It was 80 degrees already at 6 o'clock this morning. And it's going to get worse. They're calling for air temperatures to reach 100 degrees with the dewpoint well into the 70s, causing a heat index of well over 110 degrees.

Weatherbug is chirping away with excessive heat warnings, and air stagnation warnings.

I have lived in all sorts of climates -- the tropics, the sub-tropics, , southwestern US, and New England (northeast US) and not once have I suffered for the weather as I have this summer. Of course, I realize that menopause plays a huge role, but this weather is oppressive. It's difficult to walk because it seems like you're walking through some sort of invisible barrier. It's hard to breathe.

We've been letting the cats come in our room at night because we have airconditioning in it. Simba sleeps at the foot of the bed. Cedar sleeps in a box in the closet (the one for our air conditioner). Tigga sleeps on the floor next to the bed because the old girl just can't get up on the bed on her own. And these three cats just DON'T go into the same room all at once.

I worry about Joe working outside at the garden center. I've lectured him extensively about taking in fluids as much as he can. He's smart about hydration but tends to only hydrate when he feels dry. I told him he needs to make sure to hydrate as a preventive measure.

I was in the grocery store last night and saw a man sitting in a chair (a kitchen display) who didn't look all that good. I continued to shop while sort of keeping an eye on him. All of a sudden he went *SPLAT* on the floor. His hands sort of shook and he rolled a little from side-to-side. It looked like some sort of mini-convulsion. I went over to him and as I did so, a man stepped up and put his hand out to the man and said "Here, let me help you up." I barked out (surprising myself) "NO, don't stand him up unless he's ready to get up on his own!" Ignoring me, the man yanked the fellow up off the ground, sat him in the chair, and walked away. Lots of people standing around looking, but nobody DOING anything.

I went to the man and could see that his face was beet red. He was disoriented as well. A woman was standing there with him and I asked if she was with him. She said she was and that he'd fallen and hit his head some time ago and suffered from these "spells" from time to time. I touched his cheek and he felt hot to the touch. I told her to stay there with him and I'd go get some water. I hurried over to the restaurant section and asked an attendant for a cloth of some kind, and got some ice water from the machine. I took it back to him and asked him to just sip it a little. I put some of the cool water on the cloth and put it on the back of his neck. In just a couple of minutes, his color began to get more normal. I think he'd gotten overheated.

I told the woman that if that ever happened again in a public place to NOT let anyone pick him up because, if he'd had a seizure or convulsions and wasn't through, he'd end up back on the floor with the potential to really hurt himself -- crack his head open. She said that made a lot of sense and that she'd remember that next time.

We're currently living in rubble.

We ordered that new floor on July 7th. We were told it would be in within 7-10 days. It's called "Western Hemlock."

That same day, we tore out the carpeting from the entire upstairs and tore out the floor and the underlayment in the kitchen. I have a 35" television sitting on a lawn cart in front of the entertainment center where it usually resides, waiting. My refrigerator is in a room other than the kitchen, as it made no sense to move it out, in, out, and in again.

And we waited for that floor.

It finally came in on Saturday, while we were in the midst of painting the kitchen. And now, it's too frickin' hot to even make an attempt to put that new floor in. It'll have to wait for the coming weekend when it will be *only* in the lower 80s.

And, from the "Be Careful What You Wish For" files:

A Macedon man is being sued by his employer for faking his son's death and failing to show up for work. Lancope Incorporated says shortly after Michael Ruffalo started his new job he told his boss his 3-year-old son was sick with leukemia. The company gave him a paid leave that stretched for two months and was extended after he told them his son died of the disease. Later his boss says he learned Ruffalo's son was alive and healthy when he tried to send flowers to the family.

The suit says he pulled the same scam on at least two other companies. Lancope is seeking to recover $40, 151 in salary and benefits as well as unspecified punitive damages.

I cannot imagine, even as a JOKE, pretending that my child died. Imagine how this man would feel if something actually DID happen to his son now...

Only five weeks left before the opening of the 2006 football season! Yay! Pre-season starts on Sunday with the Hall of Fame Game. This year's inductees into the Hall of Fame include Troy Aikman, John Madden, Warren Moon, and the late Reggie White. And, with the DirectTV NFL Sunday Ticket package, you can betchyer bippie we'll be enjoying another season of football and just lovin' life. Last year I had 4 televisions set up to watch two Direct TV channels, and two local broadcasts. With 4 receivers this year, I'm thinking I might have to expand my watching resources. *smirk*