An Early Texas August Morning Thinking About Salmon Tacos

Had a rough night of tossing and turning with disturbingly complicated cinema quality nightmares. By 5 I was exhausted from all that activity, so I got up this morning, Tuesday, August 24, well before the sun did, which you can see looking down at the pool from my coffee sipping patio. No sun in sight.

When the sun does decide to show up I am expecting to see clouds. Apparently there is a 30% chance wet stuff will fall today, with the temperature staying under 100, with the over night low being 71.

Tomorrow will be even chillier if the weather prognosticators are correct. 91 for the high with the overnight low being 69. This should give the annoying A/C a rest.

I heard from Betty Jo Bouvier and Carlotta Camano over night. Both had had themselves fun weekends near the saltwater. Betty Jo over on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, staying in a tourist town called Port Townsend, while Carlotta was down on the Oregon coast staying at Depot Bay.

Hearing from Betty Jo and Carlotta made me miss saltwater. Particularly Betty Jo's description of a salmon taco.

104 At 2 In The Afternoon In North Texas Targeting Target & Wal-Mart

As you can see, the temperature hit 104 around 2 this afternoon, heading to a high of 106. 106 is currently the Heat Index temperature. The humidity has dropped, so it doesn't feel as HOT out there.

I think I mentioned yesterday that a cool Washingtonian was sending her now HOT husband to LA today. To Monroe, Louisiana.

I figured Monroe was likely hotter than here. As I so often am, I was wrong. Monroe is east of Shreveport about 60 or 70 miles on Interstate 20.

Right now, with it 104 in Fort Worth, it is 95 in Monroe.

But.

In Monroe the humidity is at 53%, compared with 22% here. Consequently the Heat Index in Monroe is 116. 116. That is HOT.

I've been in HEAT that HOT before, in Nevada. 124 or more out in Death Valley, 117 in Las Vegas. But that is dry desert heat. A Heat Index of 116 has to be pretty miserable.

My hiking today consisted of going shopping at Target and the Wal-Mart Supercenter across the freeway from Target. I don't see how Target stays in business. There are never very many shoppers in Target. Only 2 checkouts needed at the front of the store. Meanwhile Wal-Mart today was its usual busy zoo.

Sunday's Record Heat In North Texas Has Me Still Overheated Monday Morning

I had myself a Lost Weekend of up too late at night, up too late in the morning, a trend which continued this Monday morning of August 23, as you can see looking down at the pool from my patio, the sun has brightly lit up the place.

The sun, according to those who keep records of such things, tied the North Texas temperature record for August 22 by hitting 105 on Sunday.

During my Texas Incarceration I have become a slight fan of HOT temperatures. I was not a fan of HOT temperatures when I lived in the cool clime of Washington.

But. I am ready for fall to fall on us with a good dose of cold. I am looking forward to shivering when I get in the pool, rather than feeling like I am walking into a big hot springs.

Well, it is time to get in the hot springs for my daily salubrious bout of water therapy.

Hitting A High Of 106 This Sunday In Texas

The high today in my zone of North Texas hit 106, according to my temperature information source. With a Heat Index of 109.

One more day over 100 and then a cold front moves in chilling us down to the 90s. Supposedly.

The National Weather Service issued a Heat Advisory a short time ago, advising us that it's going to be HOT through tomorrow. How did people figure out it was too HOT before the National Weather Service came along to issue a Heat Advisory?

I just heard from a cold Washingtonian that she is sending her husband to LA in the morning. When you are in the South, LA means Louisiana. When I lived on the West Coast it meant Los Angeles.

Wait a sec, I'm thinking I'm suffering some heat related dementia. It was the cold Washingtonian who referred to Louisiana as LA. Maybe she picked that up from me.

Anyway, when the aforementioned husband was in LA about a month ago it was HOT. He coped by using the multiple cold showers a day method. It will be way HOTTER this time in LA.

I find that the HEAT stifles my appetite. Or maybe it's more that when it is HOT I don't like feeling overly fed. I prefer feeling hungry. I think the constant intake of water has an effect too, in that it keeps me feeling sort of bloated. I really don't understand how so many people manage to get so big in this climate.

I had a big webpage making project I wanted to do today, but, I'm feeling worn out. Today the Scrabble Queen of Washington kindly helped me avoid what I wanted to do, by giving me multiple Scrabbling opportunities.

I've read a couple articles of late regarding the fact that, apparently, Scrabble has turned into quite a fad. Not the Facebook version that I play, but the real boardgame version. Which I've never played.

The A/C runs and runs, but I don't feel cool. Time for another shower.

Two Days In A Row Under 100 In North Texas

That white round thing in the picture is the top of a table out on my patio, as viewed from my bedroom window. Beyond the table is the pool, which I will be wet in, in a few minutes.

I got up after the sun this morning. That does not happen too often. Events conspired to keep me up late last night. Up having myself a real fine time.

Today is the 20th day of August. We are 2/3rds through the month. The majority of August has seen a daily temperature over 100.

But yesterday, and the day before, we did not see the century mark. That means we are on Day 2 in a Row under 100.

Yesterday, around 4 in the afternoon, a few drops of rain hit my window. I thought it was a precursor to a downpour, but nothing else poured down.

I am heading to Arlington this morning to get that vexing emissions test done. It grows tiresome driving and always wondering if I'm about to see flashing lights in my rear view mirror.

100 Degree Streak Ends Yesterday In North Texas With Return To Super HOT Today

As you can see, odd clouds are above me as I sip coffee out on my patio this morning, the day after the North Texas Hot Streak ended. As in, we did not reach the 100 degree mark yesterday, due to being under a cloud cover for most of the day, insulating us, a little, from the sun's brutal rays.

But, today, apparently, there will be no respite from the sun's brutal rays, with a return to heating us to over 100 degrees.

The sun is coming back with such a vengeance today that the National Weather Service issued a HEAT ADVISORY for today and tomorrow.

I believe this is the first time this HOT season that the NWS has issued such an advisory.

With it being a HOT day you'd think I would start it off by going swimming. Well, you'd be thinking wrong. My pool is in treatment mode, as in it has been shocked. It takes a delicate balance of chemicals to keep the pool water crystal clear when it gets subjected to day after day after day over of over 100 degree temperatures.

Meanwhile, up in Eastern Washington, Tootsie Tonasket sweltered yesterday in 109 degree heat. Due to being in Eastern Washington, where it's sort of a desert-like climate, I don't believe humidity would have been a factor in making Tootsie feel even hotter.

Unlike people in Western Washington, as in, on the west side of the Cascade Mountains, those on the east side of the mountains have air conditioning. So, Tootsie was able to stay cool.

Will Today Be Day 19 In A Row Over 100 In North Texas?

I got up just a few minutes before the sun today. As you can see from the view from my patio, I'm drinking coffee under a mostly blue sky. Today should be Day 19 in a row of getting heated to over 100 here in North Texas.

I think the record is 42 days in a row, set back in 1980.

Today there is, supposedly, a 20% chance of rain. The forecast for today is for the high to be only 98, which, obviously, would end the streak of days over 100.

A couple days ago the prediction was also for under 100. That day hit 102 with a Heat Index of 113.

I am heading up to the Southlake zone around noon, I think.

But, before that I am going swimming, as in, right now.

Day 18 Over 100 In North Texas

You are looking at the view out my bedroom window, with me getting up after the sun.

Yesterday's cold front did not arrive, with its predicted breaking of the day after day after day of being over 100 degrees in North Texas.

Instead of getting colder, we got HOTTER. As in at 3pm yesterday, at the official temperature measuring station at D/FW International Airport, it hit 102, with the Heat Index hitting 113, due to an increase in humidity brought by the clouds that were supposed to bring the chill, but instead dropped very few bits of wetness.

So, we are at Day 17 in a row over 100, with today scheduled to be Day 18 and off to a good start with a morning temperature of 80 at a little past 7.

I have no idea what I am doing today. If it gets windy I may be doing some Tandy Hills hiking.

Is A Cold Front Going To Bring A Welcome Under 100 Degree Chill To North Texas Today?

I got up after the sun this Monday morning. I was up late, over at Miss Puerto Rico's, where the evening's entertainment, in part, was provided by the Fort Worth police.

I'll talk about that in a later blogging.

If I remember.

Yesterday got real HOT, just as predicted. Today is predicted to possibly be the day that ends our day after day after day over 100 streak in North Texas.

Meanwhile, up in Seattle they sweltered Sunday as the temperature soared over 95 degrees, making yesterday the 12th time since 1948 that Seattle has had back to back days of 95 or hotter. What weather babies.

I Am Going Swimming While We Go Over 110 Sunday In North Texas

I am going to be floating in that blue thing in a few minutes. It was 85 this morning out on the patio, sipping hot coffee, watching the sun start to light up Sunday.

Yesterday was 100 degree day 15 in a row in North Texas.

Today is expected to be the HOTTEST day of the summer, so far. Meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Fort Worth have predicted the Heat Index could go above 110 degrees today.

Apparently the wind prediction for today is for pretty much Dead Calm, thus no wind chill factor to counter act the HEAT.

Two years ago today I was shivering in Tacoma, with the shivering provided by Mother Nature, not air-conditioning. I think I prefer my shivering to be provided by Mother Nature, instead of a machine.

At this moment in Seattle it is 67, heading to a high today of 89. In Western Washington very few people have air-conditioning. But, when it gets hot in Western Washington, unlike North Texas, you can go on a short drive and be up in the Cascade Mountains, where it is much cooler. You can fairly easily get yourself on a nice cooling glacier. Or you can easily go wading in the cool waters of Puget Sound.

There are no glaciers I can drive myself to in Texas. I can drive myself to cool water, though, like down in San Marcos.

I think I'll have to make do with the lukewarm water of my pool.

Thinking About Tubing The San Marcos River On Day 15 Over 100 In North Texas

As you can see I am out on my patio, drinking coffee, just as the sun starts to light up the place, with a lot of birds chirping their happiness over the return of the sun.

It is 83 this morning. Yesterday was the 14th day in a row over 100 degrees in North Texas. Today will be the 15th day in a row.

The National Weather Service has reneged on its prediction that we would get relief from the sizzle on Sunday. The NWS is now saying the earliest we might see less than 100 is Tuesday. And that forecast may change.

I took a virtual trip south of Austin, yesterday, to San Marcos. San Marcos may be my favorite town I've been to in Texas. The town sort of reminds me of a small version of Bellingham in Washington. The Edwards Aquifer leaks to the surface in the San Marcos area in several springs. One of which is Aquarena Springs, site of some of the clearest water I've ever seen.

All the San Marcos springs flow into the San Marcos River, which stay pretty much at a constant 78 degree all year, causing tropical-like vegetation at the river's edge. And excellent tubing.

I don't know where I may virtually go today. Maybe out to West Texas, to Pecos, with a side trip to Wink to see the Queen.

In the meantime, I am going swimming.

Up Early In Texas Looking For Perseid Meteors On Friday the 13th On 14th Day In A Row Over 100

I am up early this Friday the 13th. Starting the day off with a bit of bad luck as I tipped my coffee cup sending coffee onto my computer keyboard.

After drying the keyboard I took my coffee out on the patio where it does not matter if I spill it, to see if I could see any incoming Perseid Meteors showering.

You are looking at this morning's dark view from my patio. All I could see was a star, or two, twinkling dimly in the polluted sky. No meteors.

Today is the 13th and yesterday was the 13th day in a row over 100 in North Texas, tied for the 10th longest streak of 100 degree days in North Texas history.

A couple more days of over 100 are predicted before a chance of a cold front blowing in might keep the temperature in the 90s on Sunday.

The all time record for 100 degree days was set in 1980, with 42 days in a row over 100. August of 1980 was the first time I was ever in North Texas, staying in Fort Worth, near where I live now, at what was then a Ramada Inn at the Beach Street exit, due west of what I now know as the Tandy Hills. I was driving a Toyota with no A/C. Had you told me in 1980 that less than 20 years later I would be living here, I would have said no way in hell would that happen.

I wonder what fresh bad luck awaits me on this Friday the 13th? I am going to the lukewarm pool in a few minutes. I hope nothing unlucky happens to me in that endeavor.

Feeling HOT AT 107 Thinking About Drinking Some Texas Crazy Water

102 with a HEAT INDEX of 107, coming up on 4 this HOT afternoon in Texas.

I've lost track of how many days in a row we've gone over 100 during this HEAT WAVE. Is it 11? 12? Is there any end in sight?

Yesterday Betty Jo Bouvier told me she thought I should do nothing of the exercise sort yesterday, just lay around and watch TV. I don't even like to do that if I'm sick.

Today I am not sick, but I have not left my abode. I do not remember the last time I had not left my abode by this point in the day.

I did leave, virtually, for a short while to go to Mineral Wells to see about some Crazy Water. A couple weeks ago the aforementioned Betty Jo Bouvier was inquiring about Crazy Water, wondering if its salubrious claims had validity. I know I can say for certain I have never seen a single crazy person in Mineral Wells, which really is not statistically significant evidence that drinking the Mineral Wells water calms down craziness.

I have been hearing from Elsie Hotpepper sporadically. She does not seem to have regular Internet service, as evidenced by cryptic emails sent via the EH Blackberry device.

I heard from Linda Ann today. LA's in Seattle. She is flying in to Austin soon. I told LA if she needs a place to stay she is welcome to the sleeper couch in the attic. The last time LA stayed overnight was decades ago, when I was in college.

Hitting A HOT 106 In Texas Straining My A/C & Making Me Sneeze

As you can see, it is past 6pm and 104 degrees, with a HEAT INDEX of 107, currently, in my HOT zone of Texas.

I'd turned my weather monitor off this afternoon, due to not wanting to hear its relentless weather warning chirping.

So, I did not know we'd hit 106 today, before cooling off to the relatively chillier 104.

A 20% chance of showers is in the forecast for tomorrow, which pretty much means there is a bat's chance in hell that we'll see any cooling rain on Friday.

I hope I am wrong.

I think the HEAT is wreaking havoc with my computer. It misbehaved almost all day today. At one point I thought, and still do, that it was the Flock browser causing the problem.

So, I switched to Google Chrome, which is what I am using right now. I don't have some of my saved websites on Chrome, which becomes a problem, like when Elsie Hotpepper asked me to do something, with the Hotpepper info in Flock. So, I had to temporarily kill Chrome and bring Flock back to life, in order to do Elsie's bidding. A real slight sacrifice to make a Hotpepper happy. And I'm all about making Hotpepper's happy in these troubled times.

The A/C cycling off and on, in this searing HEAT, causes me to erupt in these instantaneous explosive sneezes that I fear may put my back out or knock me out of my computer chair. Or both.

I used to live in a gentler climate. At times I long for those days. And then I come to my senses.

It Is A HOT Saturday Morning In Fort Worth Heading To 102 & A Romantic Trip To Jefferson Texas

You are standing outside on my patio in the picture, looking at the sun starting to light up the place, Saturday, July 17, on a day predicted to be the HOTTEST so far this year in my zone of Texas.

As in we are predicted to hit 102 today.

I suspect this prediction will turn out to be accurate as it is already 81 at half past 6.

I think maybe it is already time to shut the windows because I seem to be sort of heating up in here and I don't think it is due to the hot coffee I'm drinking.

Yesterday I took a pleasant virtual trip to the East Texas Piney Woods zone, to Jefferson. Jefferson is just to the west of the only natural lake in Texas, that being Caddo Lake. Jefferson is also known as the Bed & Breakfast Capital of Texas.

In Jefferson, among the dozens of B & B's, you'll find McKay House. McKay House was rated by someone or thing who rates such things as being one of the 10 most romantic inns in America. Few things make me happier than anything romantic. Lady Bird Johnson stayed at McKay House once. I do not know if Lyndon was with her. Fabio also stayed at the McKay House once, which should seal the deal on how romantic the McKay House is.

I think today I may take a pleasant virtual trip to Huntsville and check out Ol' Sparky and Sam Houston.

Out In The Almost 100 Degree HEAT Getting A Seedless Texas Watermelon

98.1 at about 10 minutes til 3. Heat Index of 105. Yes, it is HOT.

I have been out in it very little today. Well, there was that hour in the pool this morning, but it was only in the 80s then.

I went north to Southlake around noon. Went to Sprouts Farmers Market. I don't think I'd been to Sprouts since ALDI opened.

I got myself a big locally grown seedless Texas watermelon at Sprouts.

After Sprouts I headed back south, down Precinct Line Road, to ALDI. Not very many customers at the Hurst ALDI. Is ALDI not catching on here? I like it. I wish one was closer to where I live.

By the time I left ALDI a nearby bank's temperature sign said it was 99. Those type signs seem frequently inaccurate.

To you who live in cooler climates I'll tell you one survival technique I've learned to use to work around the HEAT.

If it is almost 100 degrees it makes it a bit difficult to buy anything frozen or in need of refrigeration, if you are going to be making multiple stops with the vehicle's A/C not running.

To deal with this problem I have a big cooler. This works well. I make it back here with the frozen stuff still frozen and the cold stuff still cold.

Well, I am out of here in a bit. Heading to the Tandy Hills. That should be interesting. It is not being as windy as I wish it would be.

Another HOT Summer Wednesday In North Texas

You are looking at the Wednesday morning view from my computer room window. Of late each day's morning view is pretty much the same as the day before, except for yesterday, when I was up well before the sun was.

It is not yet 10 in the morning and it's already 88 with a Heat Index of 92, heading to a predicted high, again, of 100. Maybe today we'll hit the century mark. We didn't hit the predicted 100 yesterday.

Tomorrow we get some HEAT relief with the forecast high being only 98. With a cloud or two. Currently there is no chance of rain in the foreseeable future.

Last summer we stayed fairly green here in my zone of North Texas. We are currently only 2 days into summer and it is already browner than it got last summer. Grass has trouble staying green in the Texas heat.

I was pre-occupied til well into the afternoon yesterday. So, I did not get my endorphin hill hiking fix. That made 2 days in a row of withdrawal from aerobic stimulation.

Today I have to be in Hurst in the noon time frame. The earliest I could hit the hills today will be around 3. By then the air should be rather HOT. If there is no wind blowing, like the semi-dead calm of yesterday, I may bail on hill hiking for the 3rd day in a row.

I am already beginning to deteriorate from the lack of exercise. I may be mis-diagnosing my deterioration. I did spend almost an hour in the pool this morning.

Escaping Noise By Spending The Summer Solstice Afternoon At Miss Puerto Rico's

You are on Miss Puerto Rico's balcony, looking east, towards Dallas, on this first day of summer of 2010.

I believe the Summer Solstice occurred at something like 6:23 this morning. With the sun beginning its relentless march towards shorter days and winter.

I was in the pool, busy swimming, when the sun decided to head south. The thermometer in the pool, this morning, claimed the water temperature was 86. The air was 81.

In other words, we are at that time of the year when the water in the pool is not all that refreshing, in the cool you off department. But a shower using only cold water, now that is still a bit refreshing, though that water is getting warmer too.

The reason I am over at Miss Puerto Rico's, this afternoon, is because the noise from painter's power washing was getting on my nerves. It is really easy to get on my nerves.

So, I hauled my laptop over to Miss Puerto Rico's DSL connection. It may be really quiet here, but her computer chair is very uncomfortable. And her high maintenance cat, Tasha the Nazi, resents my presence. She likes to spend her day sleeping on this computer chair. So, I am being subjected to a lot of loud, scolding meows. And a few vicious hisses. So far the monster has not attacked me.

Today Tootsie Tonasket proposed that I become her houseboy. I don't see that happening. It would be way too much culture shock, going from the wilds of Texas to the wilds of remote Eastern Washington. Though the hill hiking out Tootsie's backdoor would be nice.

The Queen of Wink remains missing. Last I heard from the Queen was her announcement that she was conducting a Yoga Demonstration in downtown Wink on Friday morning. I worry that a Yoga Demonstration in downtown Wink might be an arrestable offense in West Texas.

The high today is still predicted to be 100. But I don't see that happening. It is past 4 and currently only 96.7, according to WeatherBug, with the Heat Index making it feel like 99.

Tomorrow is predicted to hit 100, too. And then a cold front moves in, lowering the high to 98 on Wednesday. Brrrr.

A HOT Father's Day in Texas With HOT Coffee

It is Father's Day, Sunday morning and you are looking out my computer room window at me drinking coffee and reading the paper, out on my new bedroom balcony patio, soon after the sun lit up the place this morning and prior to having myself a really long swim.

It is now almost 10 in the morning and currently 85 with a Heat Index of 88. I wish the heat would finally burn off the humidity so we can get rid of that vexing Heat Index annoyance making it feel HOTTER than it actually is.

The forecast is no longer for 100 for the first day of summer, which is tomorrow, Monday. The first 100 degree day of summer is now, supposedly, going to happen on Tuesday.

Elsie Hotpepper is no longer missing. But, I still have no idea where she is. In many ways.

Yesterday I channeled my inner African-American, again, and made soul food for lunch. Today I am going to switch to Germany and have bratwurst and sauerkraut for lunch. I'm thinking this is sort of anti-soul food.

Lunch will be sometime in the 1 o'clock zone. Don't be late.

Looking Out At Texas While Drinking Coffee On My New Patio

You are looking out at the Saturday morning, 2 days before the Summer Solstice, view from one of my computer room windows, looking out at my newly refurbished bedroom patio balcony.

I like the change. It's more like a sidewalk cafe.

I drank coffee and read the paper out on the new balcony this morning. It was very pleasant. After drinking coffee and reading the paper I went swimming. That was also very pleasant.

It may be 2 days before summer, yet this morning the air felt pleasantly enough temperatured that I opened the windows. I do not recollect ever doing this at this point in the year, in Texas, before.

It is not even 9:30 yet and we are already at 83 degrees with a Heat Index of 87, heading to a high, again, of 98.

Monday's high, with Monday being the first day of summer, is predicted to be 100. If we hit 100 on the first day of summer, I'm thinking this is an omen of a very HOT Texas summer. Very HOT.

I have now closed the windows. It is totally possible they may not be opened again until the cold winds of fall begin to blow.