Sum, Sum, Summertime is Finally Here!

While the East Coast is sweltering, it is finally getting warm on the West Coast!  Yesterday was 85F and today is scheduled to be 96F, as are Thursday and Friday!  Scott had better get the big air conditioner in today or we will never sleep tonight!
The Western US has dry Mediterranean summer weather.  This year has been anomalous, in that it rained so much from April through June.  Anyway, the dry weather (no or little rain) means we don't have much humidity.  Low humidity means higher temperatures are easier to live with and forests catch fire more easily.
We didn't have air conditioning when I was growing up.  That was left for businesses and a few families that were 'wasting money' in my parents eyes.  We just opened up the house at night, capturing the cool air.  The next morning we closed up the house and drapes to keep things cool.  We opened it up again in the cool of the evening, a summer ritual.
I remember the one old fan we owned.  No safety screen, just hard rubber blades cutting through the air.  Dad would turn it on low and let us experience the blades hitting our fingers.  It was fun poking your finger into the blades and letting them buffet your hand.  Then he turned up the speed, now it began to hurt our fingers.  This is when he explained that if we put our fingers in at the 'High' setting we would lose them.  So, NO TOUCHING THE FAN WHILE IT WAS MOVING!  We girls were pretty good about giving the fan a wide berth after getting hash marks on our calves as we ran through the house.
Hot summer days playing in the sprinkler.  Peggy liked to turn the water up high.  I preferred low water.  Getting into an argument with her and running to the backyard to play in the sprinkler back there.  Slipping and falling on the blades of the old push mower and gashing my knee.  Mom calling Dad at work to come get me and take me to the doctor.  Dad driving with his arm around me.  The doctor, a giant with hands like bear paws, gently sewing my leg and giving me a sucker for being so brave.  Then, handing me three more to share with my little sisters.  Spending the next week banned from getting my leg wet.  Learning to find a compromise with my sister so I didn't go off half-cocked again and get hurt.
Summer is HERE!