Coffee heat rising

Summertime, and the Livin’ Is…

…annoying…

Fish are jumpin’,
’cause they’re boiling in their pond

Oh your mama’s rich,
And you’re daddy’s…uhm…good-lookin’
So hush, little baby,
Don’t you fricasee…

Summer has done come in! The heat here in lovely uptown Phoenix defies belief…but that’s normal. As a practical matter, though, it feels hotter than the 110 degrees we see on the back-porch thermometer, because it’s getting humid.

This time of year — a little later normally, as a practical matter — is our rainy season. So-called “monsoon” storms blow in from the Gulf of Mexico, usually producing thunderstorms and rain in the late afternoon and evening.

So far we haven’t seen any rain. But we have seen (or rather, felt) the usual accompanying humidity. This morning’s doggy-walk was sweltering and muggy — that was at 5:30 a.m. Now, at 6:00 p.m. and after a full day of blistering sun it’s hotter than the hubs out there.

The pool isn’t much good for keeping cool: it feels like a hot bathtub just now! Seriously: I like a fairly HOT bath…and when I got in pool this morning, the water literally was as warm as my typical bath. Wow!

Meanwhile, forests are burning down. A big fire is holding forth up near Payson, where Mr. and Mrs. Fireman moved after they sold their palace in the West Valley. State Route 87 is the road up the hill to Payson, a forested little burg habituated by retirees and ranchers.