Thursday, June 16, 2022

"Feels LIke" It's Approaching Wet-Bulb Conditions


Well, there you go. And you honestly can't even tell that it's been mopped, can you? That's because those are naked pine boards whose grain has been worn down over the years. Not the years of this house- the floors in the kitchen are relatively new. And they're modern pine, not the very, very old pine that the floors in the original part of the house were made of which is almost as hard as cement. 
Not only do they not make 'em like they used to, they can't make 'em like they used to because we've used up all that truly beautiful old growth wood already. 

So I find myself alone this evening. Mr. Moon has gone to the coast to fish for two days. I think it's snapper season. Or something. And as you know by now, I do not mind being alone and besides that, I won't be tomorrow as the Lily Crew will be back over while Mama is at work. I have no idea what's in store as for activities but I do know that we ain't gonna be outside. 



Once again I tried to get out for my walk earlier and I did, but it wouldn't matter if I walked at five a.m. It just feels like a blast furnace outside no matter the time of day. See that "feels like" temp? 
I remember when I used to live in Denver and during the winters I was in a constant state of anxiety because what if all the electricity suddenly went out? We would all die of the cold. Or at least that's what it felt like. Any available wood, up to and including furniture would have all been burned in a week. Being so unused to living in such a cold climate, I truly did worry about that a lot. I always said that I'd rather be hot than cold because at least if you're hot, you can find a way to cool off- generally involving water to immerse yourself in- but lately, I've been having similar anxiety about this heat and what would happen if we lost electricity and thus, our air conditioning. 
Have you ever heard of "wet-bulb" conditions? I had not until a few days ago. According to an article in Vice, this is what wet-bulb conditions are:

"Wet bulb temperature is the point at which humidity and heat hit a point where evaporation due to sweat no longer works to cool a person."
And then they die. 

I feel certain that we are going to be hearing a lot more about wet-bulb and that is not good news in any way. Even the name sounds horrible. 

After my walk today I have about decided that there is no way that the benefits of that sort of exercise in this heat override the real danger of heatstroke. I literally get a bit nauseous and I'm not good for much else the entire day. Forget the garden. If I get things picked, it's a miracle. The thought of kneeling on that hot dirt and weeding is overwhelming. I forced myself today to hang clothes outside and while bringing them in a little while ago, I had sweat coming off me in sheets. Not drops. Sheets. 
But how in hell can you rationalize using a dryer in the house when clothes pinned outside will dry in an hour? My air conditioner which was new last year (I think) is struggling to keep the house cool. And I live under trees which provide deep and lovely shade. Still- it makes little difference. 

I spent a few hours today on the couch, knitting, watching the January 6 congressional hearings. 
First of all, can I say that I love Rep. Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the committee? I could write an entire essay on why that is but for now, I'll just say that he looks and sounds like the sort of man whom I've always thought of as wise and kind and highly principled. I am so glad that he is there, asking questions, being attentive, keeping track, being the voice of decency and law. 
Liz Cheney is brave. No way around it. As most of her fellow elected Republicans have lost any molecule of spinal matter they may have ever had, she has stood strong. 
After today's testimony, I suppose I could say that I'm surprised at how Pence withstood the pressure that Trump put on him and how brave he was to stay within the Capitol confines during the insurrection so as not to be seen as running from his responsibilities but too little, too late in my opinion. How he can call himself a good Christian and a man of moral belief after four years of knowing what he knew about Trump and sticking with him, is beyond me. 
Still. Thank god he did. 

As I watch these hearings I keep hoping that Trump supporters are watching them too but I doubt they are. For one thing, Fox News isn't covering them. For another thing, I know that when humans who have believed so fiercely in something, whether a religion or a political party's lies, are incredibly loath to seek the truth about them and if they ARE presented with those truths, often double-down on their beliefs out of an unwillingness, I suppose to admit that the things they've so fervently believed could be false, thus in a way, making great parts of their lives a lie. 
They/we just dig the holes we are hiding our heads in deeper and deeper. 

But I will say that if Trump doesn't end up in prison, history will not be kind to us. 

Well. I need to go put the kitchen back together. The smell of Fabuloso and white vinegar is strong and of course that always makes me happy. I did two moppings although three or four would have been more appropriate. 
Ah well. 

Love...Ms. Moon


38 comments:

  1. Please stop trying to take walks in this heat! It isn't worth it to end up having a heatstroke not to mention just how downright miserable it is outside.

    I also love Bennie Thompson and admire Liz Cheney's courage. The horror of Jan 6th and the months leading up to it will always be with me, I think. And I don't think I'll ever forgive the people who still support Trump.

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    1. I'm pretty sure that I have to quit walking in this heat. It truly could kill me.
      I don't think I'll ever forgive the Trump supporter's either. Mostly, I just don't understand how anyone could support him. I am baffled but yes, also very angry.

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  2. I watched the hearing today too and even tho Pence stood his ground and his staff is testifying, I wonder why none of them said anything BEFORE Jan. 6th. Why didn't they all speak up and let the public know that Trump was lying and that he was plotting to change the election? Several of them spoke about always gathering to pray, instead of taking action and speaking up. Even Liz Cheney, who is doing a great job on the panel, voted against the Democrats for all of those Trump years.
    I do think Bennie Thompson is terrific, tho.

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    1. Yep. As I said about Pence- too little too late although thank all the gods that he did the right thing on Jan. 6.
      The praying shit got to me. For whatever reason, it enrages me.

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  3. This is my first visit to your blog......those beautiful pine floors are beautiful.
    After reviewing your weather forecasts, I thought perhaps Lloyd might be in Arizona or somewhere in the southwest, and was shocked to discover you live in New York. Wow, your summer is very much like ours, except we have little to no humidity, which makes those 100 degree temps a tiny bit easier to manage. But only a teeny bit.
    I am not a Trump supporter......in fact I really dislike politics and avoid them as often as possible. I don't think there's enough space to go into why, haha. I did enjoy your blog though!

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    1. The Moons live in Florida ... not New York. Mary Moon would not survive living there!!

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    2. Well, thank you for coming by! And yes- as Marcia said, I live in Florida, not New York. Is there a Lloyd, NY? North Florida, near the Gulf. Near-ish.
      I don't especially like politics either but Trump and what he has done to this country enrages me and I feel a burning need to follow the truth of what's going on and what went on. May he end up in prison.

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  4. It is easy to get dangerously over-heated when the humidity is so high. Just not worth it.

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  5. That's just too hot for walking. Not worth the risk. Funny about fear of temperatures I grew up in a very cool climate and I fear heat! It doesn't seem natural for the sun to beat down relentlessly. Cold I do better with because you can add clothes, but you can't cool off even naked in high heat and humidity together, without power for air conditioning.

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    1. I can totally see why both of us would have the fears we do. Humans are funny critters, aren't we?

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  6. We're having about the same temps here in Atlanta. I know that we used to get through Georgia and Mississippi summers without air, but it's hard to imagine how now.

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    1. We did in Florida, too. I remember when my grandparents got a small window unit for their little cottage and they barely ever used it. People were tough in the older days.

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  7. I, too, was impressed that Pence refused to run, and I doubt that he was privy to much of the Orange Idiot’s antics. I’m thinking that when (PLEASE! NOT IF BUT WHEN!) he’s indicted, he may plead innocent by reason of insanity, cuz he’s NUCKIN’ FUTS!!’ I’m so pissed at those ‘advisors’ of his were nothing but yes men who were working like crazy to keep him from bringing our country down.

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    1. Oh, I think Pence knew a LOT! I mean- we could tell Trump was crazy and we weren't sharing office space with him. And I'm with you on the advisors. It's one thing trying to figure out why he has so many "regular people" supporters and it's a completely other thing trying to figure out why people with experience and knowledge would continue to support him when they worked with him so closely. I'll never figure it out.

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  8. My house was not air conditioned until about 15 years ago, when we needed a new furnace. Summers were so awful that we did put a big window air conditioner in the studio and the people who worked there used to joke our house was hot, but the studio wasn't a sweatshop!

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    1. Well I'm glad you have air conditioning now! AC isn't quite as necessary as running water but it comes in a close second.

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  9. 26 schools in my district of 106 have AC. our feels like was 105 yesterday and we are on half days..... enjoy the grandkids and stay hydrated my friend!

    xxalainaxx

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    1. We didn't have AC's in our school when I was young either but we did have tremendously large windows. No one had air conditioning then except possibly movie theaters. God, I'm old. BUT that is outrageous that you don't have AC in all of your schools. I mean, I am shocked. You stay hydrated too, lady!

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  10. Here in S. CO, we are dealing with 90s and 80s for the next few days and longer! Our heat is a dry heat, so a bit easier to tolerate but would rather not!
    You really do not need to be out walking in that heat and the stifling humidity!!!

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    1. I remember that dry heat when I was in Colorado and the problem was, you didn't really feel it until all of a sudden, you were completely overheated. It sneaks up on you! Be careful.

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  11. You should not be going for a walk when it's that damned hot. You can end up with heat stroke!

    The floors look nice but again, it's too damned hot. The nice thing here is we have a lovely, cold basement when it gets too hot, although that has not been a problem so far this year.

    Trump should rot in prison, he should be violated in every way, if you catch my drift.

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    1. Yes. I'm thinking that I can't keep the walking up for now. It's truly dangerous.
      As to the floors- the kids were here and we made slime and did a few other "experiments" in the kitchen and you can imagine how clean the floors are now. Oh well. I had that bright, shining moment.
      I have to say I agree with you about Trump and a hopefully possible prison death.

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  12. I don't hold out much hope that Trump will ever be brought to justice. The Justice Department refused to bring charges against Meadows for ignoring his subpoena.

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    1. Yeah. And what's up with that? How do you get to ignore a subpoena? I need to study that.

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  13. Words to live by: "...if Trump doesn't end up in prison, history will not be kind to us." I have a friend who has said for years "Trump will die in an orange jumpsuit." I'm hoping you're both right.

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    1. Nothing would make me happier than the scenario your friend lays out.

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  14. I can not give more of my life to the horror show of the Orange piece of manure. I will tune in at the end to see if anything really comes of all of this "investigation".
    Your floor - I like- we could tap dance on it, if it was not so hot where you live. Heat is not good for anything but sausages.

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    1. "Heat is not good for anything but sausages". That's great!

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  15. Your kitchen floorboards look lovely and wide, are they wide? I remember floorboards form my childhood, when we lived in big old sandstone homes, the floorboards throughout were often eight or ten inches wide and about an inch thick. Usually pine, I think, but stained to look like other timbers and highly polished. These days boards are narrow and not nearly thick enough in my opinion.
    I hope you get some heat relief soon. Can you fill your bathtub with water and just dip in and out during the day as needed?

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    1. The floorboards in the kitchen are wide, despite their softness. The rest of the floors in this house indicate perfectly which parts were built first and which came after. The original floor boards were wide and are probably thick. The additions have narrower boards for sure.

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  16. Another cool down tip is to put cold water into hot water bottles (those rubber ones with a screw in stopper) and freeze them, then use them to cool down your bed. Don't fill them too full, about half is good. Or you could put clean, dry, towels or sheets in the freezer for an hour or so then spread them on your bed before lying down. I did these things when my kids were little and we had no air conditioning.

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    1. Our bedroom is actually quite comfortable but those are good hints to remember if the AC ever goes out. Thanks.

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  17. Trump's followers believe these hearings are a partisan "kangaroo court." So even if they're watching them, they don't believe them. I don't know what we do about people who just don't want to face facts, and the fact that there are so MANY of them apparently willing to dismantle democracy to keep their guy in office. (And a disturbing number of them seem to believe that Trump being in power is "God's will.")

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    1. All I can say to that is what the fuck sort of god do they worship?

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  18. We've been watching though I haven't blogged about it yet. The committee very pointedly made Pence to be the good guy and Trump the bad guy which he most certainly is but Pence is not such a good guy. Yes, he held firm when it came down to it but I think a lot of his reason for that is knowing that if he did do what Trump wanted, it would be him, Pence, that would be caught holding the bag. Because that's how Trump does things, he bullies until the person takes the action Trump wants so that he gets what he wants without being personally liable for it. Anyway, Pence was Trump's lap dog for four years. He had years to do the right thing.

    And yeah, too fucking hot to be outside. Maybe this national heat wave will finally convince the naysayers that the planet is heating up beyond human capability to survive and they will finally act.

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    1. Pence acts all Christian and pure and shit but obviously, he's willing to put aside a hell of a lot of morals and ethics when it comes to politics. And he did for four years. I think you're probably right in that he knew (because he did listen to legal advisors) that if he was party to Trump's scheme, he would not have gotten away with it.
      As to this heat convincing people that we're fucking up/having fucked up the planet by our own actions- I don't have faith in us as a species to do what needs to be done.

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