I'm A Heat Refugee

As the temperatures here soared last week so did my inability to cope with being overheated. Our air conditioner couldn't keep up with the demand. It overclocked itself and formed a big chunk of ice in and around the tube the moves air or something (I know not how these air conditioners work) into our house to cool it off.

Ice! Outside! In 90+ degree temperatures! That didn't melt! What is it? Ice 9?

Ice, ice, everywhere. And not a bit to cool off my house!

Everything sounded like it was working, air was blowing from our vents, but the house just kept getting hotter. By late Monday of last week it was about 80 degrees in my dining room. Upstairs, I am sure, was about to just burst into flames.

Not cool. Not cool at all.

My house was now uninhabitable to me. Some of my meds make it hard for my body to regulate its temperature or sweat properly. I overheat quickly and dangerously. The heat makes this throbbing chronic migraine absolute torture. Mr. M rescued me and drove me out to my mom's apartment where it was cooler. I have been a heat wave refugee at her place for a week and a day!

Mom and I made my Great Grandma JoJo's Oatmeal Cookies

During this adventure Mr. M has tried to get the air conditioner (AC) fixed. At first it seemed possible to melt the ice and get it going again. Our handyman is very talented at actual fixing rather than just outright replacing so we gave him some time.

Long story short: Delay. Delay. Delay. Work halted as unprecedented power loads caused a power outage in our area = no work for 1.5 days. One day was our handyman's birthday = no work. Days were lost to waiting for ice to melt. Yesterday as he put in the new AC he discovered the old AC was too small for our house. More of the furnace had to be replaced than he expected. Parts need to be ordered. Delay. I am *told* it will be done today. (crosses fingers)

I got overly optimistic that the new AC would be running and went home yesterday as work was piling up in the studio. I got overheated again and had to come back to my mom's. FAIL.

My mom's ridiculously gigantic geraniums

Rochester, NY set record high temperatures on Thursday, July 21st at 98 degrees F. We had at least three days last week where we had 90+ degree temperatures. That's unusual for us, and I believe constitutes a real "heat wave" on the books.

I've never seen so much brown, dead grass here. It reminds me of when I lived in Texas, and of days when I could actually go outside in the heat. I'm not doing outdoor craft shows for In My Head Studios because I cannot sit under a tent for three days if it gets over 75 degrees. I feel like such a wuss!

Mom and I have been having fun though. We get along famously! We babysat my adorable nieces for two days. Fun crafts were made. Cookies were baked. I've been teaching Mom all the really cool stuff she can do with her iPod.

But I miss my house! I miss Mr. M!! I miss my art studio! I wanna go home!

- Vickie

Today Was A Howler

The winds gusted to over 70 mph today!! The howling woke us at 5 am. It was unlike anything I’ve heard come from outside. It scared me! Images of The Wizard of Oz whirled in my mind. Does renter’s insurance cover trips to Oz?

Our grill and the chairs on the porch blew over. So did a semi truck on the expressway. Trees are down everywhere including on the garage next to ours. Some folks are still without power. I guess we got paid back for the 2 previous days of spring in January. The temp was 62° when I was still up at 3:23 am this morning! Maybe we are in Oz already.

I fired up my new sewing machine toady to hem a huge piece of crushed black velvet for a tablecloth for the show Saturday. The sewing machine has an automatic needle threader!! I never heard of such a thing. I’m so glad they exist. I automatically threaded my needle, pulled it out, and did it again just to watch it work. It’s the little things, I guess. ☺

The display rack for necklaces is now half finished. Glue takes so long to dry and I get impatient. The cup hooks are screwed into place on the crossbar so I just have to glue and nail it together tomorrow. My inclination is to water down paint and “stain” the wood rather than paint it.

If you are having an art or craft show of some kind, might I recommend something? Go to the thrift store and buy things to use for your display. I got a silver candelabrum for a steal and it’s going to look great with pendants hanging from it. I figure that I need something to entice people to my table. My jewelry is hard to see from across the room so I need my display to say, “come over here!” I hope my kooky ideas don’t make my table look cluttered.