Hot, Hot, Hot

And the Costumes Continue

Last week, according to the big glowing screen in the living room that every in my family seems to worship, over two thirds of the country was under an extreme heat advisory stemming from a multi-day heatwave.  Now, my loyal readers are very much aware of how I feel about hot weather, but for any new additions to my online family, allow me to express them right here and now:

I DO NOT LIKE TO BE HOT!!!!

Did I make myself clear?

Anyway, because it was so hot for so long and because I have a permanent fur coat on (though Pa’s always threatening to give me a puppy cut), my family was nice enough to always leave the air conditioners on for me when they went to work each day.  So, while they were chasing squirrels or making peanut butter for my PB&K as I imagine all humans do when they go to work, I was living the life of leisure basking in air-conditioned comfort.

On Monday, the heat finally broke and by Tuesday morning, the temperature had decreased significantly compared to the previous few days of triple digit temperatures.  Riding the wave of slightly cooler air (or still crazy from the heat), Ma decided that the air conditioner would not be necessary that day.  “It’s supposed to only reach 80 degrees” she told me as she walked out the door.  I merely stared at her with a quizzical look, blinked, then gave her a weak tail wag as if to say: “yeah, sure it is.”

Well, the temperature did reach 80 degrees, then steadily climbed throughout the day to around 90.  And the humidity!  Let’s just say that it had rained heartedly that morning so the air was nice and wet in addition to hot.  So, to summarize, it was sauna-like that day and I was stuck in the house with open windows letting in the hot sticky air and absolutely no way of turning on the air conditioner (damn my lack of opposable thumbs!).  

Well, nine hot and sticky hours later, Ma rolled up to the house in her comfortably air-conditioned car.  I met her at the door (which I rarely do), pushed past her when she opened it, and scurried into the backyard to seek relief (and possibly revenge if I could find a nice flower to crush or pee on). After a quick scan of the yard, I found what I was looking for:  the doggy pool which had filled completely to the brim with rainwater from that morning's storm.  I hot footed it to that pool and climbed in.  And then, I stood there.  

Ma asked if I wanted to do my business.  

I stared at her from within my pool.

Ma asked if I wanted my dinner.  

I stared at her from within my pool

Ma asked if I wanted to say hello to Pa who had just arrived home. 

I stared at her from within my pool.

After a very long time, I finally managed to cool down enough that I was able to leave my pool (plus Ma had admitted the error of her ways and promised to turn the air conditioner back on).   And from that day on, Ma made sure that the air conditioner was left on for me regardless of how hot or cool it was supposed to be.