Friday, August 03, 2007

Hot, Hot, Hot...


It’s still stinkin’ hot here in Toronto.

Last night I finally turned off the wall mounted air conditioner in the family room and opened the sliding door to get some fresh air. (Humid, but fresh.) I appreciate the A/C - big time - but I couldn’t stand one more minute of its noise. (Headache approaching…)

Once outside on the deck, I heard something awful – the sound of my neighbour’s air conditioner in its death throes. Rattle, rattle, rattle, whump – silence.

There but for the grace of God, go I….

I also heard something else – very weird. The cicada bugs were so incredibly loud I actually wondered if some electrical line was about to fry. (I have a tendency to think of worst case scenarios.)

Nope. Just those bugs doing their thing on a very hot summer evening. I’ve never heard them that loud before.

Boring post? Okay, maybe. It’s just one of those “slice of life” commentaries.

My life, my blog, my long hot summer.

(I also posted a book review today - see below.)

17 comments:

The Guy Who Writes This said...

I miss the cicadas, but I don't miss that east coast humidity.

Sornie said...

We always have the Cicadas here whenever the temperature crosses about 85 degrees but at least our house has decent central air conditioning. Gotta appreciate that here in the New Delhi-like heat of Minnesota.

Anonymous said...

I haven't heard any cicadas in my neighbourhood. But perhaps that's because their sound is drowned out by my constant bitching about this damn heat.

Oy. Fall cannot come soon enough.

J said...

I understand exactly what you mean because the cicadas are so loud here! It's something I'm not accustomed to since we don't have them back home.

I also enjoyed your book review. You have a way of creating interest in the book without revealing too much.

Dan said...

Just those bugs doing their thing on a very hot summer evening. I’ve never heard them that loud before.

They're like my neighbors. They don't care if anyone hears them having sex anymore. Civility is breaking down. Like your air conditioner might. :)

Beth said...

guy:
Interesting thing about those cicadas - I've never actually seen one. Of course, I don't look very hard to find them.

sornie:
Ah, central air. No can do with an old house that uses rads for heating.

patrica:
Are they boycotting your neighbourhood? I thought they were everywhere in TO.

And how does your garden grow in this heat?

jen:
Bet you don't miss them when you return home!
Thanks for your kind words re: the book review.

dan:
How can you take my sweet, innocent words and leap to a comparison of your wild neighbours?
(Great, creative mind.)
I think I prefer the sound of the cicadas.

Anonymous said...

Oh my word...I am DYING! It is just so freakin' hot I can hardly move and my brain ceased functioning when the sun came over the treetops this morning.

We don't get many cicadas around here...but we do get a nice breeze off the lake bringing the temperature from 'broil' down to 'roast'.

oreneta said...

I actually have a cicada exoskeleton here on my desk...I'll have to post a photo soon...

Beth said...

trish:
I envy you that location by the lake - not just for the breeze but for the beauty. I remember you once posted some pictures on your blog.

oreneta:
Do it! The time is now with all the racket they're making in this heat.
Where did you find it?

Angel said...

I love the sounds of summer...esp. in the evening. Nothing like it in the world.

Beth said...

beth:
Except maybe for raccoons, cats in heat, the sound of neighbours in their pool when you're dying of the heat...

Ah, summer nights are wonderful.

Shari said...

I have never heard of cicadas. Are they like crickets? They make a lot of racket the higher the temperature. I used to listen to the crickets, but I don't hear them anymore. Maybe that's a bonus.

It's hot and humid out here, too. I can't help but prefer summer over winter, though.

Beth said...

shari:
Funny you should mention crickets. I'm listening to them right now. They've taken over from the cicadas tonight because it's a little cooler.

Cicadas make a much higher pitched sound - which is why I thought it was an electrical wire about to fry. One of my kids said, "Only you would think that, Mom, only you...)

Anonymous said...

I have not heard the sounds of cicadas, but my central air has been on full blast for most of the week. I finally have it off tonight, and I agree that most sounds on a summer night are the best sounds in the world! Summer is just going by too fast.

Beth said...

eileen:
Central air! Lucky you.
And there's nothing nicer than being outside on a summer night (when the temperature had dropped a bit).

Mike Minzes said...

It seems to get hotter and hotter each year. The humidity here this past week and been so bad that it's actually foggy during the day while the sun is out. It's actually steam.

Beth said...

mike:
Geez, it's not that hot here - yet!