It's Too Darn Hot

I broke down and turned the air conditioner on today, it was 93 degrees.  I took advantage of the still fairly cool morning and opened the windows. I also opened the umbrellas to shade the back half of the house. Between my preemptive strike and my ceiling fans I made it until 4 in the afternoon when the indoor temp hit 80. The A/C is set at 78 throughout the summer to strike a balance between keeping the pets and people comfortable and trying to manage the cost.

I took the blanket off my bed, washed and stored it, hoping I might need to pull it out one last time. It is only March! I use a light quilt and add the blanket between the sheets and quilt as the weather cools. I even have a comforter I throw on top when it is really chilly, which is not that often. I see why people like weighted blankets. I have a regular blanket but enjoy the weight of it combined with the rest of the bedding.

So, the blanket is off, the A/C is on and I find myself questioning why I live here, especially with the crazy housing situation. The housing market seems crazy everywhere and since my daughter has another year of high school, I'm not going anywhere soon. Still, I miss living somewhere that people think is hot when the weather looks like my app today. It will be 20 degrees warmer through the vast majority of the summer. The hottest I have experienced is 122. Yep, you read that right, it is literally hell! Too Darn Hot!

Don't get me wrong, it's pretty nice October to April but as you can see, we get some hot days on either end and summer lasts about 5 months here. I do appreciate the optimistic people that say three months of a dry heat makes the rest of the year worth it. I am realist though so, there's that.

At dinner time, I simply could not bear to turn on the oven. I love a sheet pan dinner and roasted veggies...yum! Once the temp is over 80, I try not to use the oven unless I can use both shelves.  Since my daughter was dining at Casa de Boyfriend, I decided on stove top roasting. One of my go to's is pan seared salmon in lemon butter. I combined this with red potatoes, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil with a pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Maximal flavor and minimal heat for the win.