Hot, hot, hot

Boy oh boy, is it hot! The temp has been in the high 80's-90's all weekend, and the humidity has been akin to walking through water, especially at night. My cat jumped in bed with me last night around 11:30, tried to lie down, realized it was too hot to even snuggle, and left to sleep in the bathroom. She has found a spot, underneath the dormer window, next to the sink, that suits her well. It is covered with ceramic tile, and she stretches out and snoozes away. She is there as I write this. Smart kitty. The other animal in the house is my sister's dog, Henry, named after the author Henry James. He is a Westy, and at the ripe old age of 15, tends to sleep most of the time. When he's awake he eats, goes outside for a pitstop or two, and barks at nothing in particular. I think he has the canine version of Alzhiemer's Disease. Sometimes he'll start off at a quick trot outside and then stop dead, as if he's forgotten what he's doing. He'll seem confused for a second, and then become distracted by something again. He and the cat have a great relationship. She is certainly not threatened by him, and he is very curious about her. When we are outside, she walks beside him, lays down in the grass next to him and reaches out with her foreleg, just touching him on the shoulder. It's very sweet. She seems to be acting as a kind of nursemaid or caregiver at times. We should all be so lucky.

The elderly aren't suited very well to this heat. At the age of 81, my mother is effected by the heat as well. She becomes run-down more quickly, needs to slow down more often, and should be drinking more water, but she is not. She wears herself out and is asleep by 9PM. Of course then she's awake by 3:30 or 4AM, and starting her day. She exhausts herself, which in her case is not the healthiest way to live. I wish I could find a way to make her just stop, not worry about her children, and take a breather. Her own history, upbringing, and senses of responsibility drive her to a point of breaking, and then she stops. I am trying to learn a new way of living. I am trying to see farther ahead to where that breaking point lies, and to stop before I run out of juice and have to collapse. To conserve my energy, in all situations, to not get so dragged out that I cannot function, is my goal today. Whether I accomplish that goal is another thing, but I just have to worry about today, not the rest of my life.

Johnnyboy