June is Bursting Out All Over in Atlanta

When we were riding out the winter's ice storm, I was hoping that since we were "paying our dues," we would have a mild spring and summer. Just like every previous year where we hit freezing temperatures, I was wrong. I thought back to 1993's Storm of the Century when the metro Atlanta area was hit with the most snow I could recall in my two-plus decades here. I recall that we hit the 100s just a few months later. Yes, logic says that there's no such thing as "paying your dues" to Mother Nature. I must remind myself that this so-called mother doesn't exist, but there's this part of me that wants to believe it.

OK, so it's stifling hot in June. We've heard it a billion times: We are in Hotlanta and that's the way it is. We all know that this is nothing new and that the South has been beating the heat well before we clear-cut the pine trees to live here. We lounge at the pool for hours. We seek shelter from the Georgia sun in the shade. We drink plenty of fluids. We even get out of town by going to the beach where there's more heat, but a nice, cool body of water to fool ourselves that the heat isn't so bad. But, for a great deal of the summer, we stay inside cranking the air conditioning courtesy of modern technology.

Just how did these brave Southerners deal with these extreme temperatures before air conditioning? I'm always wondering that. Indeed, they had fans whirling away from high ceilings in their homes built near big shady oak trees. They took it easy in their seersuckers and hoop skirts while they sipped on sweet tea, rocking on front porches. Really? Did this scenario exist or did Hollywood invent it? I believe that it's just not humanly possible to live like Rhett and Scarlett.

According to our power company's Web site, it's suggested that homeowners keep their thermostats at 78 degrees F during these months to save on cooling costs. I attempted to follow their advice, but when I did, it felt like I was standing in the back of an outside commercial grade HVAC unit that was expelling the building's hot air. Trust me -- it's not a good feeling. However, I do my best to not crank the air and waste energy. I also love the buffer of trees in back of the house that might save me a few dollars during these stifling months. I was one of many in the area who took down some pines due to the fact that they tend to fall on houses during our freak storms. Still, I kept a good deal of them up for shade. I would be incredibly sad if I lost the remaining group of trees. When I receive the power bill, it's pretty much like a bad report card and I received plenty of those in my time. I slowly open the envelope to discover that I might have to take out a home equity loan to pay the bill. I'm switching to all paperless billing, but I doubt that the electronic bill will ever ease my anxiety. I'll be just as nervous when I go to click the e-mail to open the statement.

So, it's the dog days of June and yes, there's nothing any of us can do about it. We can only find our own ways to keep our minds off of the heat, knowing deep down that we won't experience bearable temperatures until Halloween.