Plans Within Plans

Here at NN Central, the Prime Geek and I have been struggling with the heat wave that is essentially flattening most of the country this summer. Day after day, we have suffered through sweltering heat, which is making sidewalks shimmer and turning asphalt walkways into the sworn enemy of barefoot nerds everywhere. Now, the Prime Geek and I have a lone air conditioning unit in our home, firmly lodged into one of our bedroom windows. We try and save this for a last resort in our fight against the summer heat, using the ceiling fans (thankfully found in nearly every room of our home) and dual unit window fans to try and force cool air through the home. It’s just me and the four furry troublemakers during the day, so most days I try and gut it out and only turn on the air conditioner right before the Prime Geeks winds his way home from work. (Air-conditioned work, might I add. Lucky twerp!) That gives us one cool and DRY room – the other plague of this summer is the oppressive humidity. While the Prime Geek appreciates Swedish bikini models… the whole Swedish steambox thing passed him by. The feeling of breathing through hot wet cotton is beginning to wear on everyone, even the furries are feeling the strain. Rarely do they try and race each other during the day, their fights have even dissolved into petulant bops on the head… but only if they are within close reach. The days of running after their opponents are on hold until the fall. (Although, I AM starting to think Trouble #1 is keeping a list somewhere. Each transgression a kitten makes finds her scurrying to her hiding spot with a decidedly determined look in her eyes. Retribution may be delayed, but it will come down upon their heads eventually.)

This is only the beginning of August, the true dog days of summer are fast approaching. What can a natural nerd do to prevent complete meltdowns without breaking down and begging her spouse to ignore her earlier protests regarding huge whacking amounts of wasted energy and go ahead and install central air? Normally, it would be a simple matter. The new house has a backyard with a large tree, spreading lots of shade across the grass. What could be easier than setting up the hammock, grabbing a thermos of lemonade and a good book and launching oneself into the cooling embrace of the yard? Except in this heat, the backyard is now a breeding ground of superbugs, primed to suck their body weight of blood out of any unwary nerdling who might venture forth - not exactly conducive to cool relaxation.

What is a Natural Nerd to do? Building a three-season addition to the house would be ideal, but that would be thousands of dollars and weeks of heavy construction. Wouldn’t it?

Let’s Light a candle to Saint Maguiver and see what we can see…..