Make your own
May 23, 2008 (Friday)
Memorial Day weekend is upon us. In resort areas of the southern USA, this weekend is considered the unofficial beginning of the summer season. After enjoying mild weather this spring, this week has brought temperatures in the nineties and higher humidity so it’s not hard for us to think about summer being upon us. In the northeast, however, cooler weather is still hanging around. In fact, hikers in Vermont this weekend are expecting to encounter snow. Unless you are traveling in that direction, I suppose these comments are of no value at all, but I just found it interesting. Weather sometimes seems to do its own thing.
Houston today is an air-conditioned city. Homes and businesses are cooled with refrigerated air. When I was growing up here, however, air conditioning was rare. The first public places to enjoy air conditioning were the movie theaters, all of which put huge signs in front which announced it was much cooler inside. People would go to the show to cool off.
When I was working nights in the late forties, I had to try and sleep during the day. The light of day and noises of the city worked against sleep, but the toughest obstacle was the heat. I used to take a damp washcloth to bed, and wipe my face and upper body occasionally as the attic fan pulled air in through the open window by the bed. Air conditioning was not yet available to the average home. All that has changed today, and cool air is available for vehicles, dwellings, offices and businesses, providing stimulus for growth. We like it.