California weather is weird, as if anyone didn’t know that by now. Usually the months that are considered “summer” in other parts of the country aren’t all that summery around here, and we get killed by the heat in September and October.
There’s usually one big heat wave in May, too, and we’re “enjoying” that right now. It’s been in the
102-104 range in the back yard for several days.
Our house is not air conditioned. It was built in 1930. Having a home of this vintage would not normally be a barrier to having air conditioning, except that some demented former owner took out most of the wood framed doublehung windows circa 1960 and replaced them with aluminum framed jalousies. Maybe when these windows were new they fit tight and made sense, but at this late date… fageddaboudit.
The house has thick walls, so if we pull cool air in all night with every fan we’ve got and then close the windows before it gets much past 70 the next morning, it stays reasonably cool inside. And by the time the interior temperature starts edging up into the “uncomfortably warm” range, the exterior temperature is almost always on the way down.
I have to admit, though, that this year I wasn’t prepared for the hot weather to hit quite so early. I did fine in the heat when I was a kid (in central Virginia a kid didn’t have much choice, and I had an air conditioned classroom only once in my entire educational career–one lonely college class). But now that I am granny age I have less patience with and tolerance for hot weather. I lack energy during the day and don’t sleep well at night.
All of which makes my desire to move to New Mexico or Arizona all the more quixotic, I suppose, but when we move out of here we can always choose an adequately heated and cooled house.
photo credit: Poppyseed Bandits
