Hot

I grew up in this house in central Louisiana. It was a wonderful place to live. There was a pond behind the house and thousands of acres of woods around it. We lived next door to a national forest. There were some downsides, not the least of which was the heat. Growing up, we had no air conditioning. An attic fan provided the only ventilation in the evenings. And, more often than not, in the middle of the summer it only moved hot air. My brother was older than me and his bed was next to the window so I was second in line for the breeze. I remember the evenings as hot and, since the windows were open, noisy. Lots and lots of bug sounds, owls, and a variety of other night creatures created a cacophony of sound. It was like a natural orchestra. A few things helped relieve the heat. One would be a thunderstorm. The other would be damp dish towels. And, sometimes, Tim and I went out on the roof. But, to be honest, I did not really mind the heat too much. You do get acclimated and we knew no better. The vast majority of people around us did not have A/C either. Our cars, at least when I was a kid, did not have A/C. So, I have lived with it and without it. I prefer having it, but know that it is entirely possible to get along just fine without it. In many ways, it really is a luxury. Anyway, today it is hot and muggy in East/Central Illinois. Reminds me a bit of Louisiana.