Refrigerated pants
Quite by accident yesterday, I discovered a new way to keep cool.
I hung out the laundry as usual yesterday morning, thinking the combination of heat, breeze and sun—what sun was making it through the haze—would overcome the oppressive humidity and make a good laundry-drying day.
It didn’t.
After nearly three hours, my jeans were still only about half dry. But I had no choice. It was time to go to leave. I pulled on a pair of more-than-damp 501s and set out for the bus stop.
Except for the part about how they made me walk a little bow-legged and stiff-kneed, it felt really nice. Especially after a cool shower. Sitting on the bus, well, was like sitting in wet pants anywhere I suppose, except for the little extra chilling effect caused by the A/C.
The supermarket was a real thrill. And not just in the frozen food aisle. In the cleansers/housewares aisle they sell thermometers. They were reading 63°F (about 17°C).
And my pants were evaporating mightily. The boys were quite happy after having suffered in the heat for over a month.
Next, I had a 20-minute walk to work carrying over 30 pounds of groceries. Barely broke a sweat. I attribute this to the maximum cooling effect being located right with the muscles doing most of the work.
And by then I had gotten used to it and wasn’t walking quite so bow-legged.
I’m not sure if this is something I’ll do on purpose in the future, but I’m also not sure that I won’t. It seemed to work so effectively that it’s making a storng argument for hosing down my pants before going out. It was certainly nicer than sweat dripping down my face.
It also may not be right wardrobe modification for work. While there’s certainly not anything in the dress code regarding the moisture content of one’s clothing, our branch gives the grocery store a run for its money in the A/C department.
Only two staff members, me and a post-menopausal woman (who, sadly, seems to have been left with her internal thermostat stuck on hot-flash), are the only staff who don’t keep sweaters at work (and use them) in the summer.
The library has become something of a neighborhood cooling center lately. During what is normally the slowest time of year, our numbers are way up. Not only can it be difficult to find a seat, (or to dodge toddlers) circulation is up too. Since the heat really hit last month, we’ve been unable to keep up with the shelving.
It’s amazing. People come in to cool off, and they check out books as long as they’re there. Videos too, but mostly books. Just seeing people sitting around reading at normally empty tables is a real treat. (The current audiobook craze seems to be caused by people taking car trips. This, despite their bitching about gas prices.)
Anyway, a cold-front moved through on Thursday night, dropping yesterday’s high to only 87 (31), but it was apparently enough that patrons have started complaining about the temps. A girl all but ran screaming from the room yesterday announcing, “I’m going home. It’s too damned cold in here.”
And she wasn’t wearing refrigerated pants.
