Heating up those summer memories

With Corning into its first stretch of triple-digit heat, and knowing what will soon follow with the summer months, I thought it would be cool (pun intended), to sit comfortably in the air conditioned office and remember heat waves of the past.

I know Corning natives are used to the prospect of temperatures reaching into the 110-115 degree range and even hotter, but back in Iowa, the actual temperature seldom broke the 100 mark. But boy, was it hot. With humidity often approaching 100 percent, it was possible to stand outside perfectly still and still work up a sweat. The transition from eight hours of air conditioning while at work to the sweltering heat and humidity when you left work and walked to your car could take your breath away.

Did I mention we had NO central air conditioning for most of the time I was growing up? Sure, my brother and my two sisters with upstairs bedrooms had window units, but I was challenged to cool myself with nothing but the nighttime air and a box fan. When my brother moved out and I  got to move upstairs, I was then instructed what coolness and temperature levels the air conditioner was to be set at each night. Looking back it may have saved a few cents of electricity, but after years of coolness depravation, I was bound and determined to reap the full benefits of air conditioning – I cranked that sucker at night.

And then there was the furniture. We had the same vinyl kitchen chairs for at least 20 years, so you positioned yourself strategically when you sat, knowing any exposed skin was going to adhere to the chair covering immediately.

Did I also mention that the family boat – also known as a ’68 Chevy Biscayne had no air conditioning? Imagine the fun of returning from a day at the lake sporting a nasty sunburn, and the air circulating through the open car windows being approximately three degrees cooler than the outside temperature.

But each winter when buried up to our armpits in snow, we longed for those days and having to manage them.

Summer is nearly here. Bring the heat.