The first part of our summer here in Asheville was relentlessly hot, several degrees above normal. To avoid the heat, pools were crowded, air conditioners were running hard, and cold food and drink were selling well. That made me wonder how you’re staying cool in the summer heat.

Not surprisingly, air conditioning was the overwhelming favorite solution. A huge thanks to Willis Carrier for inventing the modern air conditioner, though the concept dates back millennia. I’ll freely admit that nothing quite compares to coming back inside from the hot, humid air and hitting a blast of the cooler, drier indoor climate (though we are a 75° setting house here).

As always, the most fun of these surveys are the comments, so let’s go straight to them.

Here are some of the comments you shared:

Fans of fans

Lots of fans!!! I run my 36 year old air conditioner 10 minutes evey hour when it is really hot.

I have a small rechargeable fan that hangs on a cord around my neck to help keep my head cool-ish. Plus I sip iced tea all day (decaf, no sugar). Still too hot. Bring on fall!!

Fan then air conditioning but only for an hour. Fan is on all day

Air conditioning

Reading while in the air conditioning of course!

I’m just staying inside as much as possible.

Air conditioning and watching the movie Fargo.

Well, that’s an alternative

You forgot to add “cry”. Lots and lots of crying.

When our AC died last month and had to be replaced, we chose cold food meals + cold desserts, even eating out a time or two until the AC was replaced.

A trip to a local joint to hear music and enjoy a local libation after the sun goes down helps too.

It’s all about the time of day

I go out to our screened in gazebo in early AM and evenings! Tend to come inside air conditioning to read in afternoons!

Go ahead—Make us jealous

In Scotland, we don’t really have too many hot days, so cool drinks are the way to go.

A different perspective

I am a hot weather person and my husband is not. I love when it gets hot and would choose to just sit in the sun and soak it up.

Hey, I didn’t say it

Without AC, Florida would still be a mosquito and alligator infested swamp. Unfortunately, with AC, it becomes a tourist and snow-bird infested winter traffic jam.

Hot? You should live in Florida! Picture it – sweating like crazy while hoping for all you are worth that hurricane season will NOT turn out as so gleefully predicted by the weather folk on tv!

My dogs agree

Most important—lots of Frosty Paws for my Husky.

Sage advice

Remember to drink lots of water and stay inside until November 1st. That’s excellent advice.

Don’t forget to take this month’s survey by going here. Results will be published in next month’s newsletter.