Zen and Hot Weather
Face melting temperatures are wafting over us at the moment as February arrives early. Can I use Zen to cool things down?
Folks, I hate February. Actually, hate is a pretty strong word, how about despise? Loathe? No, I think it might be, detest? Yes! Detest, that’s the one! What I actually detest is the weather in February.
It’s the time of year when summer really rolls up its’ sleeves and the northerly winds arrive adding blinding humidity to temperatures soaring far north of 40 deg C.
There’s not much you can do but wait it out, and occasionally scrounge up the precious energy to batter into a coma anyone who mutters phrases such as:
“Hot isn’t it?!”
And this year, February arrived early here in Gladstone, the Gem of the Central Queensland Coast.
It showed up early like an unannounced, unwelcome relative who has arrived before you’ve had time to put your pants on.
February temperatures in November?
Honestly, I feel like asking, “Summer, could you have at least waited until Spring had reversed out of the driveway before you kicked us in the teeth with your humidity boots?”
The air is damp. We haven’t used the hot water tap in the shower in who knows how long, the cold water in the kitchen sink is the same temperature as molten lava and nowhere outdoors is safe!
I mowed two lawns in one day this week. Talk about an exercise in death defiance!
Also, the fistfuls of hydrolytes I swallowed to keep dehydration at bay, gave me the runs which, yep, dehydrated me even more.
‘Fun times,’ I thought as I unpeeled my steaming backside off the piping hot toilet seat for the eighth time that night.
So, we’re all praying for rainy relief to cool the air. Of course, this usually means the breeze is being chilled by hailstones accompanied by tree-uprooting, trampoline-relocating, roof-peeling wind.
And, as the neighbour’s dog goes whistling over the fence, still chained to its’ kennel, you wonder aloud, “Is the house insurance still paid up?”
What to do?
Well, I could go on complaining (which I could do at a Silver Medal level for Australia if asked), but this is also the perfect time for your ol’ mate Greg to finally practice some ‘Gratitude to Change His Attitude!’ Zen mindfulness techniques.
So, here are the following things I’m really grateful for right now:
I don’t live in Far North Queensland where it’s like this for six months (or more) of the year.
I no longer work in heavy industry, weighed down with heavy clothing, full safety gear and swinging hammers, or welding in the dust and heat surrounded by furnaces, steam pumps and screaming turbines.
I no longer work outdoors (except occasionally), but I feel, from the depth of my toenails for those who do.
I’m not one of the many overheated, and ignored, pets imprisoned in tiny, shadeless backyard prisons for the term of their natural lives.
Heaters are dirt cheap at the moment
and finally,
I am very, very, very grateful we live in modern times.
Because using ancient Buddhist techniques to trick your brain into ‘thinking’ you’re nice and chill is all well and good, and I do ‘feel’ less angst about the heat, but nothing beats turning on the white box strapped to the wall.
So, finally, I truly am grateful for William Carrier, the legend, the hero, and patron saint of air-conditioning who was able to share his gift with the wide world before shuffling off to the Great Beyond way back in the day.
Onya Billy!
Because, I tell ya, without that cooling relief at the touch of a button, we’d truly be cooked, or moving to Tassie.
Happy Snaps!
This week the HMAS Warramunga slid, virtually unnoticed, into Gladstone Harbour:
(Note: while I was looking for this link to find out more about the ship, I also discovered anyone with a phone could track it in real time, here. Um, is this something that should be public knowledge?!)
Anyway, speaking of noticing things, eagle-eyed Doll spotted this bird’s nest:
Caught Graham G. Toole's show this week. Great entertainer!
Late Monday night we caught the tail end of this system which had wreaked destruction on South-East Qld. We got off lightly, but Heron Island copped a solid dousing:
The view from our front door:
The wind was strong enough to bend the stand holding up the Big Soccer ball:
Panic not folks! It'll bounce back…
Stolen from Substack
Thanksgiving on Sesame Street:
Actually, this one was stolen from Farcebook, and it’s from my mate Rob, who I initially thought captured my Xmas sentiments perfectly (turns out it’s called ‘Rockin Christmas’):
(You can listen to the song here.)
Och!
This is the uniquely named, Rotten Island, off the coast of Ireland (you know, I could live here once they finish building the golf course):
Pressure selling techniques:
Our Quest is finally… OVER!
‘Boss, I’ve got a stack of that cheap blue paint leftover from the batch the dodgy salesman unloaded on us last year. What should I do with it?’
Folks, I’ve visited Rome and all the amazing sights there. Don’t get me wrong, they’re really impressive, but the sheer grandeur of this American vista is truly something else!
Finally, this is very similar to the sort of ‘discussions’ Doll and I regularly have. (Note: this was penned in 1972, one year before Doll hit the planet):
Hey! Thanks for popping by, let’s do it all again next week!
Cheers,
Gb
