Where Is the Moisture?

       One thing that I have really enjoyed about Oregon is watching the scenery change throughout the day.  For example, clouds will surround the hilltops in the morning and slowly lift before noon.  It’s a clean fog that moistens the air and gives it a freshness – at least six to eight months out of the year.  I haven’t seen it in the summer.

       The air has been quite hazy lately.  My eyes burn or are itchy.  Roland and I have been sneezing.  The air reminds me of the poor air quality in Salt Lake at the beginning stages – except that it is HOT outside and no winter chill.  Smoke.  Lots of smoke.  And the fires are further from us this year than the year we had moved in. 

       The air conditioner had not been working at the library, and so it was announced that the library would close as it was seriously warmer in the building than out.  Someone from city hall saw the note on our door and asked to come look at the A/C.  He got it working and asked to keep open to serve as a cooling station.  Thus we extended our hours.

       We were open from 1 – 9 on Wednesday and 10 – 9 yesterday – those are normal library hours in Salt Lake.  Regular hours were created for the library in Myrtle Creek – but nothing like it is in Salt Lake – though it seems there are more hours now on the volunteer-run.  Jenna and I both put in almost three hours for each day of the heat wave. In addition to books, we offered our patrons a cool place to hang and cold water to drink.

        I am the one who always turns on the a/c or the fan – except for this week.  Don’t ask me why.  It’s been hot, but for some reason I was content with just the fan running in my room.  I was on the computer and Roland asked why I didn’t have the air on, proceeds to turn it on full blast and leaves the room.  What’s up with that?  From where I am sitting, my ears were getting cold.  I put on a hat band. 

       Roland’s office lacks A/C.  Not only is it too hot to open a window, but the air is hard to breathe.  If he had had the fan going sending air from my room to his, I’d understand.  But he closed the door.  I turned the A/C down.

       While we slept, I controlled the air.  He was bundled beneath the covers.  I had the air off this morning.  He turned it back on.

       The pool has been high and choppy in the pool.  Monday the turbulence was higher than I had ever seen in a public swimming pool.  Water has been pushing me all over this week – except today.  I couldn’t seem to move in the water more than five feet.  It was weird.

       The pool has water.  The air does not.  Not much in the river beds right now, either.  Bone dry in some places. 

       I was involved in a discussion about this weather.  Three or four of us were complaining until one friend joined the conversation with these words: “I think about our soldiers in the middle east and the heat doesn’t seem so bad.  Grateful for the service.”

       I thanked her for the reminder and the conversation ended.

       I’ve thought about the firefighters, too.  Each time the wind blows and I think that I am grateful for a cool breeze, I often wonder how harmful it is to somebody else.

       I’d like to thank all the soldiers and firefighters who continues to battle and fight a noble cause.