Aging Well in the Gorge July 7th 2015

Anyone else wish these 100 degree days would pack their bags and head south? With the heat I find myself more irritable and lethargic and I just want to stay some place cool and read a book. But what should I expect - it is The Dalles. And to stay safe during these hot spells, I know I need to drink more liquids while avoiding caffeine and alcohol; I need to stay cool, a wet cold towel on the back of my neck works well for me; and I need to stay informed by making sure I know who to call in case the air conditioner fails.

But thinking there must be some good reasons why the heat is better than those cold winter days, I did a little research and found these ten reasons why hot weather is better than cold. So now when I start whining about the heat, I can count its benefits knowing that in less than six months, winter will arrive and I can start wishing for the dog days of summer.

10.) Heat does not cause traffic jams triggered by jackknifed semis on snow covered highways. 9.) Heat is dangerous, but nearly twice as many people die from exposure to cold weather than those who succumb to hot weather. 8.) You can't play golf in the snow – at least anyone who is sane doesn’t.

7.) Humidity does not accumulate by the inch and require shoveling. 6.) It costs more to buy clothes to stay warm, while in the heat you can take your clothes off – to a point. 5.) Even on the hottest days of summer, it will cool off at night. But on the coldest days of winter, the nights just get colder. 4.) Cold toilet seats. 3.) It takes longer to warm up that to cool off. 2.) If your AC breaks in the summer your pipes won't burst. 1.) And above all, when you’re too cold, you can’t truly enjoy ice cream.

Fort Dalles Days, running from July 10^th through July 19^th is just around the bend. There will be plenty of action including the “Rough and Wild” Rodeo; open tours of the historic buildings; and on Saturday July 18th the Downtown Summer Fest and parade. Also on the 18^th is the Cowboy Breakfast at the Center from 7:30 – 9:30. This is your chance before the parade to enjoy a hearty breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, fruit and a beverage – all for $5.00 and $3.00 for children 12 and under. And during breakfast The Dalles’ own Carson Bailey, this year’s Fort Dalles Rodeo Queen, will stop by to say hi.

This month we are mixing up the order for the Tuesday Night Music line up. The Simcoe Boys will be playing on July 14^th and Martin and Friends will be playing on the 21^st.  No matter the temperature outside, it is always cool inside the Center so you can dance the night away without burning up the dance floor. We appreciate all the local bands who play at the Center and the folks who donate their time and money to make it all possible. Everyone is welcome no matter their age – and there is always room on the dance floor for newcomers. The doors open at 6:00, the music starts at 7:00 and you can be home before the sun goes down.

The name of the rock band with folk roots that sang the 1965 summer hit, “Summer in the City”, was the Lovin’ Spoonful. But besides the songs that remind us of summer’s pasts, the summer is also the time for the release of many of Hollywood’s action movies. This American thriller, released in 1975 two years before Star Wars, was the first of the modern summer blockbuster action films. For this week’s “Remember When” question, and a chance to win a free Cowboy Breakfast, what was the name of the film directed by Steven Spielberg; with an unforgettable soundtrack written by John Williams; and based on Peter Benchley's 1974 novel of the same name? (And after this seeing this movie, I didn’t want to get near the water.) Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or mail it with a round trip ticket to Martha’s Vineyard. 

Well, it’s been another week, splishing and splashing. Until we meet again, as I was told recently by a friend “Do not ascribe to malice what can be explained by incompetence.”

“What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.” Jane Austen