Cooling Strategies for the Long Hot Summer

Here in the northern hemisphere, it's the time of year most dreaded by
us meno types. My biggest fantasy is setting up a house swap with
some New Zealander with seasonal affective disorder. But since that's
not in the cards...I can't be the only one who's developed a litany of
rituals to beat the heat.
Swamp coolers--much cheaper and more energy-efficient than an air
conditioner, but noisy. \ff you get one, try to put it in a less-used
area. It also gets too humid here at times for a swamp cooler to work
well. Those little electric fans that sit on a table top are nice
too.
I don't have one, but a friend told me about a small fan you can clip
to a hat that cools down your face. She said it only costs about $5.
There are also little solar-powered hat fans.
Chillow Pillows aren't for everyone, but they're a great low-tech
device for hot nights. They're supposed to be for the head, but I lay
on mine. It's about the right size for a slim torso, and extends from
my neck down below the waist. It's fairly cold at first, especially
if you put it in the fridge for an hour before bedtime. Alas, a
couple hours later it's absorbed your heat and has to be shoved
aside. You can get them for $20 to $30 at the usual drugstore-type
internet outlets, and on ebay.
I also tried a gel-filled neck band, but the coolness doesn't last
long and my hair got all steamy.
Cold showers are heavenly, especially at bedtime. I'm lucky to have a
creek with very cold water a mile away. I stay in for 15 or 20
minutes and feel the heat seep away. In my wet clothes, I'm my own
swamp cooler for the big climb home. In fact, wet clothes are a
blessing on any summer day.
I give up spicy food at least a month before it gets hot. Salsa, hot
peppers, hot mustard, hot anything. Aloe vera is supposed to cool the
body down. Some essential oils, like eucalyptus or lemon, are reputed
to help some, though not me. Paradoxically, icy cold drinks and ice
cream can be counter-productive. You're cooler at first, but the body
reacts to the cold by warming up, similar to a slow hot flash. At
least I noticed this effect. I know many women would have a hard time
giving up ice. It's more beneficial on the outside of the body.
I'll try to think of some more cooling strategies, and would love to
hear yours.
Les

sage hen wrote:
> Here in the northern hemisphere, it's the time of year most dreaded by
> us meno types. My biggest fantasy is setting up a house swap with
> some New Zealander with seasonal affective disorder.

I could get used to that routine...

But since that's
> not in the cards...I can't be the only one who's developed a litany of
> rituals to beat the heat.

No, you're not! Not by a long shot! It's good to share ideas.

> Swamp coolers--much cheaper and more energy-efficient than an air
> conditioner, but noisy. \ff you get one, try to put it in a less-used
> area. It also gets too humid here at times for a swamp cooler to work
> well. Those little electric fans that sit on a table top are nice
> too.

Swamp coolers are popular here in the Southwest, where the humidity is
almost always low. Since they work by evaporative cooling, their down-side
(as far as I am concerned) is that they add moisture to the air. Now some
folks think that is a _good_ thing, but having lived in NJ for nearly 30
years, I am just damned glad to escape the humidity! So we have, as they
call it here, "refrigerated air" ( to distinguish from "swamp cooler,"
since both are "air conditioners.")

We augment the a/c with fans to distribute the cool air more effectively.

> I don't have one, but a friend told me about a small fan you can clip
> to a hat that cools down your face. She said it only costs about $5.
> There are also little solar-powered hat fans.

And purse-sized battery-powered personal fans that generate an amazing
breeze for their size.

There are a bunch of battery powered fans here:
http://www.safetycentral.com/batopfanspra.html (I have no commercial interest)

> Chillow Pillows aren't for everyone, but they're a great low-tech
> device for hot nights. They're supposed to be for the head, but I lay
> on mine. It's about the right size for a slim torso, and extends from
> my neck down below the waist.

If your torso isn't slim, there are larger chiller-pads made to be sold as
dog beds, like these:
http://www.petstreetmall.com/Canine-Cooler-Pet-Bed.aspx (I have no
commercial interest)

> It's fairly cold at first, especially
> if you put it in the fridge for an hour before bedtime. Alas, a
> couple hours later it's absorbed your heat and has to be shoved
> aside. You can get them for $20 to $30 at the usual drugstore-type
> internet outlets, and on ebay.

> I also tried a gel-filled neck band, but the coolness doesn't last
> long and my hair got all steamy.

Gel-filled neck bands probably work best for folks with very short hair or
hair worn "up." Although if I get hot enough to sweat, my hair gets soaked
anyhow. A couple stored in the refrigerator are good for emergencies.

> Cold showers are heavenly, especially at bedtime. I'm lucky to have a
> creek with very cold water a mile away. I stay in for 15 or 20
> minutes and feel the heat seep away.

As good as this feels, you may be defeating your own purpose by soaking in
really cold water. The icy cold water on your skin gives your body a
signal that it's time to stoke up the furnaces. I found that tepid showers
were actually most effective at cooling me down.

> In my wet clothes, I'm my own
> swamp cooler for the big climb home. In fact, wet clothes are a
> blessing on any summer day.

Sometimes when I'm working outside, I wet my hair and shirt to stay cooler.

> I give up spicy food at least a month before it gets hot. Salsa, hot
> peppers, hot mustard, hot anything.

Some people find that spicy food helps them cool down, because it makes
them sweat. I am not one of these.

> Aloe vera is supposed to cool the
> body down. Some essential oils, like eucalyptus or lemon, are reputed
> to help some, though not me. Paradoxically, icy cold drinks and ice
> cream can be counter-productive. You're cooler at first, but the body
> reacts to the cold by warming up, similar to a slow hot flash. At
> least I noticed this effect.

Cool to tepid drinks seem most effective overall to me, too, even though
that ice cold water feels great going down. And it's important to keep
yourself hydrated when it's hot.

> I know many women would have a hard time
> giving up ice. It's more beneficial on the outside of the body.

An emergency hot-flash remedy is to grab a package of frozen vegetables,
like peas or corn, and apply to the forehead or neck.

> I'll try to think of some more cooling strategies, and would love to
> hear yours.

OK - I'll add a few more:

Sleep with a fan blowing on you.

Avoid wearing synthetics, which trap heat and moisture between your skin
and clothes. This also goes for sheets.

Stick your head in the freezer. If you see a middle-aged woman spending an
extraordinarily long time perusing the frozen peas in the grocery store,
she may be having a hot flash...

You can make a home-made ice pack from rubbing alcohol and water. Mix
about 1 part alcohol : 3 parts water and put in a secure plastic bag. It
won't freeze solid and will remain squishy but cold.

Carry a folding fan in your purse.

When you're feeling really frustrated by the heat, take several long, slow,
deep belly-breaths.

FurPaw

--
The Bush legacy - no child left a dime.

To reply, unleash the dog.

sage hen wrote:
> Here in the northern hemisphere, it's the time of year most dreaded by
> us meno types. My biggest fantasy is setting up a house swap with
> some New Zealander with seasonal affective disorder.

Just move to Scotland. Temperatures here are in the low 50s to low 60s,
getting down to the 40s at times. Lots of nice cool rain too.

But at least we aren't floating, like parts of England :-)

--
Jette Goldie
jette@blueyonder.co.uk
http://www.jette.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
http://wolfette.livejournal.com/
("reply to" is spamblocked - use the email addy in sig)

sage hen <desertnymph@cwo.com> wrote in news:1183235995.107359.313770
@q75g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:

> I'll try to think of some more cooling strategies, and would love to
> hear yours.
>

I have ceiling fans throughout and on most days that's enough; sometimes
I wet down t-shirt to boost the effect.

Last year I took a couple of tube socks, filled them to bursting with
rice, and sewed them shut. In summer I put them in the freezer, then lay
one across my neck when I lay down to sleep. This has the effect of
chilling the blood, and keeping me from tossing and turning. That and
the ceiling fan have been enough so far. If I wake in the night, I go
pee and cool down with an almost-drippy washcloth, applied everywhere.
Then I ge the other rice sock out of the freezer and go back to sleep.

I too use a gel-filled neck band, but only in the daytime. They're not
cool enough at night. I also use a bandanna tied around my head to stop
the sweat from dripping. I find if the sweat is not running down my
face, I feel much more comfortable.

I also take lukewarm showers throughout the day. I find cold water just
ignites my thermostat, but lukewarm cools and rinses the sweat away
without triggering a flash or higher metabolism. I've been known to take
as many as five showers in a single day. :-p

That's all I can think of right now.

Chak

--
It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life
that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal
itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
--Arnold Toynbee

FurPaw <furrealpawdog@gmail.com> wrote in
news:PLudnfmN1vSVURvbnZ2dnUVZ_qqrnZ2d@comcast.com:

> Avoid wearing synthetics, which trap heat and moisture between your
skin
> and clothes. This also goes for sheets.
>

I've been finding that the flannel sheets I bought for winter are very
useful for summer. They soak up the sweat without that clammy feeling
that I usually get from sweaty sheets.

Chak

--
It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life
that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal
itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
--Arnold Toynbee

"Peahen" <peahen@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:uO6dnSitAMi1nBXbnZ2dnUVZ_jCdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>
> "FurPaw" <furrealpawdog@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:PLudnfmN1vSVURvbnZ2dnUVZ_qqrnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>> sage hen wrote:
>>> Here in the northern hemisphere, it's the time of year most dreaded by
>>> us meno types. My biggest fantasy is setting up a house swap with
>>> some New Zealander with seasonal affective disorder.
>>
>> I could get used to that routine...
>>
>
> Me, too.
>
>
>>
>>> Swamp coolers--much cheaper and more energy-efficient than an air
>>> conditioner, but noisy. \ff you get one, try to put it in a less-used
>>> area. It also gets too humid here at times for a swamp cooler to work
>>> well. Those little electric fans that sit on a table top are nice
>>> too.
>>
>> Swamp coolers are popular here in the Southwest, where the humidity is
>> almost always low. Since they work by evaporative cooling, their
>> down-side (as far as I am concerned) is that they add moisture to the
>> air. Now some folks think that is a _good_ thing, but having lived in NJ
>> for nearly 30 years, I am just damned glad to escape the humidity!
>
> It is almost impossible to create too much humidity in Utah. On the other
> hand, when it's 101 degrees out (like yesterday, the day before, and the
> 10 day forecast) the swamp cooler doesn't do too much for one's comfort
> level. June is usually 15 degrees cooler in northern Utah, but it looks as
> if we're in for a long, hot summer (we had some close to 100 days in May,
> too)
>

Oh wait, it's July already. I guess we're at normal then.

"FurPaw" <furrealpawdog@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:PLudnfmN1vSVURvbnZ2dnUVZ_qqrnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> sage hen wrote:
>> Here in the northern hemisphere, it's the time of year most dreaded by
>> us meno types. My biggest fantasy is setting up a house swap with
>> some New Zealander with seasonal affective disorder.
>
> I could get used to that routine...
>

Me, too.


>
>> Swamp coolers--much cheaper and more energy-efficient than an air
>> conditioner, but noisy. \ff you get one, try to put it in a less-used
>> area. It also gets too humid here at times for a swamp cooler to work
>> well. Those little electric fans that sit on a table top are nice
>> too.
>
> Swamp coolers are popular here in the Southwest, where the humidity is
> almost always low. Since they work by evaporative cooling, their
> down-side (as far as I am concerned) is that they add moisture to the air.
> Now some folks think that is a _good_ thing, but having lived in NJ for
> nearly 30 years, I am just damned glad to escape the humidity!

It is almost impossible to create too much humidity in Utah. On the other
hand, when it's 101 degrees out (like yesterday, the day before, and the 10
day forecast) the swamp cooler doesn't do too much for one's comfort level.
June is usually 15 degrees cooler in northern Utah, but it looks as if we're
in for a long, hot summer (we had some close to 100 days in May, too)

On Jul 1, 12:35 pm, "Peahen" <peahen1...@gmail.com> wrote:
> "Peahen" <pea...@comcast.net> wrote in message
>
> news:uO6dnSitAMi1nBXbnZ2dnUVZ_jCdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > "FurPaw" <furrealpaw...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >news:PLudnfmN1vSVURvbnZ2dnUVZ_qqrnZ2d@comcast.com ...
> >> sage hen wrote:
> >>> Here in the northern hemisphere, it's the time of year most dreaded by
> >>> us meno types. My biggest fantasy is setting up a house swap with
> >>> some New Zealander with seasonal affective disorder.
>
> >> I could get used to that routine...
>
> > Me, too.
>
> >>> Swamp coolers--much cheaper and more energy-efficient than an air
> >>> conditioner, but noisy. \ff you get one, try to put it in a less-used
> >>> area. It also gets too humid here at times for a swamp cooler to work
> >>> well. Those little electric fans that sit on a table top are nice
> >>> too.
>
> >> Swamp coolers are popular here in the Southwest, where the humidity is
> >> almost always low. Since they work by evaporative cooling, their
> >> down-side (as far as I am concerned) is that they add moisture to the
> >> air. Now some folks think that is a _good_ thing, but having lived in NJ
> >> for nearly 30 years, I am just damned glad to escape the humidity!
>
> > It is almost impossible to create too much humidity in Utah. On the other
> > hand, when it's 101 degrees out (like yesterday, the day before, and the
> > 10 day forecast) the swamp cooler doesn't do too much for one's comfort
> > level. June is usually 15 degrees cooler in northern Utah, but it looks as
> > if we're in for a long, hot summer (we had some close to 100 days in May,
> > too)
>
> Oh wait, it's July already. I guess we're at normal then.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Those are some great tips, gals. I don't know if I can bear the
thought of giving up my dips in the icy cold stream, but will try to
gauge my reaction more closely. It's impossible to climb up that big
hill in the heat without the dip.
About the synthetics--yesterday someone gave me a cute polyester
blouse, which I wore on my hike today. It was just like being wrapped
in plastic. Silk and cotton are much better.
Another somewhat offbeat way I've found to beat the heat is to read
books about high altitude mountain climbing. For some odd reason,
reading about people freezing on Mt. Everest makes me feel cooler.
For instance--"Into Thin Air" and "Touching the Void". I have a
library book right now, "Epic--Stories of Survival from the World's
Highest Peaks". The Dewey Decimal number is 796.522, where all these
books are together. Of course they do describe some suffering and
tragic events which can be harrowing.
Yes, our swamp cooler does make it more humid in the house, and it's
noisy. But they do use energy much more efficiently than air
conditioning.
Peahen, I lived in Utah most of my life, around Salt Lake, Fillmore,
and Cedar City. Hot dry air really is more bearable than hot wet
air! Here in the Sierra foothills, it's sometimes pretty humid. At
this stage of my life, though, I like having some moisture in the air.
To a cooler you,
Les

sage hen <desertnymph@cwo.com> wrote in news:1183320615.488413.132330@
57g2000hsv.googlegroups.com:

> Another somewhat offbeat way I've found to beat the heat is to read
> books about high altitude mountain climbing. For some odd reason,
> reading about people freezing on Mt. Everest makes me feel cooler.
>

Heh - when I read Solzhenitzin's _The Gulag Archipelago_ it was in the
middle of a heat wave. I felt cold the whole time.

Chak

--
It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life
that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal
itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
--Arnold Toynbee

sage hen wrote:

> About the synthetics--yesterday someone gave me a cute polyester
> blouse, which I wore on my hike today. It was just like being wrapped
> in plastic. Silk and cotton are much better.


If you can get it, try linen. yes it wrinkles - badly - but it will take
more heat and perspiration than either silk or cotton. A linen mix
(depending on the amounts of the mix) will crease less but still have
those heat-busting properties.


--
Jette Goldie
jette@blueyonder.co.uk
http://www.jette.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
http://wolfette.livejournal.com/
("reply to" is spamblocked - use the email addy in sig)

Jette wrote the following on 7/1/2007 4:41 PM:
> sage hen wrote:
>
>> About the synthetics--yesterday someone gave me a cute polyester
>> blouse, which I wore on my hike today. It was just like being wrapped
>> in plastic. Silk and cotton are much better.
>
>
> If you can get it, try linen. yes it wrinkles - badly - but it will take
> more heat and perspiration than either silk or cotton. A linen mix
> (depending on the amounts of the mix) will crease less but still have
> those heat-busting properties.

I was just about to suggest linen but read down in case anyone had beat
me to it. :-) Many newer linens are now machine washable and dryable. I
have a special fondness for peasant linen, which tends to wear like iron,
be very absorbent (read: cool), and drapes beautifully. I've also had
good experiences with the new natural fiber tencel. Bamboo rayon is also
nice. I have some sheets that are a cotton bamboo blend and they are
slightly cooler than my all cotton ones. YD has a bamboo and cotton robe
that is very soft and also lightweight -- good for taking to and from
college after she starts <gulp> next month. I haven't had any luck
finding clothing for myself with bamboo, but I keep hoping.

Hemp is another wonderful fiber. DH has some hemp shirts that are very
cool and comfortable. Again, no luck finding one for me, (I've been known
to swipe his...) but I do have some hemp denim to make a skirt out of.
DH's hemp shirts wash and wear beautifully and don't wrinkle, so that
puts them a step ahead of linen.

Karen R.

"Karen R." <krez56@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:ehVhi.2938$tj6.2197@newsread4.news.pas.earthl ink.net...
<snipped>
> Hemp is another wonderful fiber. DH has some hemp shirts that are very
> cool and comfortable. Again, no luck finding one for me, (I've been known
> to swipe his...) but I do have some hemp denim to make a skirt out of.
> DH's hemp shirts wash and wear beautifully and don't wrinkle, so that puts
> them a step ahead of linen.

IMO, that would put them a good 10 steps ahead of linen! (Can you tell I
avoid linen because of how it wrinkles? <g>)

Cathy



>
> Karen R.

Cathy F. wrote the following on 7/1/2007 6:20 PM:

> IMO, that would put them a good 10 steps ahead of linen! (Can you tell I
> avoid linen because of how it wrinkles? <g>)

I just let it wrinkle. The frumpy, casual look. :-) No AC here with a
hot, muggy summer, so comfort trumps neatness. I despise ironing, and
wear only natural fibers, so I have tricks to keep things from getting
too rumpled. Line drying, and/or hanging them in the bathroom for a few
days to steam out the wrinkles. A hand-held steam cleaner if I am really
desperate.

Karen R.

"Karen R." <krez56@gmail.com> wrote in
news:OMXhi.2990$tj6.2739@newsread4.news.pas.earthl ink.net:

> I just let it wrinkle. The frumpy, casual look. :-) No AC here with a
> hot, muggy summer, so comfort trumps neatness. I despise ironing, and
> wear only natural fibers, so I have tricks to keep things from getting
> too rumpled. Line drying, and/or hanging them in the bathroom for a
> few days to steam out the wrinkles. A hand-held steam cleaner if I am
> really desperate.
>

Heh - I do finger ironing. I take the clothing from the washer after
the spin cycle, give it a good snapping shake, and hang it on a hanger.
If necessary, I smooth pocket plackets and front plackets with my
fingers.

I figure no matter how nice and neat I look when I get dressed, I'll be
rumpled in five minutes, so, as Alfred E. Newman says, 'What, me worry?'

Chak

--
It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life
that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that
goal itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
--Arnold Toynbee

Karen R. wrote:
> Cathy F. wrote the following on 7/1/2007 6:20 PM:
>
>> IMO, that would put them a good 10 steps ahead of linen! (Can you
>> tell I avoid linen because of how it wrinkles? <g>)
>
> I just let it wrinkle. The frumpy, casual look. :-) No AC here with a
> hot, muggy summer, so comfort trumps neatness. I despise ironing, and
> wear only natural fibers, so I have tricks to keep things from getting
> too rumpled. Line drying, and/or hanging them in the bathroom for a few
> days to steam out the wrinkles. A hand-held steam cleaner if I am really
> desperate.
>
> Karen R.


When packing, roll garments rather than fold - fewer wrinkles and no
"fold creases" when you unpack!


--
Jette Goldie
jette@blueyonder.co.uk
http://www.jette.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
http://wolfette.livejournal.com/
("reply to" is spamblocked - use the email addy in sig)

Jette <bosslady@scotlandmail.com> wrote:

> Karen R. wrote:
> > Cathy F. wrote the following on 7/1/2007 6:20 PM:
> >
> >> IMO, that would put them a good 10 steps ahead of linen! (Can you
> >> tell I avoid linen because of how it wrinkles? <g>)
> >
> > I just let it wrinkle. The frumpy, casual look. :-) No AC here with a
> > hot, muggy summer, so comfort trumps neatness. I despise ironing, and
> > wear only natural fibers, so I have tricks to keep things from getting
> > too rumpled. Line drying, and/or hanging them in the bathroom for a few
> > days to steam out the wrinkles. A hand-held steam cleaner if I am really
> > desperate.
>
> When packing, roll garments rather than fold - fewer wrinkles and no
> "fold creases" when you unpack!

I've just been reading <http://www.onebag.com/> and the author gives a
good illustration on exactly how to do this. Linen, however, is expected
to wrinkle, and I don't think anybody minds seeing wrinkled linen. I see
it so much, myself.

--
Keera in Norway * Think big. Shrink to fit.
http://home.online.no/~kafox/

Hi folks,
Has anyone seen a slip that's a "pettipant" (so my chubby thighs don't rub
together) that's made out of a cooler, more natural fiber than nylon to wear
under skirts?
JC


"Chakolate" <chakolateDeathToSpammers@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9960EFE3082Bchakolatehotmailcom@207.115.33 .102...
> "Karen R." <krez56@gmail.com> wrote in
> news:OMXhi.2990$tj6.2739@newsread4.news.pas.earthl ink.net:
>
>> I just let it wrinkle. The frumpy, casual look. :-) No AC here with a
>> hot, muggy summer, so comfort trumps neatness. I despise ironing, and
>> wear only natural fibers, so I have tricks to keep things from getting
>> too rumpled. Line drying, and/or hanging them in the bathroom for a
>> few days to steam out the wrinkles. A hand-held steam cleaner if I am
>> really desperate.
>>
>
> Heh - I do finger ironing. I take the clothing from the washer after
> the spin cycle, give it a good snapping shake, and hang it on a hanger.
> If necessary, I smooth pocket plackets and front plackets with my
> fingers.
>
> I figure no matter how nice and neat I look when I get dressed, I'll be
> rumpled in five minutes, so, as Alfred E. Newman says, 'What, me worry?'
>
> Chak
>
> --
> It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life
> that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that
> goal itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
> --Arnold Toynbee
>
>

On Mon, 2 Jul 2007 12:47:43 -0500, "Julie C" <jewlyc@gra.midco.net>
wrote:

>Has anyone seen a slip that's a "pettipant" (so my chubby thighs don't rub
>together) that's made out of a cooler, more natural fiber than nylon to wear
>under skirts?

Gee, everything comes full circle doesn't it? When I was less than 10
years old my grandmother lived with us and she wore these. It was the
only underpants she would wear. We secretly laughed at her undies
because they were so....different. Strange thing is....they look very
comfortable and appropriate to me now...not strange at all. Makes me
wish I could take back all those giggles.


Dana

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons,
for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

"Julie C" <jewlyc@gra.midco.net> wrote in
news:L_mdnXbEhPDWpxTbnZ2dnUVZ_judnZ2d@midco.net:

> Has anyone seen a slip that's a "pettipant" (so my chubby thighs don't
> rub together) that's made out of a cooler, more natural fiber than
> nylon to wear under skirts?
>

Heh - here's one that's silk, if you don't mind paying $76 for one piece
of underwear:

http://www.herroom.com/FarrWest-Silk...tipant,Farr01-
Slk40,4.html

Chak

--
It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life
that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal
itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
--Arnold Toynbee

Hmmm... $76?? I'd better get out my sewing machine!
Thanks!

>> Has anyone seen a slip that's a "pettipant" (so my chubby thighs don't
>> rub together) that's made out of a cooler, more natural fiber than
>> nylon to wear under skirts?
>>
>
> Heh - here's one that's silk, if you don't mind paying $76 for one piece
> of underwear:
>
> http://www.herroom.com/FarrWest-Silk...tipant,Farr01-
> Slk40,4.html
>
> Chak
>
> --
> It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life
> that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal
> itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
> --Arnold Toynbee
>
>

On Jul 3, 5:21 pm, "Julie C" <jew...@gra.midco.net> wrote:
> Hmmm... $76?? I'd better get out my sewing machine!
> Thanks!
>
>
>
> >> Has anyone seen a slip that's a "pettipant" (so my chubby thighs don't
> >> rub together) that's made out of a cooler, more natural fiber than
> >> nylon to wear under skirts?
>
> > Heh - here's one that's silk, if you don't mind paying $76 for one piece
> > of underwear:
Not to change the subject, but I just started my annual ritual of
sleeping outside to beat the heat. I did this most of the last two
summers. It's rather enjoyable once you get used to it. The hubby
fixes me up a nice little bed complete with (yellow bug) reading light
on the deck. Like most places we have mosquitoes, but I've found they
subside once it's completely dark. I highly recommend sleeping
outside in the summer for those who can manage it.
Les


> >http://www.herroom.com/FarrWest-Silk...tipant,Farr01-
> > Slk40,4.html
>
> > Chak
>
> > --
> > It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life
> > that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal
> > itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
> > --Arnold Toynbee- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

"sage hen" <desertnymph@cwo.com> wrote in message
news:1183511189.548371.309550@m36g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
:
> Not to change the subject, but I just started my annual ritual of
> sleeping outside to beat the heat. I did this most of the last two
> summers. It's rather enjoyable once you get used to it. The hubby
> fixes me up a nice little bed complete with (yellow bug) reading light
> on the deck. Like most places we have mosquitoes, but I've found they
> subside once it's completely dark. I highly recommend sleeping
> outside in the summer for those who can manage it.
> Les

The houses in my neighborhood are mostly from the teens, 1920's, & 1930's,
and a lot of them were built with sleeping porches on the second story (all
windows on 2 - 3 walls), usually above a side or back sun porch on the first
floor. On stifling hot summer nights I wish *my* house had a sleeping
porch, too...

Cathy

When we lived in our other house we had "Dual" Cooling. We had Swamp coolers
for May -middle of July....When the Monsoons started we used the AC(We call
them Air Conditioners..and We call Swamp Boxes, Coolers) It sure helped
save on electricity. This house we only have AC....and a pool My hot flash
days seem to be over(knock on wood) So this summer isn't as uncomfortable as
some others. It's been a pretty hot summer in AZ this year...I hear it's on
it's way East
Jacquie

"Peahen" <peahen@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:uO6dnSitAMi1nBXbnZ2dnUVZ_jCdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>
> "FurPaw" <furrealpawdog@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:PLudnfmN1vSVURvbnZ2dnUVZ_qqrnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>> sage hen wrote:
>>> Here in the northern hemisphere, it's the time of year most dreaded by
>>> us meno types. My biggest fantasy is setting up a house swap with
>>> some New Zealander with seasonal affective disorder.
>>
>> I could get used to that routine...
>>
>
> Me, too.
>
>
>>
>>> Swamp coolers--much cheaper and more energy-efficient than an air
>>> conditioner, but noisy. \ff you get one, try to put it in a less-used
>>> area. It also gets too humid here at times for a swamp cooler to work
>>> well. Those little electric fans that sit on a table top are nice
>>> too.
>>
>> Swamp coolers are popular here in the Southwest, where the humidity is
>> almost always low. Since they work by evaporative cooling, their
>> down-side (as far as I am concerned) is that they add moisture to the
>> air. Now some folks think that is a _good_ thing, but having lived in NJ
>> for nearly 30 years, I am just damned glad to escape the humidity!
>
> It is almost impossible to create too much humidity in Utah. On the other
> hand, when it's 101 degrees out (like yesterday, the day before, and the
> 10 day forecast) the swamp cooler doesn't do too much for one's comfort
> level. June is usually 15 degrees cooler in northern Utah, but it looks as
> if we're in for a long, hot summer (we had some close to 100 days in May,
> too)
>
>

We in AZ are well known for saying"But it's a Dry Heat"...my son always
comes back with "So is a Blow Torch...what's your point" I would love some
humidity right now...that would mean the monsoons are here and we really
need the rain.
"sage hen" <desertnymph@cwo.com> wrote in message
news:1183320615.488413.132330@57g2000hsv.googlegro ups.com...
> On Jul 1, 12:35 pm, "Peahen" <peahen1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> "Peahen" <pea...@comcast.net> wrote in message
>>
>> news:uO6dnSitAMi1nBXbnZ2dnUVZ_jCdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > "FurPaw" <furrealpaw...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> >news:PLudnfmN1vSVURvbnZ2dnUVZ_qqrnZ2d@comcast.com ...
>> >> sage hen wrote:
>> >>> Here in the northern hemisphere, it's the time of year most dreaded
>> >>> by
>> >>> us meno types. My biggest fantasy is setting up a house swap with
>> >>> some New Zealander with seasonal affective disorder.
>>
>> >> I could get used to that routine...
>>
>> > Me, too.
>>
>> >>> Swamp coolers--much cheaper and more energy-efficient than an air
>> >>> conditioner, but noisy. \ff you get one, try to put it in a less-used
>> >>> area. It also gets too humid here at times for a swamp cooler to
>> >>> work
>> >>> well. Those little electric fans that sit on a table top are nice
>> >>> too.
>>
>> >> Swamp coolers are popular here in the Southwest, where the humidity is
>> >> almost always low. Since they work by evaporative cooling, their
>> >> down-side (as far as I am concerned) is that they add moisture to the
>> >> air. Now some folks think that is a _good_ thing, but having lived in
>> >> NJ
>> >> for nearly 30 years, I am just damned glad to escape the humidity!
>>
>> > It is almost impossible to create too much humidity in Utah. On the
>> > other
>> > hand, when it's 101 degrees out (like yesterday, the day before, and
>> > the
>> > 10 day forecast) the swamp cooler doesn't do too much for one's comfort
>> > level. June is usually 15 degrees cooler in northern Utah, but it looks
>> > as
>> > if we're in for a long, hot summer (we had some close to 100 days in
>> > May,
>> > too)
>>
>> Oh wait, it's July already. I guess we're at normal then.- Hide quoted
>> text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> Those are some great tips, gals. I don't know if I can bear the
> thought of giving up my dips in the icy cold stream, but will try to
> gauge my reaction more closely. It's impossible to climb up that big
> hill in the heat without the dip.
> About the synthetics--yesterday someone gave me a cute polyester
> blouse, which I wore on my hike today. It was just like being wrapped
> in plastic. Silk and cotton are much better.
> Another somewhat offbeat way I've found to beat the heat is to read
> books about high altitude mountain climbing. For some odd reason,
> reading about people freezing on Mt. Everest makes me feel cooler.
> For instance--"Into Thin Air" and "Touching the Void". I have a
> library book right now, "Epic--Stories of Survival from the World's
> Highest Peaks". The Dewey Decimal number is 796.522, where all these
> books are together. Of course they do describe some suffering and
> tragic events which can be harrowing.
> Yes, our swamp cooler does make it more humid in the house, and it's
> noisy. But they do use energy much more efficiently than air
> conditioning.
> Peahen, I lived in Utah most of my life, around Salt Lake, Fillmore,
> and Cedar City. Hot dry air really is more bearable than hot wet
> air! Here in the Sierra foothills, it's sometimes pretty humid. At
> this stage of my life, though, I like having some moisture in the air.
> To a cooler you,
> Les
>
>
>
>

We have to many critters out here in the desert to sleep outside My
husbands Grandparents had a built in screen porch and my husband said when
ever he and his brother went to PA for the summer they would sleep in the
porch..he said it was so much cooler.
"sage hen" <desertnymph@cwo.com> wrote in message
news:1183511189.548371.309550@m36g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
> On Jul 3, 5:21 pm, "Julie C" <jew...@gra.midco.net> wrote:
>> Hmmm... $76?? I'd better get out my sewing machine!
>> Thanks!
>>
>>
>>
>> >> Has anyone seen a slip that's a "pettipant" (so my chubby thighs don't
>> >> rub together) that's made out of a cooler, more natural fiber than
>> >> nylon to wear under skirts?
>>
>> > Heh - here's one that's silk, if you don't mind paying $76 for one
>> > piece
>> > of underwear:
> Not to change the subject, but I just started my annual ritual of
> sleeping outside to beat the heat. I did this most of the last two
> summers. It's rather enjoyable once you get used to it. The hubby
> fixes me up a nice little bed complete with (yellow bug) reading light
> on the deck. Like most places we have mosquitoes, but I've found they
> subside once it's completely dark. I highly recommend sleeping
> outside in the summer for those who can manage it.
> Les
>
>
>> >http://www.herroom.com/FarrWest-Silk...tipant,Farr01-
>> > Slk40,4.html
>>
>> > Chak
>>
>> > --
>> > It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life
>> > that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that
>> > goal
>> > itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
>> > --Arnold Toynbee- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
>

On Jul 8, 10:35 pm, "jacquie" <happi...@nospam.net> wrote:
> We have to many critters out here in the desert to sleep outside My
> husbands Grandparents had a built in screen porch and my husband said when
> ever he and his brother went to PA for the summer they would sleep in the
> porch..he said it was so much cooler."sage hen" <desertny...@cwo.com> wrote in message


Regarding swamp coolers versus AC, our outdoor humidity meter starts
at around 50 percent in the early a.m., then goes down near 30 percent
by late afternoon. We only have the swamp, but a lot of people here
in the Sierra foothills have both and use the AC when it's really
humid. We have had occasions when the humidity goes to the teens, and
then we really get some cooling.
A friend told me she's started sleeping with some gel icepacks she
discovered when working as an EMT. They're not made of plastic, and
are probably available at a medical supply place.
I still think the only way to stand serious climbing on a hot day is a
long immersion in a cold creek. Even in the 90 degree humid heat, I
don't break a sweat going up 400 feet in elevation. And I'm cool for
at least the next 3 hours.
For those who have trouble sleeping past the early summer dawn (4:30
here): I got a sleep mask last year and it's become an invaluable
tool 4 months of the year. They can be hard to get used to, and
sometimes you must replace the elastic with something looser (I sewed
on an old knee sock). But it does enable the light-sensitive to sleep
longer. I got mine at a grocery store with a big drug store section
for $5.
Les

>
> news:1183511189.548371.309550@m36g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>
>
>
> > On Jul 3, 5:21 pm, "Julie C" <jew...@gra.midco.net> wrote:
> >> Hmmm... $76?? I'd better get out my sewing machine!
> >> Thanks!
>
> >> >> Has anyone seen a slip that's a "pettipant" (so my chubby thighs don't
> >> >> rub together) that's made out of a cooler, more natural fiber than
> >> >> nylon to wear under skirts?
>
> >> > Heh - here's one that's silk, if you don't mind paying $76 for one
> >> > piece
> >> > of underwear:
> > Not to change the subject, but I just started my annual ritual of
> > sleeping outside to beat the heat. I did this most of the last two
> > summers. It's rather enjoyable once you get used to it. The hubby
> > fixes me up a nice little bed complete with (yellow bug) reading light
> > on the deck. Like most places we have mosquitoes, but I've found they
> > subside once it's completely dark. I highly recommend sleeping
> > outside in the summer for those who can manage it.
> > Les
>
> >> >http://www.herroom.com/FarrWest-Silk...tipant,Farr01-
> >> > Slk40,4.html
>
> >> > Chak
>
> >> > --
> >> > It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life
> >> > that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that
> >> > goal
> >> > itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
> >> > --Arnold Toynbee- Hide quoted text -
>
> >> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

When I was growing up the swamp box was all we had...my Dad put a warehouse
sized unit on the top of the house(He was a big man 6'4" and always thought
bigger was better..LOL)...we got some good strong air through the vents
We also had an adobe brick house the walls were double brick...that also
helped the house stay cooler...now days we just have the flimsy stick
stuccoed houses and if they aren't insulated well it can get mighty hot in
the summer...the house we lived in before we moved here was not insulated
well(we weren't told there were options when we bought the house) My
electric bill in the summer was over $350.00 a month in the summer when the
AC was used...we had two AC's and they ran all of the time because of the
lousy insulation. The house we have now is well insulated(we learned our
lesson) and has dual paned windows . My Electric bill in the summer is
around $250.00 a month and this is an all electric house...the other house
was gas and electric. I would love to be able to afford electric solar
panels.
jacquie
"sage hen" <desertnymph@cwo.com> wrote in message
news:1184013408.189454.243570@k79g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
> On Jul 8, 10:35 pm, "jacquie" <happi...@nospam.net> wrote:
>> We have to many critters out here in the desert to sleep outside My
>> husbands Grandparents had a built in screen porch and my husband said
>> when
>> ever he and his brother went to PA for the summer they would sleep in the
>> porch..he said it was so much cooler."sage hen" <desertny...@cwo.com>
>> wrote in message
>
>
> Regarding swamp coolers versus AC, our outdoor humidity meter starts
> at around 50 percent in the early a.m., then goes down near 30 percent
> by late afternoon. We only have the swamp, but a lot of people here
> in the Sierra foothills have both and use the AC when it's really
> humid. We have had occasions when the humidity goes to the teens, and
> then we really get some cooling.
> A friend told me she's started sleeping with some gel icepacks she
> discovered when working as an EMT. They're not made of plastic, and
> are probably available at a medical supply place.
> I still think the only way to stand serious climbing on a hot day is a
> long immersion in a cold creek. Even in the 90 degree humid heat, I
> don't break a sweat going up 400 feet in elevation. And I'm cool for
> at least the next 3 hours.
> For those who have trouble sleeping past the early summer dawn (4:30
> here): I got a sleep mask last year and it's become an invaluable
> tool 4 months of the year. They can be hard to get used to, and
> sometimes you must replace the elastic with something looser (I sewed
> on an old knee sock). But it does enable the light-sensitive to sleep
> longer. I got mine at a grocery store with a big drug store section
> for $5.
> Les
>
> >
>> news:1183511189.548371.309550@m36g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
>>
>>
>>
>> > On Jul 3, 5:21 pm, "Julie C" <jew...@gra.midco.net> wrote:
>> >> Hmmm... $76?? I'd better get out my sewing machine!
>> >> Thanks!
>>
>> >> >> Has anyone seen a slip that's a "pettipant" (so my chubby thighs
>> >> >> don't
>> >> >> rub together) that's made out of a cooler, more natural fiber than
>> >> >> nylon to wear under skirts?
>>
>> >> > Heh - here's one that's silk, if you don't mind paying $76 for one
>> >> > piece
>> >> > of underwear:
>> > Not to change the subject, but I just started my annual ritual of
>> > sleeping outside to beat the heat. I did this most of the last two
>> > summers. It's rather enjoyable once you get used to it. The hubby
>> > fixes me up a nice little bed complete with (yellow bug) reading light
>> > on the deck. Like most places we have mosquitoes, but I've found they
>> > subside once it's completely dark. I highly recommend sleeping
>> > outside in the summer for those who can manage it.
>> > Les
>>
>> >> >http://www.herroom.com/FarrWest-Silk...tipant,Farr01-
>> >> > Slk40,4.html
>>
>> >> > Chak
>>
>> >> > --
>> >> > It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of
>> >> > life
>> >> > that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that
>> >> > goal
>> >> > itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
>> >> > --Arnold Toynbee- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> >> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
>

On Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:36:48 -0700, sage hen <desertnymph@cwo.com>
wrote:

>Regarding swamp coolers versus AC, our outdoor humidity meter starts
>at around 50 percent in the early a.m., then goes down near 30 percent
>by late afternoon. We only have the swamp, but a lot of people here
>in the Sierra foothills have both and use the AC when it's really
>humid. We have had occasions when the humidity goes to the teens, and
>then we really get some cooling.

Is humidity measured differed in america as in europe? The hygrometer
here say normal goes from +/- 32 till +/- 65 %.

R

Ratatosk,Jola
--

If you need to e-mail me, replace "don'tbother" with "zedicus"

On Jul 9, 3:10 pm, "jacquie" <happi...@nospam.net> wrote:
> When I was growing up the swamp box was all we had...my Dad put a warehouse
> sized unit on the top of the house(He was a big man 6'4" and always thought
> bigger was better..LOL)...we got some good strong air through the vents
> We also had an adobe brick house the walls were double brick...that also
> helped the house stay cooler...now days we just have the fl