For all you NazNetters who are in the extreme heat ...

[Hans Deventer]

I bought my 1987 Subaru in 1986 and drove it for 12 years. For 12 years, I said, "The next car I buy is going to have air conditioning, I don't care HOW much extra it costs, I don't care if I have to take out a second mortgage to pay for it, I don't care if I have to sell Grandma's china cabinet...."

When I bought my current Subaru in 1999, I said to the dealer, "I want one that has air-conditioning!" He looked at me as though I had just fallen off a covered wagon. "Uh, ma'am," he said. "They all have air conditioning now."

We bought our first one with A/C some 8 years ago, a Nissan. When I bought my first old Mercedes, a 1984 model, it obviously didn't have the A/C. We drove it for less than a year. Nice car, but Hannie really could not stand having to do without A/C. So the message to me was clear: "the old Mercedesses are nice, but unless you get me one with A/C, we're not going to have another one!" So I started looking around but in Europe, there are very few cars from the mid 80's that have A/C. Or you're bound for the real high end class cars. Well, after a lot of searching I did find a pretty decent middle class Benz from 1986 and yes, with A/C. Though I've had the pump repaired in the mean time, it was worth every euro, even here in the Netherlands.

[Jim Chabot]

However, back in the "olden days" -- we didn't have nearly the amount of concrete surfaces that we have today. That makes it feel SO MUCH hotter than it used to feel back in the day. I don't imagine they had it quite as hot as we have it now. I'm sure it was hot and uncomfortable, but probably not as bad as we have it now. The concrete roads and other surfaces that we have without the shade from trees all that much have added to our heat.

I don't mind the heat at all, though. Love being outdoors in it. Just don't like being INDOORS in it!!!!

I think it may have more to do with acclimation than anything else. One does get used to the temperatures presented eventually. I'll admit that I don't really try to get used to the heat, I don't like it and I don't really want to be around when it's warm, nor do I visit warm places unless I need to for another reason. The cold on the other hand I can get used to. On the first 50 degree day in the fall, I am freezing near to death, it goes right through me, but I don't put on a coat, I stay cold. Pretty soon it's January and I'm out in the driveway talking with a neighbor on a nice 10 degree day still without a coat on, I get used to it.

Seven or eight years ago we traveled to Lebanon, TN for a week long tractor show. It was between 103 and 107 every day, couldn't stand it, completely drenched in sweat. On the third day there I occasioned to meet a couple of fellows wearing white shirts and showing not one sign of sweating ever. I asked them if living in Tennessee made them used to the heat, to which one said, "we came up here to cool off, we're from Alabama." Then he explained how they get used to the heat. Funny, he described how I get used to the cold only backwards, he said that they deliberately stay out in it and avoid air conditioning whenever possible. He also asked me if I had noticed that southerners moved real slow, makes all the difference in the world, he said.

I would love to go and roll around in the snow in Dave's picture! Fall is coming soon!

[Susan Unger]

In fact, some years later my dad had a caravan (RV kind of thing that you tow behind your car) and our 1500 cc Saab 96 could barely make it through the mountains with that thing. So when the motor got hot, dad fired up the heating. Which worked miracles on the motor. It was less comfortable for us, with temps already in the 90's outside. Still we managed.

One time my family and I were driving through the mountains of norther California. Our car over heated but there was no mechanic in sight for miles on end. So we had to driving the rest of the way up the mountain with the heater on. It was 113 that day outside...and we had our heater on. And keep in mind, I despise summer. I still remember that miserable day 30 years later.

[Susan Unger]

I bought my 1987 Subaru in 1986 and drove it for 12 years. For 12 years, I said, "The next car I buy is going to have air conditioning, I don't care HOW much extra it costs, I don't care if I have to take out a second mortgage to pay for it, I don't care if I have to sell Grandma's china cabinet...."

When I bought my current Subaru in 1999, I said to the dealer, "I want one that has air-conditioning!" He looked at me as though I had just fallen off a covered wagon. "Uh, ma'am," he said. "They all have air conditioning now."

Too funny!

[Susan Unger]

I think it may have more to do with acclimation than anything else. One does get used to the temperatures presented eventually. I'll admit that I don't really try to get used to the heat, I don't like it and I don't really want to be around when it's warm, nor do I visit warm places unless I need to for another reason. The cold on the other hand I can get used to. On the first 50 degree day in the fall, I am freezing near to death, it goes right through me, but I don't put on a coat, I stay cold. Pretty soon it's January and I'm out in the driveway talking with a neighbor on a nice 10 degree day still without a coat on, I get used to it.

Seven or eight years ago we traveled to Lebanon, TN for a week long tractor show. It was between 103 and 107 every day, couldn't stand it, completely drenched in sweat. On the third day there I occasioned to meet a couple of fellows wearing white shirts and showing not one sign of sweating ever. I asked them if living in Tennessee made them used to the heat, to which one said, "we came up here to cool off, we're from Alabama." Then he explained how they get used to the heat. Funny, he described how I get used to the cold only backwards, he said that they deliberately stay out in it and avoid air conditioning whenever possible. He also asked me if I had noticed that southerners moved real slow, makes all the difference in the world, he said.

I would love to go and roll around in the snow in Dave's picture! Fall is coming soon!

Good thing I was between sips of hot tea when I read the highlighted part

I've tried their approach this summer, but once it got into the 90s I just couldn't do it anymore. Even exercising at my airconditioned gym during the heatwave left me dripping with sweat within a few minutes. 74 days til Fall!!!

[Vivian Cornwell]

We live in Ohio and the summers are hot but we get by with air conditioning. I grew up without air conditioning, but I couldnt' do it now. I really don't remember temperatures this hot (in the 100's for days) when I was growing up and we had an attic fan that circulated air through the house.

We lost our electricity for almost 9 days in the recent storms. Some of our neighbors were only out of power part of that time and they were lifesavers. They stretched cords to our house so we had lights, fans, and Cindi sent a small window AC home with us. She was without power for a while also but when hers came back on we went there for a few days. Bob wouldn't stay longer when he heard our neighbors had power again. One neighbor out did himself helping us. It was still HOT in our house even with the fans and small AC that wouldn't fit in any of our windows. We just sat it in front of a window in the living room. We got by but I wouldn't want to go back to the old days of no electricity or even no AC.

It was a strange situation. The neighbor on one side of us had power and the one on the other side of us did not. We were the dividing line for power and no power. It was actually a pocket of a few homes without power. After the electric company trimmed a few tree limbs that shorted out our power it took them a second to push the fuse back in that popped out and caused all of our days of suffering.

[Susan Unger]

Glad that y'all survived Vivian!

[Dana Grant]

AC update -- Tyler was able to "fix" Lindsey's AC so that it works for her until we get all of the parts in to replace the system. (I say "we" as if I have anything to do with it -- I don't!! LOL) -- he knew a way to wire it so that it actually stays on at all times, she can't turn it on or off. It just comes on when she starts the car. That will do for a few days until the big job can be done. It helps to have a smart mechanic in the family!!! ha ha

[John Kennedy]

Several old men sitting on the porch of a country store in Texas were discussing the most pernicious invention. There were varius suggestions: whiskey, automobiles, telephones, television. Finally one said, "air contitioning."
"Air conditioning?"
"Yep. It's what makes it possible for Yankees to live in Texas."

[Susan Unger]

Several old men sitting on the porch of a country store in Texas were discussing the most pernicious invention. There were varius suggestions: whiskey, automobiles, telephones, television. Finally one said, "air contitioning."
"Air conditioning?"
"Yep. It's what makes it possible for Yankees to live in Texas."

Lots of truth in that one I suspect [in their eyes]

[Hans Deventer]

AC update -- Tyler was able to "fix" Lindsey's AC so that it works for her until we get all of the parts in to replace the system. (I say "we" as if I have anything to do with it -- I don't!! LOL) -- he knew a way to wire it so that it actually stays on at all times, she can't turn it on or off. It just comes on when she starts the car. That will do for a few days until the big job can be done. It helps to have a smart mechanic in the family!!! ha ha

Now it's getting more interesting. The system apparently still works, but the regulation unit was broken?