Killer heat wave

No joke. Termperatures in Portland set records, then knocked them down, for three successive days, ending with the all-time high of 115 yesterday at 5 PM. There were hundreds of calls and clinic visits related to heat, and at least a few deaths - possibly including a pair of swimmers missing and presumed drowned.

On Sunday we set up our new AC, which was a life saver. At the same time, it occurred to me that I do have a perfectly good air-conditioned office with my name on it: I just haven't used it since March 2020. So I spent yesterday working in the building that has been my workplace since 2001 - except for this last year.

Sunday afternoon, Todd brought me and the big monitors and the monitor stand here so that I could re-set-up my office. It was very weird to walk into my office and see my 2019-20 calendars and everything exactly the way I left it when everything went to hell. I took down the calendars and recycled them before I even tried to do anything else: it was a form of renewal, I suppose.

Then I left to take the bus home at about 3 PM. It was windy down by the Rose Quarter - it always is - but the wind was HOT. It felt like air coming out of a furnace.

Heat like that demands your attention. It was, not exactly invigorating, but it made me strangely alert and focused. I think it was the extra attention needed to move efficiently, not waste energy, and not touch anything, especially metal. I also found myself watching a block ahead to see which side of the street was shadier.

And then yesterday: even hotter. I got up early and caught the bus, and even at 7:30 in the morning, it was hot. All the vegetation looks heat-blasted, except for the quinces which seem completely impervious to any kind of weather. The roses on my rosebush dried in place - though I expect the bush itself is fine, it has deep roots. Scorched leaves on most of the trees. Todd picked me up and brought me home at about 5 PM, just as PDX was notching the all-time high. We holed up with the AC.

By 8 PM, marine air was starting to move in and temperatures fell precipitately. It got down into the 60s overnight, though it's forcast to get back up over 90 today.

There will be more of this.

Books Available
The Day of My First Driving Lesson
Country Well-Known as an Old Nightmare's Stable
High-Voltage Lines
Knocking from Inside