Smoking Hot

Whew. Yesterday was a scorcher. I have assurances from local Calgarians that that was not the norm for the summer: officially it hit 32 degrees and with the humidity felt like 40. The thermometer on our back deck showed 40 degrees. Today it’s only supposed to hit 24.

I heard the forecast on the radio when the alarm went off, but after I heard it, I wasn’t sure if I’d been fully awake. I got ready to cycle to work, but then when I confirmed that it might hit 34 in the afternoon, I quickly changed plans and took the train. For the day, I was okay in the air conditioning at work. I went out before noon and went to the bank, and it was hot but not unbearable. Tammy and the kids weren’t so lucky. They went shopping in the morning and volunteered to meet me at the Dalhousie Chapters when I got off the train. They did so: and got to stay cool for over an hour while I tried to get to them.

I left work at 4:30, intent on getting on the Crowfoot train before the 5 o’clock rush. I needn’t have bothered: there was some sort of delay with the trains, and I stood on the sweltering platform for about 10 minutes before the first train went by. And four more went by before I could cram on to one. And that one had broken AC: stepping into the train was like stepping into a sauna (compared to a 32 degree train platform). I tried, but I couldn’t stay on. I was drenched with sweat by the time the train was crossing the river. I got off in Sunnyside and called Tammy. I was going to go to the bicycle shop there and look around for a half hour or so, and then try a later and hopefully less crowded train. I did so, and when I got on another train, that one’s AC was working, so the ride out to Dalhousie wasn’t really that bad.

I should have ridden my bike.

The evening was a hot one as well. After dinner, the kids played outside for a while while Tammy and I took some camping chairs down into the basement. We laid some tape on the floor, to start the planning process for finishing the basement. Not bad for a first cut: will have to think some more about it. Cool baths all around before bed. There was a severe thunderstorm alert, so Tammy and I were aware that we might have to get up in the night to close the windows if it started pouring. The wind really kicked up, but no rain. It really blew: about one in the morning I found myself outside with a flashlight, lowering the picnic umbrella and checking that the gates were fastened. It was enough to keep us awake for most of the night.