So what to do?
Don't cook, at least not on the stove top or the oven. Rice maker, slow cooker, instant pot (absolutely fabulous way to cook without heating up the kitchen!), grill. But I can't even face the grill until the west sun is off our west-facing deck. (None of this is helped by the neighbors having cut down the tree that shaded our back yard, our deck, and our west-facing sun porch.)
Do all the outside chores as early in the morning as possible. I'm watering the potted plants twice a day now...
Drink lots and lots and lots of water. And iced tea. (I don't even normally like iced tea.)
Fans.
Afternoon naps.
When all else fails, I put a wet dish towel around my neck.
Cool baths before bed. Heaven.
And, ice cream. If you need an excuse.
REDs, what are your tips?
HALLIE EPHRON: My office is tiny and it has an air conditioner... so when it gets really bad I live in there. Sleep in there mattress on the floor. So far it hasn't been that terrible so I've managed with fans and when I get desperate, go out and water the plants and myself at the same time. And yes, drink lots of water. Fortunately our garden is very shady -- our neighbors are tree-huggers, as are we.
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: No a/c in my house. Fortunately, living in Maine I can take advantage of the 25-30 degree temperature swings between day and night. I close the windows and the sun-facing curtains in the morning and open them again at night. Fans in the windows bring the cooler air into the house, so it feels fresh and pleasant in the morning. I've read about, but haven't tried, Solar film/solar shield/sun shade, all of which stop a lot of the solar gain from ever getting inside your windows (and can be removed when the cold weather comes again.) There are two rooms that aren't sheltered by the attic and thus heat up - I close the door firmly and forget they exist until nightfall. Pro tip: make sure the cat isn't hanging out in a patch of sunshine before doing this.
Like Hallie, I use fans wherever I work, including a large box fan that sits in the cellar doorway and sucks cold air up into the kitchen (and scares the cat.) I slow down, I drink lots of cold water and sugar-free Kool Aid. My secret weapon for really hot, humid days? I go to the movies!
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: There's this great stuff, sugar free fizzy pink grapefruit drink. It comes in a slim plastic bottle. I twist off the cap, take two delicious sips, then put the entire bottle in the freezer. Then I set a timer (I know my limitations) for fifteen minutes at a time until it is nice and slushy. IT IS GREAT. We have no ac in our 1894 house--but somehow it stays fairly cool.. Except for about two weeks a year when it is UNBEARABLE. Then I just carry my fan from room to room. We do have a window AC in the bedroom--which is so weird, because sometimes it it too cold! And sitting in our back yard in the shade by the pool is ten degrees cooler than anywhere else. Oh! yes, how could I forget. We float! We get blow up floater rafts, and get pink grapefruit drinks and books, and then float on the pool and read. Come over and do it with us!
DEBS: Hank, that sounds so heavenly I may come all the way to Boston to stay with you!
And I've been buying boutique blackberry lemon ginger beer at the farmer's market. I keep it in the drinks fridge and just take one or two sips when I'm really hot. But maybe I should freeze it a little bit!
READERS, please tell us your heat secrets!!!
