i arrived home in Calgary on Friday to a warm, sunny evening, and then quickly discovered that i hadn’t needed to fret about how i was going to fly home with all my bedding (down duvet, etc) from planting camp.
…No, i hadn’t needed to worry at all. i had forgotten that unlike the mountains, cities generally do not cool off considerably at night, or at least, as considerably as in camp (ie. 30C days dropping to 1-2C nights). And so, i (and my houseguests from Vancouver) have sweated out the weekend in my 2nd-story sauna…er, apartment. The biggest challenge has been the lack of any crossbreeze, since my south-facing living room picture window does not open, meaning that half my apartment gets woefully stuffy without due diligence…and in the worst heat, even despite it. Needless to say, we spent a good chunk of the last few days trying to escape the sauna!
Thanking my mom, Laura Ingalls (of Little House.. fame), and latin-siesta-loving cultures everywhere for great, simple ideas to beat the heat, here is my list for keeping cool:
1: Get outside and go walking…if the breeze doesn’t come to you, then make the breeze happen by walking through the air!
2: Open windows, blinds, curtains at night to let cooler air come in, and then during the day, shut the windows and cover them with heavy curtains, fabric, whatever you have to trap the cool air inside and block the sun out.
3: If you have a moveable fan, place it blowing in at night, and if you must have a window open during the day, use the fan to suck warm air out of the house, and blow it outside.
4: Spray your curtains with water, or hang a wet sheet in front of the window to cool the air passing through
5: If your fan is enclosed, place a damp pillowcase or other small piece of fabric over it to cool the air its blowing around
6: Night is the worst for me. If i’m too warm, i just can’t stay asleep. It may be a little weird, but try getting a sheet soaking wet, then wring it out and sleep under it. It works like a charm for me….perfectly chilly all night long!
7: #6 too weird for ya? Do as the Thais do: shower in the evening, and lay on a towel, still wet, to go to sleep
8: Make using a personal paper fan your new fashion statement
9: Sunburns don’t help; wear loose linen or cotton fabric that covers your skin instead.
10: If there’s one thing that i’ve learned to appreciate about early mornings in camp, it’s this: if all the cooking/baking work is done before 9am, chances are you can keep your indoor temps at least the same as outside, if not lower. So if you HAVE to cook, do it early in the morning or late at night.
11: Dont’ cook. Learn to eat (and enjoy!) cooler, raw (or previously cooked) food. Cool fruit soups (and gazpacho….and cool white wine and cheese dinners…and nutty salads…and cold meats, mustards, and ales…)are delicious!
12: Sleep during heat of the day, socialize late into the night
13: Freeze your fruit, and enjoy it as-is, or as gourmet ice-cubes in iced tea/tisanes, or blended into healthy, nutrient-packed smoothies.
14: Mint tea….hot or cold, it makes your mouth feel cool!
15: Make sun-tea. Avoid boiling the kettle by placing a jar of water with tea bags and/or herbs (lemon balm, mint leaves, rosemary, lemon wedges, etc) in a sunny window or sunny spot on a patio in the morning, and pour over ice to enjoy all afternoon and evening!
16: Visit your local museum, bookstore, library, art gallery, etc. Chances are, their buildings are air- conditioned or ventilated to keep cool.
17: Go underground. Have a basement? A parking garage? A subway system? Keep your mind open - some of these really unorthodox places can be quieter, or more interesting than your own sweltering abode, are certainly cooler, and well, sometimes choosing these places to hang out can inject your day with that little bit of weirdness that keeps things interesting!
18: Visit your local rec center and go swimming
19: Catch up on films. Movie theatres are often chilly enough that you may just have to bring a wrap or sweater!
20: Turn off your lights, or switch to energy-saving bulbs.
21: Wear a damp bandanna to keep your head cool.
22: Eat spicy food, and embrace the cooling sweat!
23: Eat lightly, and give your digestive system a break
24: Drink water, and lots of it!
25: Have fun. Complaining apparently doesn’t help anything!
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