Extreme heat calls for extreme measures. It's been around 100 here the last several days. The first night, the house cooled well, as night time temperatures outside fell substantially. However, the last two evenings, it has clouded up, allowing much less night time cooling. We have no air conditioning -- my husband is even now searching the web for solutions. I'm not sure adding a machine to the house is the answer. If global warming continues, we may yet wish to. Neither of us sleeps well in the heat.

So what can we do without an air conditioner? If night time temperatures fall sufficiently, opening windows at night, and closing them during the day works quite well. For best results, set a box fan in a window blowing out -- air is more like a rope than a wheelbarrow, it's easier to pull than push. We've tried blowing air in across our steaming bodies -- the movement feels good, but the house does not cool effectively. It's a clear case of trading momentary relief for long term discomfort. Far better to aim the fan out.

Two days ago, we scheduled a massage at a local spa so they would let us use the pool.

This morning, I rose at dawn and started the sprinklers. I also sprayed water into the air near our bedroom windows. It helped.

Later, I plan to hang wet laundry all around the patio. Our patio is underneath a balcony, so with a sufficient quantity of laundry adding evaporative cooling to the shade, I expect the patio to be quite comfortable.

And finally, both the local library and my husband's work place do have air conditioning. Worst comes to worst, seek a public place with cooling.

Ah, dawn -- the only time of the day that really belongs to me. Quiet, free, cool -- it's enough to make me glad I can't get back to sleep.

Very busy recently. Last week I worked at the Amaranth fireworks stand. Then we had guests, and I barely brought the house within standards before they arrived. And Mom left at the last minute, and wanted me to check on Grandma. And Doug had his worst migraine in years. Too much going on. Yet, now that it's over I feel a little aimless. It's hard to move back from responding to external demands to following one's own star. My body was complaining that I had pushed it too hard for this point in my recovery from whiplash even while I felt empty from lack of activity. Logically, I should have been glad for the rest.

I'm often unsure of where to balance rest and activity. The recovery process makes the comfort zone smaller. My muscles stiffen more easily when they don't get enough movement, and complain more quickly when I overdo it. So this period would educate me on the right balance if that balance weren't a moving target. It changes as I regain the reserves lost to the shock.

No point in stressing myself to reach for perfect balance. Just dance it daily, moving in awareness, and it will take care of itself.