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Dear Diary, June 29: triple digits
Jun. 29th, 2012 05:32 pmThe temp peaked at 100F about an hour ago in South Philly, and is now subsiding slightly. Here in my home office it's a warm but bearable 89F, thanks to the electric fan and a damp washrag that I occasionally run over my face.
I ran errands this morning, meaning that I left on my bike at 9:00, hit the post office and a couple of stores and rode around South Philly, to the tune of 10-12 miles. Some of it was comfy shady park riding. Some of it was not so comfy riding on a six lanes of asphalt through the acres and acres of asphalt parking lots at our sports and entertainment complex (the total complex covers about 1/3 of a square mile, a real heat island).
Still, I saw sights: the cardinal flower thriving at Washington Avenue Green; wild children skulking like Tom Sawyer's friends on the deteriorating pier they've named Tom Sawyer's Island. They were obviously trying not to be seen by me. I thought about calling out and asking if all was well with Sawyer's Island but I think it would have disconcerted them to find out that an old lady knew about their hideout.
Later I saw a big hawk -- a red tail, I would have guessed except that the tail wasn't red (yet?). It might be a fledgling, I suppose. It flew in circles above the street I was riding on, then landed on a light post. Two smaller birds took exception to its presence and dive bombed it until it flapped away.
None of my plants seem to be dying. I didn't water this morning because there had been a ferocious thunderstorm at 5:00 a.m., but some of the potted plants may need to be topped off this evening.
If I remain this comfortable in my office at this temp I see no need to turn on the a/c.
I ran errands this morning, meaning that I left on my bike at 9:00, hit the post office and a couple of stores and rode around South Philly, to the tune of 10-12 miles. Some of it was comfy shady park riding. Some of it was not so comfy riding on a six lanes of asphalt through the acres and acres of asphalt parking lots at our sports and entertainment complex (the total complex covers about 1/3 of a square mile, a real heat island).
Still, I saw sights: the cardinal flower thriving at Washington Avenue Green; wild children skulking like Tom Sawyer's friends on the deteriorating pier they've named Tom Sawyer's Island. They were obviously trying not to be seen by me. I thought about calling out and asking if all was well with Sawyer's Island but I think it would have disconcerted them to find out that an old lady knew about their hideout.
Later I saw a big hawk -- a red tail, I would have guessed except that the tail wasn't red (yet?). It might be a fledgling, I suppose. It flew in circles above the street I was riding on, then landed on a light post. Two smaller birds took exception to its presence and dive bombed it until it flapped away.
None of my plants seem to be dying. I didn't water this morning because there had been a ferocious thunderstorm at 5:00 a.m., but some of the potted plants may need to be topped off this evening.
If I remain this comfortable in my office at this temp I see no need to turn on the a/c.
