Is
it hot enough? Hopefully, by the time you read this, the heat advisory will
have expired. Fortunately, today we are better equipped to handle the excessive
heat with window air conditioners and central air. But back in1967, only 10% of
American homes were air conditioned, so most of us can remember the hot, sticky
days and nights of summer. We may not have liked it, but we found ways to stay cool
and lived to tell about it.
During
the hot and humid summers in Indianapolis, my dad would try to make it at least
bearable, by using a dehumidifier in the basement and also installing a fan in
the opening to the attic to pull hot air out of the house at night. But all too
often that wasn’t enough. And many nights I would sleep without covers, spreadeagle,
with a cold wet towel under my neck. I’m
sure many of you have stories of how you stayed cool during the summer. If you
do, email them to me at mcseniorcenter@gmail.com.
But
if you haven’t noticed, our bodies can’t jump as high, run as fast or bear the
heat as well as we once did. So during these hot days, it makes good sense to
heed the advice of the North Central Public Health District.
You should
drink plenty of liquids, enough to have to urinate every four hours. (I wish I
could last four hours!) But avoid caffeine or sugary drinks. Wear lose clothing
and stay out of the heat as much as possible - which is a given for most of us.
And if you need a place to stay cool, the Center is open until 5:00 every
weekday and open for various activities from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM except Wednesday,
Friday and Sunday nights.
But
most importantly, keep an eye on your neighbors - making sure they are able to
handle the heat. Heat is the number one weather related killer causing more
deaths than hurricanes, tornadoes, lightening and floods combined. It should be
taken seriously.
Kristy
Beachamp, manager of Wasco County Emergency Management, stopped by the Center to
register folks for the Citizen Alert Notification system. When you are enrolled
in the system, you will be contacted by phone, email or text, in case of imminent
or potential threats to life or property including floods, wildfires, and natural
gas leaks. You can also sign up for additional notifications such as public
health advisories and law enforcement alerts. Sign-up by going to the Wasco
County website. Or if you don’t have a computer or need assistance, we can help
you at the Center.
The
Center is hosting the annual Cowboy Breakfast from 7:30 – 9:30 on Saturday July
19th, sponsored by Flagstone Senior Living. The menu includes
pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, fruit and coffee or juice. It’s still only
$5.00, $4.00 for members and $3.00 for children 12 and under. And as an added
bonus, members of the Mid-Columbia Car Club have been invited to bring their
classic cars to show. You will be able to see all the classic autos during the
Neon Cruise through downtown The Dalles on Friday night, August 8th
and the Cruise the Gorge “Show in the Shade” up at Sorosis Park on the 9th.
Truman
will be playing his “Country Gold” at the Center on Tuesday, July 22nd. Doors
open at 6:00 and music starts at 7:00. All ages are welcome and donations are
appreciated.
The
cheerful but dim-witted, Canadian Mountie who was always rescuing the object of
his affections, Neil Fenwick, is Dudley Do-Right. (And the winner of a free
Cowboy Breakfast on July 19th is Bill and Darlene Marick.)
When
I was browsing through Klindts (which has all kinds of fun stuff besides a
great assortment of books) I came across a book of all the things you need to
know based on a popular series of children books first published in 1942. These
books sold for twenty five cents and included “Pokey Little Puppy” and “The
Little Red Hen”. What is the name of this series of “sturdy little books with the shiny cardboard covers and
gold foil spines”? E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com,
call 541-296-4788 or mail it with the gown created in 2010 made of hundreds of
discarded and recycled books from this series.
Well,
it’s been another week closed up in my bedroom with the air conditioner on. Until
we meet again, as Steven Wright asked, “If you saw a heat wave, would you wave
back?
"I
have reached an age when, if someone tells me to wear socks, I don't have
to." - Albert Einstein
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