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Arizona...holy HOT

We have dear friends who live in AZ, and I've been thinking about them for weeks, remembering how bad the summers were when I lived in El Paso in 87-90 and 92-94. The meteorologists measured the air temp in the shade at the airport, so when they'd report a 110-degree day, it was really 120+ in the sun. Seriously, taking the temp reading in the shade? I wonder if they did that to keep people from getting despondent when they read the weather report...

I remember having to be very mindful of everything we did on those days. No one was allowed to turn on the stove, or oven, or even run the microwave. We had a swamp cooler because refrigerated air (traditional a/c) was just too expensive and if everyone had them, they'd overload the electrical grid. Instead, swamp coolers put humidity into the air to help cool you off when it evaporated off your skin. The coolest it would get in the house was the low 80's. And if it heated up - like when a dummy decided to boil water for tea (oops!) it would take 8-12 hours to cool off again.

We did meals of cold cereal, cold sandwiches, cold salads, and take-out for weeks.

Now I live in Dallas, and I love my 21-SEER air conditioner. I keep the house set at 74 degrees and 40-something-percent humidity. :) BTW, @navaja77 - if you felt like Dallas was humid, stay away from Houston. It's truly awful, all steamy and sticky and air so thick you can barely breathe.

Living in El Paso, I also remember we weren't allowed to go anywhere without our water bottle. We had to chug water constantly. I wound up in the ER with migraines at 15 because I got dehydrated just sitting in the house all day.

My heart goes out to all of you in Arizona and New Mexico and West Texas!
 
I've lived in AZ for 26 years and it is HOT. I am originally from Florida which is hot and humid. Honestly they are both bad, but let me just say I don't like the COLD!!!

Survival tips: Air conditioning, lots of water, dips in the pool, limit outside time, run errands in the early morning, did I mention air conditioning?
 
StarryEyedDesigns said:
@gonewiththewind where in NW Florida are you? We used to live in Pace (just outside of P'Cola). If hubby's company wins the big bid they are bidding next month in P'Cola, we're hoping to get sent back. Originally we were supposed to be sent to CO, but it looks like now it depends on this bid :D
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Ummmmmmm, I live in Pace. bwahahahahaha Small world! That would be so cool to be able to meet if you get sent back! Say what?!? And Danyale of Etc by Danyale lives here, too, two streets over from me!
 
I grew up in FL and never minded the heat and humidity. In fact, I enjoyed walking out of my house and being hit with a hot/humid wall of air.

I've been living in Western NC for the last 8 years or so, and I've learned to really enjoy our milder weather....and now when it gets up into the 80's I'm dying! LOL! What has happened to me? I'm a wimp.

And while it got hot in FL it only got above 100 every once in awhile. I can't imagine the weather some of you are facing.
 
Gah. I can't imagine. I grew up in Louisiana and now live in Georgia and I absolutely hate the hot, humid summers of the south! It's been about 100 degrees over the last several days here and it's miserable. I don't think I'd survive if were any hotter. When people find out I'm from LA they say, "So you're used to this weather then?" But, nope. I don't think you can ever get used to this humidity. We have also lived in Tennessee, Kentucky, Germany, Virginia and Kansas and I can say that I much prefer any of those climates to the deep South! I'm more of a boots, sweater and layers kind of girl and I absolutely love cooler climates. Germany was my favorite weather! I don't think I'd survive AZ.
 
I don't really like heat to be honest, even when I was skinny. It makes me feel sleepy, my energy is gone and I can only sit at the swimming pool. Very good for when I am on vacations, but otherwise, when you have a household to run... hmmm. not so fun... :(
I prefer some 24° C, that works best for me, lol/
 
I am a girl from the Pacific NW- love a mild, cloudy day. Not too hot, not too humid.

Having said that, I have lived in AZ for almost 25 years - I live to get away in the summers! The Fall is actually the worst time for me- I am so sick of the heat by then. However, this year other than that one week with a few crazy, hot days- it really hasn't been that bad! Maybe it's just me getting older- you just adjust- I am getting caught up on lots of scrapping and I adore the summer storms, and.... I have a vacation planned! Talk to me in January/February friends :giggle
 
Before moving to Virginia a year ago I was located in Arizona and then New Mexico. I didn't leave the house after 7 in the morning or before 7 in the evening. I am a super pale person and tend to lobster burn even with sunscreen. The few times I did go out in the heat, I was seeking out shade and put sunscreen on every 30 minutes. It was nuts.
 
I was 16 when my family moved to Arizona. My Mom had rheumatoid arthritis and couldn't take the air conditioning. It would make her hurt so bad. We had a swamp cooler back then. I don't mind swamp coolers because you can leave the doors and windows open when using them and I like that. But they cause a lot more humidity during the monsoon season and that is miserable. It's like you don't have any cooling at times like that. Just blowing air. Hot air. Anyway, I remember going without any cooling a good part of the day when we first moved here. I would sit at my desk to write letters to my friends and the sweat would drip off my hair. No kidding. I sat there with a towel on my lap and when it got bad I'd wipe my hair. I don't know what the temps got up to that first year or two we lived here. Didn't pay attention to that. But I've always been grateful for that experience because it helped me to get used to the heat. I think I tolerate it better than most people do. Although it does seem a little harder to do as I get older.
 
omg Jan, that makes me think of suicide! (not really but I get realllllly cranky when I'm sweat dripping hot!)
 
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never mind people who live in places that are hot... (I am Brazilian, lived for years in Rio and then the north east....summers are an oven but we have the sea)
You try being in London, which usual summers are mild....this year? we have all windows open and no air running through the house...I have been really good on laundry...because we are wearing no clothes LOL
I would never ever have thought I could say "is too hot" here.... but we are melting!!!!!
 
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