Phew - I have been in hotter weather but I'm not used to it as much anymore. Thank goodness for AC but because we don't get so much heat in Seattle, only 17% of the homes apparently have it. Some of my friends said they spent the day at the mall, Starbucks, movie theaters and that everyone else was there too. One of my friends had a window in their house shatter from the heat! AND I saw a guy walking around the streets of Seattle today in just his BVD's - wish I had my camera handy.

I can't even begin to imagine that sort of heat., so you have my sympathies. We are the other end of the scale it's gone so cold and wet here i had to put the fire on yesterday! I am currently wearing long cosy trousers, socks, 2 t shirts layered and a cardi!

Oh boy, loulou. That sounds like our Summer last year. We had the fire on in August. I guess we're are making up for it now! Today is another 40 degree scorcher *sigh*... I prefer temperatures below 30 degrees.

When we had summer in London 6 weeks ago (because in all serious there is no way you can call the weather at the moment summer) it was getting up to 50 (122 F) degrees on the tube. I was opting to walk along the Thames rather than catch public transport.

AC would be great, but I hate it when you have to wrap up indoors and strip off out of doors!

Am I evil to be pleased that everyone is suffering as I am?
Just kidding. I am on summer number three here in Austin, and it doesn't ever get any easier. I've been stuck indoors since I've been home from my vacation. It was hovering at 60 in Alaska, so the difference is a lot to adjust to. Today I'm venturing out to the grocery store, armed with my frock and open toed flats. It is the only way, ladies.
Stay cool everyone, and give your little furbabies plenty of water! And drink up yourself.

Back to San's original comment WAY back at the beginning ... San, if you are still reading, I agree with whoever mentioned that the Boden clams might feel weird because they zip the opposite way that U.S. zippers do. Could that be the issue?

Now i know the weather is mental we've had hail this afternoon!

You poor Northwesterners! When I lived in Olympia, if it even approached 80 degrees we would be suffering and complaining. We spent many evenings with picnic supper in a gorgeous park at base of Deschutes River.

I saw that there is a cold front approaching by the weekend. We will happily send you some Bay Area fog - we are having a chilly July even for us.

Sarah- it does get easier over time (and th emore weight you loose, the easier it gets I think). It took me until our fourth summer here to really adjust. This may sound crazy, but there is a local plant that they use to make a tea to help people adjust to the heat- I wonder if there is something similar where you live?

Sihaya- that is hilarious about the guy in his undies. We have a local phenomenon that we call "Red Jacket Man". He always has his red parka on. It's a ski type jacket (think North Face). We saw his walking aorund in it the other day- it was 104 degrees!

It's cooled down here- not even tripel digits. I hope the same cool front in blowing in on you guys!

Condolences to all of the Northwesterners. Hang in there. I'm spending the weekend in Baton Rouge where the temperature is not quite as hot as Austin but the humidity is 100%! I've noticed that my parents keep their thermostat at the temp as we do-- 79 but their house feels warmer. The breeze is nice when it comes, but I feel perpetually damp. I'm hoping I get the skin moisturizing benefits Angie has touted before at least. And my husband will be in HK this weekend but I think it's supposed to be in the 80s.

Even though we regularly have triple digits, people still run in the middle of the day. Crazy. And there are a few natural trails known to have nude runners. That's just Austin and it's not necessarily the heat.

Like Loulou, I can't even imagine that heat! I'm currently contemplating turning the heating on and snuggling up in a thick blanket for the evening. It's pouring rain outside and there is a strong wind. It's days like this that I hate living in the West of Ireland but then there are days when you leave my city and head into the hills and see all these green luscious fields and woods that makes me really happy to live in a picturesque (and slightly damp) part of the world.

I'm in Seattle too...I wish I had AC!!! I moved here from DC about 2 yrs ago and I loved the Seattle weather last summer but this is horrible. I was trying to get away from hot weather by moving here!

Funny that you mentioned Austin, TX, Angie, because my boyfriend is going there this Sunday and he's looking forward to it because they have AC everywhere!! Seattle just isn't equipped to handle this

Still roasting here--I literally have sweat dripping down from my face and all over the rest of my body (no AC here, same temps and humidity as Seattle). I have no idea how the Chickadee is still being so sweet and smiley through it all. She's sleeping almost all day and hanging out just in her diaper with a wet washcloth on her head. I am barely even holding her because it's just too hot. She just woke up and the washcloth on her head was almost dry--that's how hot it is! Needless to stay, I'm staying in with curtains and blinds closed, fans on, and a jersey dress (with NOTHING UNDERNEATH) with no makeup and flipflops until this ENDS (or the sun goes down--we do need to run to the drugstore later tonight). The good thing is that laundry hung outside dries in hours!

Off to make Chickadee a bottle and drink another glass of water.

Yesterday it hit 106+ in Oregon. Yikes! We are so spoiled in the Pacific NW. I'm glad everyone is alright. Hang in there, fellow northwesterners.

When I saw some truly miserable gas station attendants, it definitely made me think twice about feeling sorry for myself because I had to turn off car a/c for a few minutes. When I drove in the evening, I spotted pilgrimages towards the local pool. Our town is very casual to begin with, and here the dress code was basically towels and inflatable pool toys.

Wow, what a difference a few degrees makes. Today was MUCH cooler than yesterday. It was actually bearable. I went out at 7am and the air was COOL and there was a refreshing breeze, not sauna. And now we expect thunderstorms. Eeep! Be very careful, everyone!

Another thing. I can't drink hot or warm tea in this heat, except very early in the morning. Bummer. I miss my hot tea. Instead I made lots of cold red tea with ginger (maybe ginger was a bad idea because it has a warming effect).

How about you ladies?

Yes Laura, I noticed that the Boden clams do zip opposite from what I am used to. I feel there might be a bit of a manufacturing porblem with the cut of the fabric and the zipper leans slightly towards on side. I do not know if Boden takes back things that are worn for a day if they are defected.
Brianna you made me laugh with your comment on wearing a jersey dress with nothing underneath because that was my plan exactly in this heat. Too hot for underware. (I didn't leave the house).

Oh, you poor Seattle-ites! We haven't gotten a sweltering heat wave this summer yet in Chicago, but at least we have will have AC to get us through.

Drink lots of fluids and stay cool!

Brianna, keep your knickers on!!!

Lena, we find hot tea extremely refreshing in hot weather. Interesting! It has cooled down here too. We have a week of 80 to 90 degrees which is blissful compared to the 100+ degree weather.

Patience, hubby is going to be in the worst weather in the word in HK at the moment . 90 degrees plus with 100% humidity. Absolutely disgusting weather. Good luck! Must stay in AC all day.

Lena, we drink cold and hot tea year round. My favorite cold tea is brewed right here in Austin, called Sweet Leaf. My favorite flavor is the mint and honey. So refreshing on a hot day! I will try and make my own sometime.

I miss my hot tea as well! In the afternoon it's too hot for me so I go without it, but I do like it in the morning!

Yesterday I wore a strapless dress with a coiled scarf (dipped in water) as a necklace - much like Angie's post a while back on scarf necklaces. I wore a cardigan indoors when there was AC. At home I'm in my knickers and a cami.

Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh..............clouds..........

It is so nice this morning, at 62 degrees! What a yucky hot week we had. I am especially thankful that it is cooling off as I am running the Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon tomorrow!

Ah, Sarah! You and I (and Greg) also prefer a hot drink on a super hot day. (Actually I prefer hot drinks ALL the time and am virtually allergic to ice. Can’t handle these huge glasses of iced water they give you in the States at restaurants. I send mine right back). The same way I prefer hot spicy food on a hot, hot day. It’s very, very refreshing. These aspects of Asian cuisine really resonate with me. No wonder Asian food and drink is what it is! It’s climate driven. Makes perfect sense in my book. Does it make sense for you too?

Angie, I love hot tea at the end of a day primarily, but I will drink it throughout. What are your favorite teas? I like Yogi teas (medicinal) best right now. I like drinking their Sleepy tea before bed.
I really don't care for ice ever. I'm wondering if it's because I had braces years ago. I've heard that mouth/tooth sensitivity is stronger if you've worn them. I drink all of my "cold" beverages at room temperature. I am not a fan of anything cold, even a/c. I would either like air blowing on me, or a colder temp, but NOT cold air blowing on me. Picky, picky I am.
I make a lot of greek and mediterranean dishes in the summer. I just made a batch of refreshing tabbouleh last night. It's not spicey, but very flavorful and light.
I hope the weather stays cool for you tomorrow, Julie. I'll be thinking of you!

Wow, Yogi Teas made it to Texas! It's from my neck of the woods.

Angie and Sarah, I also don't care for ice. I can barely tolerate refrigerated drinks. My teeth don't freak out, but my stomach does.

I love spicy and flavorful warm/hot dishes in the summer (well, actually year round). I will happily cook and eat a lot in the heat (as long as my sunscreen is not melting off). Also, in the summer I'm all about lots of fresh herbs.

Lena, Austin is very diverse, and we have many things like Yogi that some other areas may not have. This city has a huge granola population and I enjoy benefiting from that from time to time. Lots of fresh and good things to be had. Yum!

I also drink hot tea and eat spicy foods in the summer - it helps you sweat so that your body cools down!

I do feel badly for you Northwesterners. I actually detest hot weather, especially humid, hot weather which is why I was so happy to move from Atlanta to the Northeast. Here, we have been having a relatively cool summer - our last day over 90 was back in April when we had a freak heat wave! And while those of you in Seattle enjoyed a beautiful, sunny June, we had Seattle weather with nearly a month of continuous rain. Wacky. Is it global warming????

Stay cool & hydrated!

I'm the opposite - I'm addicted to ice cold drinks year round. Every night I freeze half a bottle of water, and fill the rest up in the morning so it stays icey all day. My Dad taught me this as a bush-walking trick!

Apparently its not good for the digestive system but I don't care - it tastes better to me!!

I do not like ice in my drinks either. I've read ice can create microscopic cracks in your teeth. I also find it hard to drink - gives me a headache.

But, I will drink iced tea, go figure. It's probably the only iced beverage I care for! But it can't have any sweeteners, must be super strong, and no mint, lemon or any other flavoring in it. Just straight, STRONG tea that has been poured over ice. And never after 1 pm or the caffeine will keep me up all night.

Room temperature water is my favorite beverage. For hot beverages, give me strong coffee with just a touch of cream. I will drink hot tea at an Asian restaurant but it's not something I make at home, or drink routinely.

Good to hear the heat has broken for you Pacific NWners and that you're cooling down. I was in San Francisco all last week and it was cool (high-50s, low-60s). Brr for the summer!

I'm also one of those ice-dislikers; must be my Asian heritage Glad that I'm not alone! I could never understand why people kept wanting to put ice in my water! I'm with you, shiny: room-temperature water is my beverage of choice too.