As I am out and about this weekend
it is hard for me to forget why this is my least favorite time of the year.
Sure there are more things to do; longer days to enjoy them; and I’m outside
more. But the bottom line is that it is “HOT!” And I don’t like it! If I liked
it, I would have never moved to the great state of Colorado in the first place
over 20 years ago. I mean look at
the temperature, 100 degrees! Ugh!!!
My car is over heating. I’m sweating
were ever I go. And the energy just gets sucked right out of my body. The fall
can’t get here soon enough! Okay I will quit complaining……
I guess the other reason that I feel
that it’s not a great time of the year right now is that our home town Major
League Baseball team (Colorado Rockies) are just flat out horrible this year.
Normally as Rockies fans at least we have something to cheer for this time of
year. Even though we tend to forget that the Rockies have only 4 winning
seasons in the last 12 years, usually at this time of year they are still in
the hunt in the National League West crown.
Not this year:
The Rockies are In 2nd to
last place in the NL West with a (27-44 record) & are now 15 games behind
the 1st place LA Dodgers. The have lost 14 of their last 17 games.
With tonight’s loss to the Texas Rangers the Rockies are now 8-29 on Sunday
games over the past two seasons. And now with the NHL & NBA seasons over,
football season still a couple of months away, these next 4 or 5 weeks are the
slowest time of the year for sports talk.
What’s it going to take for this
organization to make some changes? Can the Rockies owners really justify not
making changes at the GM or coaching level if this team loses 90 + games this
year?
As fans will we keep going to
support this team if the Monforts don’t show us that they are committed to putting
a competitive product back on the field?
Personally, I still go to games, not
because I am happy with the home town team, but to see players from other teams
play. Sad as it is the case, I have truly lost any interest in watching or
talking about the Rockies until I see some changes that prove to me that the
Monforts are really trying win games, not just put more money in their bank
accounts.
So for now I will just continue to
complain about the heat and count down the days until football season starts!
The following steps can help you
keep cool this summer.
1.
Use
box fans and ceiling fans to promote air circulation throughout your home. Opening doors in the house and
using box fans to push hot air outdoors can function as an "exhaust"
system and draw cooler evening air into the house. In the cooler evenings, open
all windows and promote as much air circulation as possible. When the sun
rises, close all doors and windows, making sure to close curtains and blinds as
well, to keep the indoors cool for as long as possible. When the outside air
cools to a lower temperature than inside (usually in the evenings or at night),
open up the windows and turn on the fans again.
2.
Take
advantage of the cooling power of water. Fill buckets or basins and soak your feet. Wet towels and
bandannas can have a cooling effect when worn on the shoulders or head. Take
cool showers or baths, and consider using a spray bottle filled with cold water
for refreshing spritzes throughout the day.
3.
Head
downstairs. Since
hot air rises, the upper stories of a home will be warmer than the ground
floor. A basement can be a cool refuge from the midday heat.
4.
Eliminate
extra sources of heat. Incandescent light bulbs can generate unnecessary heat, as can
computers or appliances left running. Eat fresh foods that do not require you
to use the oven or stove to prepare.
5.
Remember
to maintain an adequate level of hydration, which means you'll need to consume more water than
you usually do when it's hot. If you're sweating profusely, you will also need
to replace electrolytes by eating a small amount of food with your water or by
drinking specially-formulated electrolyte replacement drinks. Thirst is the
first sign of dehydration; you should drink sufficient amounts of fluids before
you feel thirsty in order to prevent dehydration.
6.
Avoid
alcoholic beverages and caffeine, as both of these substances can act as diuretics and
promote dehydration.
7.
For a homemade
"air conditioning" system, sit in the path of a box fan that is aimed at an open
cooler, or pan filled with ice.
8.
Try
to visit public buildings with air conditioning during the hottest hours of the day
if the heat becomes unbearable. Libraries, shopping malls, and movie theaters
can all be good places to cool down.
9.
Don't
eat large, protein-rich meals that can increase metabolic heat and warm the body.
10. Be
able to recognize the symptoms of heat-related illnesses and true heat emergencies (heat
cramps, heat rash, heat exhaustion, heat stroke). Call emergency services
(911) in the event of a heat emergency and try to cool the victim until help
arrives.
11.
Finally,
remember that pets also suffer when the temperature rises. Cooling animals (dogs, rabbits,
cats) by giving them a "cool" bath or shower will help keep their
body temperature down. A cool towel on a tile floor to lay on, a cool towel or
washcloth laying over the skin next to a fan will also help cool the animal.
Make sure they have plenty of cool water to drink as well.
