5) I was ready to go home and fill the bathtub with cold water and my prickly self.
And maybe I would have set my sights on that cold bath, if not for something the owner of Girl’s favorite store, The Princess Palace, said to me when I complained bitterly made a remark about the heat.
She said she could handle this kind of heat, because living here is better than being in parts of the Midwest right now, where her friend lost everything in the flooding. And it was better than being in parts of California, where wildfires are devouring the landscape. (We could have the fires here, too, but so far we’ve been lucky.) And, of course, we rarely see a tornado.
She reminded me that it’s not so bad to go from air-conditioned house to air-conditioned car to air-conditioned store and back again. “Believe me, I’ll take this kind of heat over any of that, any day.”
Her words didn’t cool me off, but I didn’t grumble about the heat for the rest of the day.
And how could I complain about any part of the afternoon I had? Boy was at a friend’s house, so Girl and I went out to lunch and got our nails done. And then she got to do some crafts at her favorite store. We did a couple of other errands, and it was a great afternoon. But there were moments when all I wanted was to go home and cool off (like when ohmygod I could barely touch the steering wheel even though I had the window shades in place while we were inside the nail place).
The woman in the store gave me some perspective that could have come off as a bit of tsk tsk, but didn’t. She had a steady bead on her own luck, and she let me look down the sight for a moment, too, to fix my aim on a better target. I felt properly (though cheerfully) chastened. Aside from a few squabbles between the kids, and some overall worries (which, let’s face it, will always be there, on some sort of rotating schedule), there was nothing actually difficult about my day. She set me straight.
I needed it.
And then I went home and drank an ice-cold beer.
The end.
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
So glad you are feeling better. I know that kind of heat really magnifies my migraines.
It is good to get perspective checks from people, isn’t it?
And ice cold beer feels good.
JCKs last blog post..One little boy the bravest of all
And that beer, I imagine, never tasted better! That’s the thing about this life, isn’t it? There’s always worse to make us feel better about our particular miseries. I remember complaining bitterly about the week we endured in Miami, post-Katrina, no power, no A/C, the most oppressively humid and horrible seven days of my existence. And when the power came back and we were able to watch the t.v. and see the devastation in New Orleans, well, we all felt like a bunch of thankless babies for our moaning. And so there is always worse to put us in our places.
Oooh, ice cold beer is wonderful during a heat wave.
I do think humidity is worse, but yes, there are things that are much worse than high heat – not when your bare legs hit the hot leather, though. Ouch!
Peace – D
D / Mommas last blog post..Happy Birthday, Bodhi!
Glad to hear you’re feeling better!
Attila the Moms last blog post..A Little Ass in Your Glass
Ice cold beer makes it allllllll goooooood!
Mrs. Schmittys last blog post..New Blog!
Glad you are feeling better. Here’s to cold beer…or a nice shot of whiskey. Whatever gets you through.
Hot is Hot.. humidity makes it worse and harder to breathe .. someone I know in Upstate NY was whining about it not being hot enough to use her outdoor pool .. I am so not feeling her pain
Daryls last blog post..
It’s embarrassing to be set straight, but sometimes much needed!! Thanks for the reminder. I complain about the heat here too, but really, it’s not so bad compared to the things you mentioned above.
Nice reality check!
Rheas last blog post..Neon paint, loud music and stinky feet, oh my!
Humidity is worse – it saps the will to live out of you. I’ve been in the desert with 110-degree heat, and I prefer it to 90 degrees with humidity at 95 percent.
However, you can keep your scorpions…
suburbancorrespondents last blog post..Score One For Darwin
So glad that headache is gone. Those are just so unfair really. My son is in AZ. I think about him all the time. Stay cool and glad you can see the greener side of where you live. You did have a great day.
Jans last blog post..It’s picnic time mixed with random
I see Americans in general as a whining victimized society that is a result of all the attorneys and liberal media that we see now-a-days. In looking back through old photographs of Phoenix in the 1920 through the 1940s, most folks wore white cotten and never wore shorts or short sleave shirts in the summer. They had no A/C and relied on swamp coolers if they had one. They swam in the canals and actually had a private trolly system. Now we have A/C everywhere, pools, shorts, sun screen and we are finally getting a new light rail system….but we complain??? Makes me think we would have been suicidal back in the 1930s.
Bruces last blog post..My – POV [Miss Helga]
Using potholders to open the car door here. I feel your pain.
apathy lounges last blog post..Further proof that your average phone salesperson struggles mightily with geography…
Somehow I can appreciate my luck and be HOT at the same time.
Jenn @ Juggling Lifes last blog post..MotherTalk Book Review: A Summer Affair And A Giveaway
You know, when someone says they have the flu, do we say “at least it’s not CANCER!!”?
I am here, in AZ. News, people? It is HOT.
flutters last blog post..fire in the sky
Every girl deserves an ice cold beer on a 110 degree day. Damn, girl, that is some HOT weather. Complain away.
the mama bird diariess last blog post..simple ways to save the environment – ditch the plastic bags
It’s not the heat, it’s the stupidity.
I really can’t stand it when someone makes you feel like the stuff you’re dealing with isn’t bad.
I remember feeling all unsettled and upset when the house was taken apart for the renovations. Because of my history, I NEED (yes, NEED) to feel like my home is stable and safe. When I was complaining about it, someone pointed out to me that at least I wasn’t living in the back of my car. EXCUSE ME?! Is that supposed to make me FEEL better? What an asshole.
Look – someone’s ALWAYS got it better than you and someone’s ALWAYS got it worse. Life is not a game of comparisons. I never try to demean ANYONE’S experience, ever.
Still, the cold beer does sound like a nice solution to the heat problem.
Mrs. Chilis last blog post..Ten Things Tuesday
Aaah Jennifer, I am always refreshed when I come over here. You set ME straight and help with the perspective.
Glad you had a good day with Girl.
Crazycaths last blog post..ABC Wednesday – X
I have an award for you at my place….
Crazycaths last blog post..Flinging the Bling that makes Me Sing
Man, I remember that 110 heat in southern California, and 90+ humidity in Florida. Either way, *cheers* to a/c and beer 🙂
Sandy (Momisodes)s last blog post..The Puppets Must Have Called Out Sick
I was going to blather on about how much I wilt in the heat, but then I read Mrs. Chili’s comment and I was struck by how real her words were. Reese Witherspoon once said, “everybody’s got their own set of problems” (even a celebrity like her) and it’s so true to me. I often try and minimize my frustrations by saying, “at least I’m not living in poverty somewhere” or “at least I don’t have cancer” as if the whole “it could be worse” thing should make me feel better. But the truth is that each of us can only see things from our perspective and our experiences. Discomfort to one person might be a luxury to another, but it doesn’t make it any less uncomfortable for the former.
Anyway. I’m rambling and I don’t think that made any sense, but my point is, 110 is stinking HOT by anyone’s standards. Humidity or not. It’s HOT. Damn HOT. And you have the right to complain because it’s bloody uncomfortable. Having said that, kudos to you for adjusting your perspective despite your discomfort. You are a truly wise lady!
Carolyns last blog post..happy canada day!
Oh how true. It is a good reminder for me. I don’t want to be with flooding or heat. I am grateful for the great NW and I promise not to grumble anymore.
Jules~s last blog post..
I heard once that you should always end any story with the line : And then I found five bucks.
I think I’m going to start ending mine with: And then I went home and drank an ice-cold beer.
Sports Mamas last blog post..Its Possible You Now Know More About Me Than My Husband
So glad your migraine is gone! (mine is still here…*sigh*)
It’s been very hot here in Germany, and also humid, and I don’t have air conditioning…but we’re doing okay. Thanks for the reality check.
dragonflys last blog post..In which I talk about my son and then ask for a bit of advice.
Aw geesh, I cannot argue with her! I cannot.
I don’t want to brag or anything….well maybe just a little? We just arrived in MN for a little family visit and am sitting by a lake – a LAKE – and there is water – there is WATER! And foliage! Shocking, all of it.
I will be late in catching up on all of your posts, but will appreciate them no less. 🙂
Anns last blog post..Tag, I’m It!
I have a friend here who is ALWAYS complaining about the weather. ALWAYS. She says it is too hot to do anything. ANYTHING. She says this to me on the phone as I am off to a pool or a mall or an indoor playarea or a restaurant or a….
Drives me insane. She is moving in a few weeks to
San Diego so hopefully she will be in a place where she can do something. ANYTHING.
HRHs last blog post..When Holly left the spa the spa employees needed a spa day…
Have you tried the Passion Fruit Shaken Iced Teat lemonade from Starbucks? Totally hits the spot when I’m hot. But I don’t like beer.
A lot of times people say things they shouldn’t. Like I don’t think the person really should have said those things to you. But sometimes whether or not we SHOULD say something doesn’t mean it is or is not true. Good for you for not being offended and being willing to think about it and blog about it–in her favor.
Louises last blog post..“I Like the Horse Part of the Parade”
I grew up in the Tucson area. I feel your pain and drink your beer.
Whits last blog post..Happy 4th of July
Catching up on my reading ….
Easy to feel guilty when we complain and (seemingly) the rest of the planet has it worse than us. But still, we’re entitled to blow off some steam/frustration/rants, especially when it’s 110.
Just Jamies last blog post..A Plea To De-Lurk My Friend