106 Degrees and I'm Ready to Bolt

by Katy on July 28, 2009 · 19 comments

sun

Portland, Oregon hit 106 degrees today which no matter how you slice it, is just too darned hot.

Yes, I worked a nine hour shift in the air conditioned loveliness that is my hospital, but I’m home now and it’s currently 90 sweat inducing degrees in my living room.

So in the spirit of frugal daughters everywhere, I called up my mother and told her that yes, I would like to come over for dinner. (Never mind that there had not actually been an actual invitation.) My mother, ever the quick thinker asked if I’d like to bring the kids over for pizza and cable TV?

Yes, that sounds lovely. Thank you very much.

So stay cool fellow Non-Consumers. Enjoy your Summer, even if it takes a bit of moochy creativity.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

P.S. Thank you very much to Nadine, who is the dealer to my zucchini habit. You are very much appreciated!

{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }

calimama July 29, 2009 at 12:17 am

Wow! That’s just wrong. The temperature, not your reaction to it. That’s just being a good parent. I mean, don’t we have a responsibility to foster the relationships between our children and our parents? That’s just time well spent.

Now what to do for the next 5 days?!

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Jinger July 29, 2009 at 5:35 am

this summer has been the hottest on record in austin…100 degrees+ daily since june. we do have a/c, but still…it’s really hot outside.

i hope your heat wave ends soon. enjoy the a/c.

=

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Kris-ND July 29, 2009 at 5:46 am

Wow, stay cool. This has been one of the coolest summers so far on record. It is 50 degrees right now, but we barely broke 70 yesterday, and won’t break 70 today.

I have been enjoying it however 😉 I don’t do 106…nope, can’t do that at all!LOL!

Stay cool! Sounds like you need to invite yourself over to mom’s for dinner the next few days 😉

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Angela July 29, 2009 at 9:15 am

Yes, we were “mooching” off our neighbor’s cool, shaded backyard last week during our heat spell.

Our basement is about 10-15 degrees cooler than our house in the summer. My husband is working on getting a comfy chair set up down there.

Otherwise- public pools, matinees, and supermarkets work well. But of course the best is mom’s house.

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thenonconsumeradvocate July 29, 2009 at 10:35 am

Well, my mother’s air conditioned oasis hit the spot. She ordered two big pizzas, which my sons gobbled like there was no tomorrow.

My mother and I watched an on-demand movie, (“Confessions of a Shopaholic,” the boys watched “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” ) and I drank two Diet Cokes. The cokes kept me up until 2:30 in the morning, which was fine by me as I didn’t have to work today and I used the time to clean house while listening to the newest Maeve Binchy audio book from the library.

I gave all my plants a deep watering and then hung laundry on the line at 1:00 A.M. Being a bit of a night owl is advantageous when it doesn’t cool down until after midnight.

Today is supposed to hit 107 degrees, which is bad news since yesterday was only supposed to hit 102.

Not sure what we’re going to do today, although it may be a repeat.

Jinger, 100 degrees for over a month?! I knew there was a reason I didn’t live in Texas.

Katy Wolk-Stanley
The Non-Consumer Advocate

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Laura July 29, 2009 at 10:49 am

106?! Yikes! Here in north Wisconsin, it hasn’t gotten above 85 this summer.

My favorite public spot to chill out is the library. Of course, the building has other benefits too… 🙂

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Jessie July 29, 2009 at 12:46 pm

Welcome, welcome all you northerners to the oppressive heat! Just remember when it cools down for all of you in September, it will still hit the 80s frequently here in the genteel south. ^_^

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Kristen@The Frugal Girl July 29, 2009 at 4:42 pm

Oh my. I can’t manage to resist turning my AC on once the house gets up in the mid 80s. The 90s would definitely put me over the edge(90s inside…although I’m not a big fan of 90s outside either!).

The heat here comes with a very healthy dose of humidity…is it like that in Portland?

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terilyn July 29, 2009 at 5:29 pm

I have to say that when it comes to health and safety issues like oppressively dangerous heat, I will use the AC. Saving money means nothing if someone dies of heatstroke. Same in cold weather. I even put heat lamps out for the chickens and in the barn. It’s just not worth saving a few bucks if it puts you in danger.

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Julia July 29, 2009 at 6:01 pm

Here in Seattle, we are also having record-breaking heat. It was supposed to be 101 degrees for the first time in recorded history here (I think it was 118 years). In my part of the world (other side of Lake Washington) it was even a few degrees higher. It’s also 90 degrees inside our house for the first time ever. I just HATE heat, anything over 70 is too much for me, so there’s been lots of whining around here coming from my general direction. Only about 13% of area homes have A/C according to the newspaper. My parents have A/C, but have not even called to check up on me and their only grandson. Sigh. Kudos to your mom, Katy, for being a wonderful mother and grandmother. We tried to book a hotel room (a very unfrugal thing to do) but every room is sold out in the area. Seriously. We went to the library for respite (and books!) yesterday but we almost feel worse spending time in A/C and then coming home to this…

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Kris-ND July 29, 2009 at 6:22 pm

I have a friend who lives in Oregon, and she told me that the few times there is a real heatwave, she will put a bowl of ice in front of an oscillating fan. Apparently works a bit like a swamp cooler, and cools down the room enough to say fall asleep.

Don’t know if that helps, but I would be at the point I would probably try anything..lol

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Judith in Ky July 29, 2009 at 7:38 pm

Oh you poor children! the humidity here today was 94% but the heat was bearable.Only 82 0r 83. I live in a tiny house but would try to welcome any one with no AC at 100 degrees.

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Matthew July 29, 2009 at 7:48 pm

I was very thankful to spend the day out at Sauvie Island, today was spent in the office with AC, we were “conservative” with the AC and fans to keep the air circulating at 80 degrees, much better than that 107 prediction. We also provided ice cold water to everyone coming in from outside who wanted it.

We are supposed to cool off this weekend thankfully and be down to a respectable mid 80s!

btw, I am also in Portland, and read the blog everyday!

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Pennie July 29, 2009 at 10:46 pm

Eeegads, but was it hot today! My thermo read 108 at about 4:30 pm. Incredible heat for Oregon.

Alas, I had pulled onions up out of the garden a few days ago and had them laying out to dry a bit(before hanging them for storage)–I checked today–they’re cooked!! 😮

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Non Consumer Girl July 30, 2009 at 5:00 am

106, that is just warming up!

how about putting your PJs in the fridge?

and turn on the garden sprinkler for the kids to run through.

and a scoop of icecream in a glass of cold lemonade.

its time to get creative!

from your Australian neighbour

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alunatunes July 30, 2009 at 1:12 pm

It’s always 80 in my house as that is where our AC is set. Thankfully there is a bit of a breeze here in Richmond today. I’m in my sunroom office with the sliding screens in and my ceiling fan blasting on high!
Good luck Katy and enjoy the AC!

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