It's very hot here today. Although the temperatures are only around 90°, the humidity is sky high, and it feels more like 100° — at least . I know that's not much for some of you, but it's a dang heap of hot for this wimpy northerner.
Nevertheless, we managed to go for a bike ride this morning. It was with a group. I guess we're the youngins because we kept leaving the others in the dust and having to stop and wait for them whereupon everybody had to have a nice, long chat when we all got together again — each and every time . The main problem for us was that it was hotter standing than pedalling, which at least provides a breeze. The wee nasties also swarmed us during these lengthy respites. We may not pedal with that group again. They're nice enough, but their bodies are in a different place. I don't hold it against them; I'm sure that Cuppa and I would have a pretty hard time keeping up with a group younger than us. It's just the way of it.
It was also hot at Celtefest yesterday, but we found a semi shady and somewhat breezy spot on a hillside and were in pretty fine fettle most of the time and most certainly by the time that early evening rolled around. At some point as I sat and listened to the music and watched the people coming and going, I thought, "This is better than Sarnia," which soon led to the realization that "This is where I live, and I'm home." Home: it's good to be here. I'm not sure whether I ever truly felt that way in my thirty-five years in Sarnia, but I already begin to feel that way here — at least in some ways.
I'm not sure how Heather stands it. She attends the Winnipeg Folk Festival for a whole weekend every year. We were only at Celtefest for about six hours, but by leaving time I was almost emotionally spent. The music was thrilling and there was so much of it that I almost couldn't take it anymore.
Perhaps I was tired because Saturday night after the concert that I mentioned in the previous blog hadn't been a good sleep: not at all. Some of the tunes kept playing and replaying in my brain: over and over, all night long. Last night there was some but not as much of that going on, but I had some pretty wild dreams to cope with. I guess the old fella got too excited by life.
I'm not terribly excited today, however. It's letdown time.
Excited by life! That is a great thing. But I guess when it leads to insomnia, not quite so great.
ReplyDeleteI don't know hardly anyone who isn't complaining about the heat. Global warming, anyone? ;)
The music festival sounds wonderful, even with the heat.
ReplyDeleteBiking sounds so hot when it's high temperatures outside. But a co-worker swore that it was cooler than running (of course!) or even walking because of the breeze. She said the same thing, "It feels nice as long as you don't stop!"
ReplyDeleteThe music fest sounded like a hoot - (slang for an extremely funny person, situation or event) expanded to include FUN events. The bike ride also sounded like a hoot but the Spice's heart condition will not allow us that pleasure. ec
ReplyDeleteWe are having a (for us!!) cold few days - down to 13c at night, max of 20c in the day. We probably don't do "cold" very well!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an absolutely wonderful experience! Although I try to limit my cycling to cooler times in the day, I remember riding home from the zoo one year not paying any mind to the fact by back was to the sun, no shirt. By the time I got home I was so red I couldn't sit in a chair!
ReplyDeleteMusic festivals get addictive - you might not be satisfied with 6 hours next time around! :-)
ReplyDeleteIt's been really hot here too. Some days, when I bike home in the heat of the afternoon, I have to go a little more slowly than usual to avoid over-exerting myself in the heat.
I watched the weather report this a.m., and all over the U.S. and parts of Canada it is sweltering heat. The numbers are astounding.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping you will have many, many more glorious afternoons of music that leaves you exhausted.
I have the same problem when we go out for our family walks. The dog and I have to keep stopping so the rest can catch up. It's nice to go out for a walk together but the dog and I get out later for a proper walk once everone's in bed.
ReplyDeleteWednesday now (7/19), and we finally had some good rain (good as in not just a squirt of water). The temp's finally down a bit here as a result. But they expect the heat and humidity to go back up again tomorrow or so... I tried wrapping a cool, wet washcloth around my neck, and it helps!
ReplyDeleteIt has been hot here in Manitoba also.. but the evenings are so wonderful. I think the times I like best during the summer are the summer evenings.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you are sensing that you are home. I know what you mean. I have lived in quite a few places and the only time I get that warm feeling is here in Winnipeg.
Home. I know what you mean, AC. It's taken me a long time to find it, but Mimico is home for me now. I don't think "home" is a location, as much as a state of mind. Welcome home, friend.
ReplyDeleteG'day, with ref your comment on jenc chronicles, I was impressed by the fact that you remembered Slim from that one hearing, so thought I should pop in and say G'day.
ReplyDeleteSlim certainly was the one who closed the Sydney Olympics with Waltzing Matilda to an audience estimated at 4 billion.
Slim probably had a bigger audience than this when in 1981 the spaceshuttle Columbia passed over Australia and austranauts Bob Crippen and John Young played Slims "Waltzing Matilda" from space, making him the first singer to have his voice played in space there is no record of the audience size for that one apart from, many billions!!!