Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Hotter Than Blazes

If I appear to be temporarily missing, it's because my frains are bried ... by briens are fraid ... my brains are fried with this heat. The thermometer is reaching 40 degrees Celsius, which is 110 Fahrenheit, and on Vancouver Island in the town where I grew up, it was 45 degrees Celsius yesterday, or 120 Fahrenheit. That's fairly warm. As I type this, my glasses are fogging up.

Phinnaeus and Marigold are staying with me for a few days, and the heat has curtailed some of our activities, but we have managed to spend a few days at Kitsilano Pool, the best place to be in this weather. The second best place to be is in an air-conditioned movie theatre, and we have seen "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Price" and "G-Force" both of which were a hoot. And air conditioned.

*Phew*

Today the temperature recorded in Vancouver was the hottest ever recorded here, and there is no relief in sight. Health Canada has issued an advisory for people to stay indoors between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. I'll be back when it cools off a bit.

31 comments:

Allen said...

Oh my that is hot. Unlike us we are having unusual weather, its been the coolest July. On July 1st of this year, it only got a high of 69 degrees, Fahrenheit

Nancy said...

Hope you all stay cool, anyway you can. We had a cool day today! Can you believe it? My children are frying in Portland at 106. Crazy.

Leslie: said...

We're just home from trying to get cool at the local beach, but there is NO breeze tonight! In my little village it reached 100F today with no breeze and over 60% humidity. Yuck! I'll be sleeping on the sofa bed again tonight under the fan and beside the screen door onto the patio. God help us, there are going to be deaths from this!

Cedar said...

What the heck is going on in the PNW??? Snowy winter...blistering summer...it is still 87 at 10:30 at night in Seattle. I only live here for the weather...

PurestGreen said...

45 on Vancouver Island?! That is shocking. A little scary, actually. I've been hearing about the forest fires in Kelowna. Roll on, autumn!

Firefly the Travel Guy said...

There are parts of South Africa in the Karoo where it get to 40 on a regular basis in summer. Luckily its a dry heat and not so humid

John said...

Allen said the same thing I was going to say! Even on the local news tonight they talked about how unusually cool it has been in this area--the middle of the U.S.

Hope it cools down for you soon. And hey the Harry Potter movie was a good idea, since it is so long! A nice long time in the air conditioned theater.

Sarah Lulu said...

Over 40 wipes me out ...
sending you cool breezes from high up in the wintery mountains of Australia ...it's been about minus 5 or so C at a night and about 15 in the daytime.

roxanne s. sukhan said...

far too hot. i find myself fantasizing about antarctica ... or any place with ice and snow. the heat makes me positively miserable and cranky ... welcome to hell ...or something like that.

stay cool.

PhilipH said...

So sorry for all who have to survivie in such blazing heat. I hate any temperature above 20 celcius makes me uncomfortable.

In Scotland this year our "summer" has been rain on most days. The farmers are hoping for a decent dry spell soon; the wheat, barley and other cereal crops need to be dry for harvesting of course.

All you poor souls who are being frazzled in the relentless heatwave have my deepest sympathy. Hope it all cools off, very soon.

the walking man said...

Been reading about this...hope you all get some kind of wet soon...real soon. They said the El Nino was bigger this year.

Lay said...

You are lucky, though you may not think so, here in NY at the end of July we have not even hit 90 degrees F. once, so us beach go-ers this is a pretty stinky month. Stay cool & get a little sun for me!

Anonymous said...

Wow...what crazy weather! I haven't experienced that kind of heat since I left Texas...nine years ago. We're getting lots of rain here on the plateau, but otherwise, the temps have been pleasant. I hope your weather cools down soon!

I love Harry Potter movies and am looking forward to seeing the latest.

PinkPanthress said...

Today we have a rather cool day with 27°C in the shadows, but in the past 4 & 1/2 Months we had very hot weather, almost daily readings of 30°C and upwards. Just 2 weeks ago we were also in the 40 marks.

This year somehow reminds me of 2003. It's the same pattern and the same sweaty people all around. ;)

The Bug said...

We've had a record cool July here in the middle of Ohio - I keep thinking it's still June. While I've appreciated the moderate temps, I feel kind of guilty - like we stole the cool from you guys!

HAPPY IN NEVADA said...

Hi - I've certainly gotten an international 'weather review' by reading the comments, and wondered just how everyone was doing this particular year with the unusual temperatures.

I lived in Seattle for 3 years; loved the fact the summers were normally not too hot. I've been tracking that weather since I have friends there and they say it's miserable.

My daughter lives in Cincinnati; I lived there for 7 years and we used to get those miserable muggy hot days, and she says it's been much nicer this year, but her garden is a bit behind because of the cooler weather.

When I lived in upstate New York, I found the shortest and most pleasant summers, but of course some of the worst winters. My friends up there tell me their gardens are also 'behind', and from what I read here, we might be noticing a change in the price of produce as well as grains/corn, etc., come this winter - probably even some of the bread prices will be going up if what I read from other friends around our country, tell me is true.

This is my 10th year in the desert; we're normally about 125 degrees right now and hit up to 131 degrees in August, so at 119 this past week, it's been a bit cooler (but at that temperature, not enough to really notice).

I might mention since I nearly died from heat stroke back in 1997, that everyone be sure to keep those cool packs you use for the cooler, very handy and make sure you put them on your chest and wrists if you get over-heated. Be sure to keep your fans circulating even if you have air conditioning because it saves on the a.c. bill and also helps with the cooling of the house.

We have an all night grocery store, so we only shop between midnight and 4 in the morning; once a week, as well as gasing the car at the all night station because it goes down to about 92 degrees and at least there's no sun pounding down on you.

We also fill the sinks and bath tubs with cold water throughout the day; this will also add to the cooling factor, so if you can afford the cost of water and have an ample supply, try doing that as well.

We just got back from the pool; we never go down after 10 in the morning because both my husband and I already have had to deal with skin cancer from the sun's rays, so better to sit in the tub for a while than risk the damage to your skin from the sun.

I wear sun dresses; no shoes and keep a spray bottle of lavendar mixed with witch hazel to spray myself frequently - it's calming and refreshing.

Of course we go through drinking water at a rapid rate, and that's important so you all keep hydrated.

When I'm working I put a dampened kerchief around my neck to help keep me cool, and I use the microwave and convection ovens only, so I don't heat up the kitchen and house.

I must say I envy those who are getting that good rain and cooler weather........

We've had a number of large fires in our state and of course I think of those who live in the hurricane areas because those will be coming up in August, so let's hope those will be minimal this year.

I sometimes think it's easier to cope with the cold because you can dress for that, but you can't 'dress' for the heat, so I hope those who are suffering from it can find loose-fitting and airy clothing.

I'm looking forward to October because that's when we start to drop to a more normal and tolerable temperature.

I know a lot of people who go to the movies and sit through them more than once, just to enjoy the air conditioning but it's great if you can find a good movie at the same time, so get your money's worth.......

Land of shimp said...

Wow, that's insanely hot. I think we have had Vancouver's summer for you, Jo. It's the fourth rainiest summer on record, since they began recording. It's rained and rained here, in Colorado, which is basically a high desert.

Today it is 50 degrees Fahrenheit and won't rise above 60.

I've got a longtime friend headed to Vancouver this week from Australia, and she was talking about how nice it would be to be warm, since it's winter where she is.

Sounds like she'll be plenty warm.

Swetha said...

Drink lots of water dear!! Even i had a horrible summer just like yours!! Take care!! see you soon JO!

Kimberly said...

120 degrees? Get outta here.

Land of shimp said...

45 degrees C is actually 113 Fahrenheit. Not that I know that off the top of my head, I always have to use a conversion program.

Owen said...

Hey Jo, wow, stay cool, we don't want to see you get a case of re-fried brains... sounds fearfully hot. Here in France things are unseasonably cool, so if you want to come over to France for a while, there's cooler weather here...

amourissima said...

45°C on Vancouver Island- uhoh! That's very hot! Even Vancouver being close to 40°C is crazy!

It sure is a great excuse to eat lots of ice cream though!

robert said...

Good morning Jo, hope you are doing fine. Moving Saturday into the new house with more than 43C was much fun, can't remember the bottles water we had throughout the day. August probably hottest here in Greece, so glad to find shadow beneath the lemon trees;)
Stay cool and have a nice evening.

Marguerite said...

Wow, Jo, that is HOT! Dangerously hot and weird! Guess this is what they mean by global warming? I could not imagine living without air-conditioning! We've been in the low 90's and rainy, here. Stay cool!

heartinsanfrancisco said...

Oh, my goodness, I could not survive in such temperatures. And I always thought Canada was colder than most of the US. I really need to stop complaining about the chilly San Francisco high 50's we've been having this week. I hope you know I mean it in the best possible way if I say "Chill."

I would send you and the kids some cold air if I could. You really need it.

susie said...

Well all I can say is that for July 30th, I'm in a sweatshirt and jeans and wool socks, and I'm still cold.
We have gotten so much rain and cool weather here in Colorado, that I honestly think I've been transported to Seattle! This mornings low was 40 degrees F. And I'm not even in the mountains!

muthu said...

hmhm---

heat doesnt reaally bother me.

I am from one of the most hottest places in south India.

Infact they call our place-- Kanal Bumi (land of heat waves in my native language tamil)

abhi said...

Oh 45C , its a tolerable range in Asia

Land of shimp said...

@ Susie: I'm in Colorado also, and I just want to join you in a very heartfelt "Brrrrrr!" It was 61 F in the house yesterday. I honestly thought I was going to have to turn on the heat!

Anonymous said...

Our last summer was the same record temperatures in the 40s, railway tracks bent and buckled in the heat, I posted about it in February, I included a picture of the bent rail tracks: http://thegenteelarsenal.blogspot.com/2009/02/lets-talk-about-weather.html
Tragically the next day the Victorian bush fires started. We are currently having such a mild warm winter I am dreading summer and the heat to come, already warnings are being issued on the importance of preparing for the bush fire season.
Hope you manage to stay cool.

Susan English Mason said...

I heard that "G-Force" was not a difficult film to sit through with the kids. We in Arizona just recorded our hottest July in history. I feel for you GF. I almost forgot to say; I loved the first few lines with the word plays. I love playing with words, don't you?