End of Summer

In these parts, Summer is slow to wind down. Usually, the hot, humid weather persists into late September or early October.

This year, we've had the first front, which is early. While the temperature drop was only around 10 degrees, the humidity drop was around 20%. That's huge, when you consider the difference. Where it's now just reaching 80 degrees at 10:00 am, only a few weeks ago the temperature would only fall a little below 80 and it would be 80 degrees by 8:00 each morning.

I'm watching the remnants of Erika. The low is off the southwest tip of Florida and heading North. An upper level low is steering the remnants up the coast, which will give South Florida some much needed rain. This weather pattern will lead to clouds, and lower humidity in my area, which will further cool the temperatures.

The end of Summer is looking like it's already here, and the cooler temperatures may last longer. I don't know for sure, but the changes underway are much more pleasant than high temperatures over 100 and high humidity to add to the misery.

Return of the Birds

No, not the movie. Migration is starting, so the hummingbirds, and other migratory birds, are appearing. I like that. It amazes me things so tiny can brave thousands of miles of travel, survive, and do it multiple times.

I'll keep the feeders full and enjoy the show.

What Do You Think?

In the news, the reports say Joe Biden went to meet with Elizabeth Warren over the weekend. This fueled much speculation, since Joe did so while Obama was on vacation, nobody really knows what the meeting was about, and all this happened right after China screwed with world markets. My only question is: Did anyone know Joe was out and about without supervision?

It's a crazy world today, but I'm only pointing out the obvious.

Stranger Things Have Happened

The Iran deals stinks, from what I've read, yet the President, and Secretary of State are supporting it to the point of fault? Why? Why is the United States so willing to concede everything, just to have a deal?

Some think it's Obama's ego, and his legacy promoting his support. The same is said about Kerry, but what if it's something worse? What if Hillary's server was so compromised, not only were State Department files hacked, but Military files were hacked, also? What is so important to risk the safety of the United States to allow a small country to continue with their nuclear program? Is it personal? Or, is it strategical?

I don't know, but this is all beginning to stink worse than before. It's tragic the United States is being run by such an incompetent group of arrogant politicians.

Loose Lips Sink Ships

The slogan during  WW II was a warning of how comment perceived as innocent could have drastic consequences. Enemies of the United States were looking for any information available to help with their effort to win the war.

Now, it's not so much as "loose lips", its electronic communications. Unsecured email accounts become treasures for anyone looking for information, and the consequences can be deadly. The name of a covert operative may lead to the death of the operative, or worse: their family and friends.

While the problem with Hillary Clinton's unsecured email server, with the unsecured messages, is being downplayed, the possibility that important information regarding the safety of taxpayers was frivolously placed for anyone with skills to retrieve.

What are the consequences? First, every email sent to Hillary Clinton, or sent by Hillary Clinton, may now be readily available to those that are willing to kill innocent people to promote their cause. To add insult to injury, every bit of top secret information accessible by the State Department can now only be assumed to be compromised.

So, now what happens? The usual song and dance has started, but the realization of the problems is just now becoming apparent to the general public. While many may think it's only an inconvenience, those that may have their lives destroyed, or have family members killed due to the incompetence, will hardly call their live changing experiences "inconvenient".

Meanwhile, the Attorney General is sitting on her hands. Her loyalty is obviously for a political ideology, instead of the safety of those that trusted the government to protect them from harm.

Something I Used To Never Think About

I had a day this week that reminded me of my mortality. The temperature was around 102, the humidity was a little high, and I found the heat was more than oppressive.

I was laying out a long ditch to drain a project. It wasn't hard work, but required a lot of walking. As I worked, I walked slowly, didn't hurry and was methodical in preventing any extra steps.

After I reached about 600 feet from my truck, I realized I needed some water, and the need to stop for a few minutes to sit in the air conditioning.

The distance was farther than I anticipated, and I realized the energy was gone. I'd been hot enough before to know heat exhaustion was setting in, and I needed to do something quickly.

Another employee was checking grade for an excavator one hundred feet away. They were waiting for the off-road dump truck to return for a load of dirt, so the machine was idle.

I motioned for him to go for my truck and bring it closer. He walked away, while I slowly walked to the machine and crouched under the counterweight for some shade.

As I waited for a few minutes, I thought of my brother, and wondered what through his mind during his last moments before heat finally killed him. I knew his angst. I knew his feeling of helplessness, and I knew he went from conscious thought to unconsciousness in seconds. Mostly, I wondered if he was aware of what was happening. There are only short moments between feeling able and the intense exhaustion, where walking becomes a challenge, and the dizziness appears.

Keeping my truck close, and retreating to the ac for a few minutes, when needed, I finished my task. The heat cramps started about thirty minutes later. Supplements helped keep the back cramps from doubling me over, but one in my thigh caused soreness for a few days.

Age brought a feebleness, and vulnerability I wasn't expecting. I don't like it, but I'll accept; and adapt. Where I could once work for long days, weeks at a time, in the intense heat, without any concerns, I now must be very careful, and learn my new limitations.

Picking Up The Garbage

I've never understood how people that will demand immediate action, when their garbage isn't removed from the curb, will idly sit and let the feckless Federal government waste so much money without getting anything done.

Maybe it's the size of the tasks, but still, if the trash isn't removed, the garbage continues to pile up at the curb.

Increasing Heat

Rain is not on the horizon, the temperature is supposed to reach the upper nineties to low hundreds, and the event is supposed to last to the middle of the week, at least.

The summer of 2011 was similar, and we had one worse in the late nineties, when afternoon temperatures reached 108. That was a brutal summer, and our work hours were 6:00 am to 2:30 pm. With temperatures over 100 by noon, it was dangerous to work in the brutal heat. Even those most accustomed to the work were beat by the early afternoon and close to dehydration.

So, we have another summer, where everything is the same, and everything is different. Like those before, it will end and Autumn will arrive.

I'm looking forward to the first morning, when the temperature is in the low sixties, and the afternoon high is less than eighty.

Joe Cocker - Summer In The City (From "Across from Midnight Tour" DVD)

The "Loving Spoonful" recorded the popular version. Joe Cocker added his own touch, and it's good.

Maybe a Good Class Action Suit

I've been reading how Planned Parenthood is harvesting fetal tissue, after the mothers sign releases to allow the process for "medical research". I wonder if there's an opportunity for a shrewd attorney to make billions by suing the organization for coercion by fraud, since the complete abortion procedure, dissection of the fetuses, and final disposition of the parts wasn't completely described by the abortionists? I think a good attorney would have a slam-dunk, if he can get enough women to join the suit.