When my husband and I moved to Chicago last September, we were a little concerned that our apartment had no air conditioning, but we didn’t particularly want to spend the money on a window unit, so we made a deal with ourselves: we would last as long as we could without. We had grand visions of being hard core, of breaking the back of consumerism, and tossing the cult of comfort out the window.
I am here to declare: today is as far as we made it. July 5th. Less than 2 months away from our year anniversary here in the city, and we are about to catch the bus to Best Buy and drag that window unit back home if it kills us.
Yesterday, the day of the fateful decision, dawned as any other day might–but hotter. We went down to the beach at 8:30 am to take some pictures and test the light for an upcoming photoshoot (more on that later). By 8:31 am, I was covered in sweat. By 8:32 am, I can’t even tell you what was happening since my brain had decided it was time to check out.
We came back to the apartment around 9:15. Around 10:30 I fell into some kind of sleep/daze, in which I remained until 12:30.
I had planned on:
-Making Garlic Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
-Processing pictures from Steve and Steph’s wedding
-Finalizing blog posts for Apple Muffins, Fried Catfish, and Spicy Garlic Lemon Sauce
-Figuring out imovie and working on the slideshow for my sister Erica’s upcoming wedding
-Reading Dostoevsky’s complete works
Nothing even remotely similar occurred.
Friends had become enemies, and enemies had become friends.
As my husband gazed at my pathetic pile of self, he decided the only wise course of action was to get me to the nearest Starbucks and spend the rest of the time before church (at 5pm) in an air conditioned space. As soon as I had cooled down, my brain started functioning and I became interested in living this thing called “life” once again. As I wept tears of gratitude into my Pike Place Roast, I reached a conclusion: we need to buy a window unit pronto. But don’t get me wrong–it’s not because I become a pathetic pile in the heat–it’s because the heat was preventing me from blogging! And you all are my priority, man. So it’s not like we’re wimping out–it’s all for you.
Besides my brain ceasing to operate, some other indicators that we really, really need a unit:
1. Butter has melted in butter dish
2. Box of chocolates from our San Francisco friends has melted
3. Any thought of turning on the stove/oven has become horrific
4. Sleep: impossible
5. Cuddling: ludicrous
6. Toilet seat is sweaty
I love it Jenna. We have AC and thought our first summer in hot and humid Columbus, Ohio we too, could live without turning it on. We had survived, literally, 5 summers in Madrid, hey, we could do this. Are you kidding!! When you know you can just push this teeny tiny little switch and have cool air, well, it’s just stupid not to use it. Like you, I became a blob on the couch, cooking was like going to the dentist and having all my teeth pulled without anetheasia, and my sweat glands were totally over working their little selves into a frenzy from head to toe. We continue to use it when the temps hit the 90’s and there is no air moving outside. Other than that we try not to use it as much as possible, but even then it is hard. I never thought my body would get used to cool air but I guess we adjust to alot of things we never thought we would in extreme cases such as this. Enjoy the cooler air and enjoy your life inside a little more.
Ja,ja Jenna, me has hecho sonreír durante un buen rato. A mí me sucede lo mismo. Pusimos AC en el salón de casa…y yo decía, bah no lo encenderemos porque realmente tampoco hace tanta falta. Bueno, al final hemos aprendido que si la casa permanece en penumbra gracias a las persianas térmicas (ya se que en EEUU no hay tanta persiana) se puede mantener la casa bastante fresca. Y hasta podemos pensar, ja,ja.
Pero cuando afuera la temperatura ronda los 40º (traducelos tu a Farenheit)ha llegado la hora de ser algo menos “espartanos” o “estoicos” y cabe empezar a pensar que los epicureos y su idea de disfrutar de la vida…a ratitos no está tan mal, ja,ja.
Sobre todo si te pones a cocinar una paella porque están las chicas a comer, o quieres reproducir esos brownies tan deliciosos que nos enseñaron las “chicas americanas”. Por cierto, cuando los hacemos son la envidia de todos…
Besos desde Zaragoza.
Hehe – we finally had the moolah to get ourselves a portable unit this summer, and I am so happy. It has done wonders for our “cuddle time” in that we no longer say “oh my gosh, are you freakin kidding me? Move OVER to your side of the hot bed!”
Hope the slideshow is working out, so excited for Erica. Unfortunately we won’t be able to make it, due to Luke’s being called up for jury duty. Bummer! I am sure it will be beautiful though 🙂
Jenna, you are hilarious and love your blog!
Ahahahah I think I know the day. I came back to our house and the air conditioning was off, and in true batman like fashion, I exclaimed, holy heat! and quickly turned it on.
you are a caleidoscope of wonderfulness, my dear. I’m so glad you decided to blog- I get to learn all kinds of snippets of info that we may otherwise never get to talk about. Keep on keeping on with this thang!!!
Not the See’s candy! Anything but the See’s!
Alas . . . it was the See’s.