July Heat, A Book Read & Giving
This morning before nine a.m. I was out on the patio watering my plants. The heat out there under the tree overhang registered at 105 degrees. I’m sure much of that is due to the cement. Cement does get terribly hot.
I quickly watered and ushered Charlie back inside. He doesn’t like to go in until I do, though I encourage him to get out of the heat. I worry about his paws on that hot cement.
I also learned why it is so difficult to cool this apartment. We have a half ton unit outside. It should be two tons to adequately cool this size apartment. So I suppose that is why my air conditioning rarely goes off during the summer.
But then, I’m renting, so I don’t have any say over any of that.
I guess the maintenance guy will be quite busy with calls from residents about inadequate cooling through October. I certainly feel for him.
I just finished reading “Girl Made Of Stars.” I love reading a book that is so poetic in its phrasing. I love analogies and metaphors. I will review it soon for you.
I find that descriptive reasoning is very important in understanding the writer’s personal conveyance of information.
Amazon Blurb:
Mara and Owen are as close as twins can get, so when Mara’s friend Hannah accuses Owen of rape, Mara doesn’t know what to think. Can her brother really be guilty of such a violent act? Torn between her family and her sense of right and wrong, Mara feels lost, and it doesn’t help that things are strained with her ex-girlfriend, Charlie.
As Mara, Hannah, and Charlie come together in the aftermath of this terrible crime, Mara must face a trauma from her own past and decide where Charlie fits into her future. With sensitivity and openness, this timely novel confronts the difficult questions surrounding consent, victim blaming, and sexual assault.
I just love this photo of my daughter and Andrew. I have always thought her smile is so beautiful. And Andrew inherited that smile.
The other day I realized that I had not been to the antique mall I love in Jenks since 2017.
I can’t cram much into this apartment. So if something comes in, something must go out.
Yesterday I gave Bo, the maintenance man, quite a few things. I gave him the two outdoor chairs I had stacked in a corner of the patio.
I figure if I’m not using something, and don’t plan to in the near future, then it’s best to let someone else use it.
I love this quote:
“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
I hope you know that renters DO have certain rights! Please check with your Legal Aid people in your city to find out. You do not necessarily have to suffer over various shortcomings from the landlord and/or owners.
Do you know any renters in your complex that are seniors on a fixed income? I’m sure they would really appreciate outdoor items which are often considered luxury goods for them rather than necessities. Where I used to live, there were many seniors and they really appreciated decorative items of any type, bed linens and flower pots ( always a favourite). However , outdoor patio furniture was the most searched for and desired.
I’m sure there are probably are. I just don’t know any of them. I’ve learned that most residents here don’t even use their patios for some reason.
Legal Aid is a joke in these parts. I’ve tried to deal with them before. I never get called back.
With our move, I am really going through my stuff and cleaning out! It’s a big job! Love the quote!
Moving is an excellent time to go through stuff and do away with a lot!
I was just about ready to give up watering all of my potted plants and urns. We haven’t had ANY rain in Michigan for sixteen days. Last month , we had less than an inch of rain in my area. I watered every day but it was a losing battle. I lost a lot of annuals planted in the ground and several annuals planted in my pots and urns. My master gardener friend suggested adding OSMOCOTE to my remaining LIVE plants in the urns. Hallelujah! It works!!!! Osmocote is pretty expensive but its a lot cheaper than paying for all that extra watering. My normal bills run around $70.00 A MONTH. Last month, it was $180.00. I won’t be able to afford food if we don’t get some rain soon. i give you credit for managing to keep all those pots alive. Your garden is very lovely.
I do my best. Speaking of which, I need to get out there and water!
That photo of your daughter and Andrew is precious!!!! What a smile – it would light up a room!
I have to agree!
We have a cat who is becoming less and less willing to be inside. She’s always been half wild and so we started putting her food on the back porch twice a day. The first meal is very early in the morning, about 5 am, because that’s when I get started on my day. But then a raccoon started to show up at that hour to eat the cat food. So we went back to feeding the cat inside. But this morning I stepped out on the back porch to call the cat and the raccoon popped up and scared me silly! It was really kind of comical how its head popped up, but, still I was just not expecting it and went running into the house yelling for my husband. I probably woke up the neighbors. And here I like to think I can’t be scared by something like a raccoon.
That’s so funny!
Do you have black-out drapes that you can pull shut when the sun is out full blast? They help block a lot of the heat. I’ve also read that astro-turf (fake grass) helps keep concrete a lot cooler. Some of it can be expensive, but your patio area is so small, maybe it could be affordable. I know there is a certain type that some kind of sand can be added to that actually retains water even in a desert environment and helps make it cooler. Several brands look very realistic and are soft like real bluegrass is. I’ve seen the artificial grass used on a couple of different shows on HGTV, usually in states out west with high heat and in California when shows were filmed during the awful drought they had.
I keep it pretty dark in here with both blinds and dark curtains.
Great quote Brenda!
The heat and humidity are oppressive indeed. I divide my watering so I go out more often but for short periods. My herbs in pots got fried, but I sheared them back and they are now as good as new. My lawn is fried too, but I don’t care because it stopped growing and I don’t need to mow right now.
Your daughter is lovely, as is her smile, and Andrew is adorable.
I do the same thing. When a plant just goes kaput, I trim it back and hope for the best!
Have you thought about covering the hot cement with large pieces of outdoor carpet? Might keep Charlie from burning his little feet…..
No I had not. I do have that big rug, but I will look into this.
I thought you might like this article, https://tinybuddha.com/blog/journaling-process-grief/
Thanks for the link! Looks like a good read. Writing does help.
Good afternoon Brenda and Charlie,
I feel like I spend 1/2 of the day watering my containers at this time of the year but they do look beautiful so they are worth it.
I too love that photo of your daughter and grandson, so happy and filled with love.
Stay cool!
I spend a good amount of time and water watering the patio plants. But like you say, worth it.
I love that quote about choice!! It is so hot that I have given up trying to grow anything in pots. Just too much watering. So I’m concentrating my money on feeding the birds. I need a better bird bath but will use the one I have for the rest of this summer. In the heat, reading is a favorite way to spend the day. Hugs!!
I’m not feeding the birds. Rats will descend upon me if I do from the strip mall restaurant and Sonic (less than a block away). Already been down that road. And I can’t abide rats/mice.