Except that my watch keeps track of the days, I’ve have been off by a few months recently. I’ve entered my dark period. No that’s not some reference to a Japanese magazine serial turned TV show turned movie, nor a description of my recent paintings, although they so seem to have a lot of black and gray in them.
My dark period is when I live with the blinds pulls and the curtains drawn, venturing into the daylight only for mail and the occasional provisions run to the local mega mart. Usually this is during the deep freeze the time keepers call February. It’s my desperate attempt at keeping as many layers of insulation between me and the elements when walking within five feet of any window may result in frostbite.
The current dark period began 7 days ago, when the temperatures never quite made it out of the 90s (F) — either high or low. We’ve been on a sort of constant simmer. The windows coverings that keep the cold out in the winter months are this week doing an admirable job keeping the cool in.
I know, some of you would consider it a cooling off if your temperatures just stayed in the two-digit range. And when I was a younger version of me, I would be too. I remember those hot and humid August days when temperatures and “feel likes” cracked the century mark and thought nothing of spending the day in the blazing sun, often in a boat on water reflecting light and heat so we were basically sitting in nature’s version of a convection oven (or it’s countertop cousin, the air fryer).
The older version of me doesn’t do well with heat. Nor with cold for that matter. Sometimes even with the in between. According to the National Weather Service, my little piece of the world typically sees average high temperatures in the 70s and lows in the 60s in June. According to me, I would typically like see those average temperatures any time now. But in stead I guess that means not seeing the world outside but through small openings in the window dressings is the price I pay. Well, that that the price of electricity. (Darn air conditioning.)
You don’t need to go to the moon to see different points of view. We talk about how our perspective changes how we see things in the latest Uplift.
The Real Reality Show Blog 
I hear you, Michael. I told hubster Paul the other day that the stretch of days where we were cocooned felt like ‘reverse snow days’. You can imagine the look he gave me…but he knew what I meant. All cooped up and it’s not even July…yet. I like how you put it. We’re sitting in: …”nature’s version of a convection oven (or it’s countertop cousin, the air fryer).” 😉
I love that phrase – reverse snow days. That’s it exactly. The other day I was trying to decide it I liked being snow bound or heat bound better and decided I think I like untying the binds altogether and prefer temperate excursions. Those days that are the perfect mix of temperature, humidity, and sun exposure for a good long trek outside to nowhere special but to enjoy being outside.
Yes! Temperature excursions to nowhere special! My kind of perfect day. ☀️🥰☀️
Yes, cabin fever strikes in the summer as well as in the winter. Last week under the heat dome we stayed inside, shutting all the blinds and shades. Today it’s cooler again so the outside is shining in.
That’s a good thing about living in the four seasons. Eventually it gets cooler, or warmer, or sunnier, or whatever it isn’t at the moment. Today they finally turned down the heat and it’s a comfortable 70something with a nice breeze. Perfect — for a couple days. And then I’ll want something different.
The weather feels are on the upper side of 100’s here in Florida, so I feel and acknowledge your discomfort. I’m sharing it with you. The question I have–Is it preferential living in a bat cave where the dark shields you from all natural light and excess heat or opening the blinds, basking in light, and staying on low boil all day? It makes me laugh that I find low 90’s to be cool now.
That is a quandary. We want to be cool but we want our sunshine too. This is when one of those parasols with a mister and fan attached to its underside would come in handy!! But on boy, talk about perspective. 90s is cool to you and too hot for me! But if I was on a vacation to your area, I’d probably be loving it and wondering why I haven’t consider staying there forever!
You have an open invitation anytime you’re this way. And I love the idea of a parasol with a mister and a fan! You need to invent that–everyone down here would use it. My daughter just bought a neck fan–I’ve never heard of it, but she swears by it to cool off with. Who knew?
I’m printing this and keeping it in my wallet so if I do (or when), I’ll have tangible evidence of that invitation! Yes, neck fans are a thing. I’ve seen them in “As seen on TV” sections in stores, but I don’t recall ever seeing one on TV. Hmm.
Dead serious about the invitation. Just saying.
I call it my inner sanctum, from some old movie I saw as a child, probably. I live alone in a small apartment with air conditioning and realize I am lucky. This year however, I decided to decorate my small cement square of a “patio” with living plants, so I am outside more often. It’s a good thing.😀
I like “inner sanctum.” Gives solo living a classy feel. So do plants! Concrete patios are more fun to visit with other living things already there!