The weather here in Maryland, USA, has been less than cooperative lately. Just when I thought we had the best Spring — with delightfully cool but sunny days, and crisp nights — all the way through June 22 — hell hath been wrought on the region.

The weekly rains stopped, the heat turned up, and here we are, in a full-fledged heat wave. Tomorrow (Saturday), I was going to go on a ride on my Harley, but I will heed a lesson learned on Thursday afternoon when riding in 100F (38C) heat…

…that is, ask myself, “are you nuts? You want soaked boots again?”

With actual air temperatures forecast to be 105F (41C), and dew points in the 70s (which measures the amount of moisture in the air, so the higher the dew point, the more humid and uncomfortable the air feels), it is plain insane to be outdoors, especially astride an air-cooled motorcycle engine.

I admit, there are a few times in the summer that I use the air conditioning in my truck. This is one of those times.

I tell ya’, yesterday when I rode home from the downtown of my hometown, only a 6-mile (10km) ride, my clothes and even the insides of my boots were soaked with perspiration. My clothes were so stinky that they walked all by themselves into the washer. When I pulled my boots off, each one made a sucking sound as it came off, and my socks were dripping wet. I was concerned that fungus or mold would begin to grow in the hot, damp, and dark environment of the insides of my boots, so I applied some antibacterial cleaner to a cloth and wiped the interior leather lining of my boots with it, then placed the boots in a room that has good ventilation (but out of the sun) to dry out.

I had to venture out again (in my air-conditioned truck), despite the heat. I have an elderly friend whose electrical power had not yet been restored in her home after last week’s severe storm. I went to her place and demanded that she return with me to our home. She was dehydrated and getting worse. I finally convinced her to come stay with me on the pretext of using her skills as a (retired) school dietician to help me prepare special meals for my partner who remains on a diet of rabbit food that helps him recover from his ongoing illness.

When she arrived, she drank some fluids, ate a small meal, then took a nap. Seven-hour nap, so needed. When she awoke, I gave her more water and juice to drink, another small meal, then she sat comfortably on the basement sofa next to my partner to watch TV. Within a half-hour, the two of them had fallen asleep, nestled next to each other. It was very hard for me to wake them up to make them go to bed — they looked so sweet.

The forecast indicates a break in the heat coming by Monday evening, so fortunately, this extreme heat and humidity will not last long. Hopefully, my senior pal’s power will also be restored so she can return to her home and to her usual routine.

Besides a few errands and checking on senior pals, my partner and I will stay inside at home all weekend!

Life is short: keep cool!