Summer is truly here

[AeolianHarp]

It needs announcing in Britain! Blimey it's hot! I've just got in from voluntary work. Doing a bit online and a drink before I go down to the gym. It's gonna be hot in there...

[Chris]

I miss winter

[AeolianHarp]

I miss winter

You must be well off if you can afford the gas bill!

[Chris]

I'm fine with just a sweater!

My favorite time to run is when it is below freezing out. Although if there are icy patches, that can be a problem...

[Hollywood]

This weekend here in Vienna summer will be returning with a bang. Next Mon. they predict that it'll be 36°C (97°F). Days like this I wish I was back in Los Angeles where air conditioners are everywhere.

[Megan]

A decent summer at last! As long as we take sensible precautions we should be ok.
If we have any elderly neighbours, check in on them make sure they are ok and drinking enough.


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[AeolianHarp]

A decent summer at last! As long as we take sensible precautions we should be ok.
If we have any elderly neighbours, check in on them make sure they are ok and drinking enough..

And the birds too Megan! I leave a shallow pan of water out for them under the tree. Though, I think it might rain later- although it is very humid, its cloudy and I felt a few spots of rain in the garden a few mins ago. I wouldn't mind a bit of rain to be honest- there isn't much air and I am stalling going to the gym...

[AeolianHarp]

This weekend here in Vienna summer will be returning with a bang. Next Mon. they predict that it'll be 36°C (97°F). Days like this I wish I was back in Los Angeles where air conditioners are everywhere.

We don't really do air conditioning in Europe! Imagine what it would have been like in Beethoven's day when they were expected to wear so much more clothes. No wonder he used to wander the woods with his shirt off!

[Megan]

And the birds too Megan! I leave a shallow pan of water out for them under the tree. Though, I think it might rain later- although it is very humid, its cloudy and I felt a few spots of rain in the garden a few mins ago. I wouldn't mind a bit of rain to be honest- there isn't much air and I am stalling going to the gym...

Oh yes, I have dishes of water out for the birds, they love having a splash and a drink. Also they go mad on grapes and apple.
Earlier, there was a bit of distant thunder, but it didn't come to much.

[AeolianHarp]

Oh yes, I have dishes of water out for the birds, they love having a splash and a drink. Also they go mad on grapes and apple.
Earlier, there was a bit of distant thunder, but it didn't come to much.

Good that you help the birds Megan! I just put out some more dried fruit, seed and nut mix in a dish for them. It's one for humans, not a bird one, so they have got gourmet there lol. No thunder rumbles here, but yes a storm, with rain would be welcome. My grass is going yellow!

[Hollywood]

Next Tues. they are predicting 40°C (104°F) here in Vienna.

Now I have been living here for 22 years and the hottest temp. record for Vienna was set here at about 37°C (98°F). And that was the record high for the last 200 years. Nothing like living in a city with such god awful hot temps. and not having air conditioning. My fans are going to be working overtime...

[AeolianHarp]

Most Europeans don't have air conditioning- that's an American thing. At least in the Med they have the Siesta- here in Britain office workers have to carry on working all day in it.

There are ways of keeping one's house cool in hot weather without air conditioning ( in addition we have centuries old buildings that are probably incompatible for installing it or listed).

What they also do in places like Greece is have blinds or wooden shutters and have windows open, but blinds/shutters shut in the afternoon to keep it cool. I do this with my bedroom curtains, as the sun is directly in line with the windows there.

The tree in the garden keeps the lounge cool.

I thought Heiligenstadt was a small place?

Anyway Europeans are used to it- imagine how it was for Beethoven!! Heavier clothes then and social conventions meant that he was expected to wear a shirt and a jacket! However, he was said to have shocked the aristos by taking his jacket off! And in the woods he took off even more...

[Joy]

No air conditioning? Whew! We truly need it here in Phoenix. It's pretty hot here too now but that's normal for the summer. Oh, and I also help the backyard birds out with cool water in the birdbaths (sometimes add ice cubes) also there's the swimming pool and spa as well which is a welcome retreat!

[AeolianHarp]

No air conditioning? Whew! We truly need it here in Phoenix. It's pretty hot here too now but that's normal for the summer. Oh, and I also help the backyard birds out with cool water in the birdbaths (sometimes add ice cubes) also there's the swimming pool and spa as well which is a welcome retreat!

Well I expect the super rich in those penthouse apartments have it, but us ordinary folk no. Some office buildings have it, but many don't. Glad you are helping our little chirping friends!

[Hollywood]

Our flat faces east so we have the morning sun hitting us first thing. So in summer we keep our blinds closed until after 12:00. By then the sun is behind us so we can open the blinds a bit but not all the way. The one ceiling fan we have (in the living room) I usually turn on around 4am and it stays on until I go to bed. We also have a Dyson standing fan that I use in our bedroom during the night as well as a floor fan that I use elsewhere as needed.

To help out my poor cat Gizmo, I always make sure that both of his water bowls are filled with fresh water. Then as an extra treat I use a wet paper towel on his head and rub it over his body as well. He loves this and it helps him to feel a bit cooler in these hot summer days here.