103 and rising

My last post makes me chuckle. I sound almost heroic with my "off the grid" sincere, yet cliche declarations, and definitely optimistic as to the cold showers keeping us cool in this wild heat. That may work if you're an actual cruiser, but for us working stiffs, the recent heat sent us panting to the nearest Home Depot for this monstrosity.

It was evident after the first day that the location of this new friend needed to change. The hose was way too long and therefore way too hot, becoming a very efficient heater. We had cool air blowing out of the unit and hot air being created near the ceiling, and the best we could do was a chilly- 91 degrees.

After some sweating, grunting, and a few cold ones, we set the beast in a new location and watched it do its job. Now with the temp at 103 outside, we can stay a cool 89 inside. Doesn't sound like much, but believe me its a relief!  Just in time I think. I was starting to feel my mind shift into an altered state of awareness. While normally this may be a positive thing, this scenario was closer to a bad trip.

I could recognize fellow air-condition-less humans by their rheumy eyes and unpredictable walking patterns. We would look blankly at each other and at that moment share a total understanding.  It was, mostly, wooly homeless men who were catching my likewise bleary gaze, and since the smell of piss and sardines clung to their beanies and blankets, our understanding was quick and limited. Mostly I understood, that it was time to break down and get an a.c unit.

Now although I don't quite feel like the crispy cool humans in slacks and shoes and jackets (!), who scurry from one cold place to another,  I can put together a sentence that doesn't being with "F+#* its hot!"

I'm still trying to digest all this. I mean is it not possible for us to live without a.c? I say if it was just me and T, we might make do by going to chilly public places and restaurants, but with the animals it just doesn't seem possible. And what about marina's? These treeless sweltering places, seem forsaken in the heat. So is sucking the tit of the electric man the only way to beat the heat?

Perhaps a forest retreat is the proper escape? However after the recent storms I have a new perspective on trees. While we on the sailboat were blown to a near 45 degree angle by gusts of up to 68 mph, homes were being smashed by huge trees. Trees that downed power lines and put hundreds of people into the previously mentioned heat- induced zombie state due to the lack of an available electric man tit. I guess the point is be prepared, a tree might fall, and hopefully there will be someone to hear it... and drag it off your house.

Or, maybe the point is be reasonable and responsible. Do what you can to live clean and simple, but adapt to conditions. Be real about where you are. We are in a city, on a boat, surrounded by water we can't swim in. We have animals on board with us that need to be taken care of. We have jobs that we can't quit, cars that need to be cleaned, and a boat awaiting a new owner. We are not free, of the electric man or anything else. I realize that this is a process of freeing, dependent on many things, not just being "off the grid" or "going green". We've come a long way in this process, but just like boat work, there's more to do.