The answer is "8 degrees"

[wroughtn_harv]

For the last couple of weeks I've been wondering if I was a third of the half of a man I used to be.

Seriously, I was thinking that fifty eight was the age everyone had warned me about. You know the one where it all stops but the crying.

Manual labor seemed to be killing me. Like I said, "one third of half of the man I used to be."

Then yesterday they brought in a crew of laborers to dig trench where I was working. I recognised the pausing as they stopped often to talk or just catch their breath. I started thinking maybe it wasn't my age but the heat after all.

Today it was like I was ten years younger. I was able to kick it with the old grin and enjoy the work.

The difference?

8 degrees.

104 versus 96.

 

[hudr]

The other day I decided I would weld up some fence braces before it got hot. It was 88 degrees at daylight. I got the stuff welded (sort of) and nearly passed out on the 4 wheeler pulling the welder back to the house. So, no, its not the years (only 35 in my case), its definitely the degrees.
Be careful out there. What nearly got me was the "I'm too hot, but I just lack a few minutes finishing up" mind set.

 

[EddieWalker]

Hey Harvey,

Your not the only one that notices the diference in a few degrees of heat. At 95 I'm fine. No problems, barely even sweating, but when it gets into the triple digits, something just turns off in me. My brain can't keep up with what I'm doing and I find myself standing there, holding a tool and wondering what I was going to do??? When this happens, I take a break, cool off and maybe take a nap.

Hopefully we're through it for now, the whole week is forcast for low to mid 90's here and we might even get some rain!!!!

Eddie

 

[Jagmandave]

For me it's the humidity. It can be 90* and I can work all day if the humidity is low, but if it's up to the typical Kansas levels, 70, 80, 90% - I'm toast in only a little while.

I'm like Harv, 57 years behind me and I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was!

 

[czechsonofagun]

I grew up in Europe and never imagined humidity could be a problem

Now we live in Virginia and summers are bit tougher. Got used to it and can live with it as long as I am working outside - dranched in sweat is just part of the work. But I refuse to entertain or sleep in the heat or do anything not work related.

 

[scott_vt]

Hey Harv,
Well Im only 55, and like Alan Jackson too

Eddie, dont know how you guys can do that heat !!! I can work if the temps in the 80's even with humity but when it hits the 90's Im done

Blood aint thin enough I guess !

 

[Alan L.]

I grew up in Europe and never imagined humidity could be a problem

Now we live in Virginia and summers are bit tougher. Got used to it and can live with it as long as I am working outside - dranched in sweat is just part of the work. But I refuse to entertain or sleep in the heat or do anything not work related.

But how long does the Virginia summer last? Like 2 days? In Texas its hot and LOOONNNNGGGGGG.

 

[rickmacheske]

Virginia is about as mild as they come. I love it here.... Not to hot, not too cold...
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Avg. High 40° 44° 54° 65° 74° 82° 87° 85° 78° 67° 56° 45°
Avg. Low 21° 24° 31° 40° 50° 58° 64° 62° 55° 42° 34° 25°
Mean 31° 34° 44° 54° 62° 71° 76° 74° 67° 55° 45° 35°
Avg. Precip. 2.7 in 2.8 in 3.3 in 3.1 in 4.0 in 3.9 in 3.5 in 3.9 in 3.4 in 3.3 in 3.3 in 3.3 in

 

[czechsonofagun]

Two days of summer? Now that would be Michigan - where the summer is defined as the time of bad sleding


I can handle the summer in Virginia - but if you remember the spring this year - cold nights and sunny days - thats what summers are in czech republic (nigths can be down to 40tioes and in the mountains in August even 30ties and day temperatures rarely go over 95) and the humidity is not existing.

 

[rox]

Harv & Eddie you guys got me motivated today. It was only 92 today so I got a screen almost built for my office. I wish I could find the trick of toenail nailing. I used a too long of nail and it came through but I am jsut going to turn the screen so that is on the bottom and nobody will see it piking through. Gotta go back to the store tomorrow and pick up some more wood. decided to add another stick in my office screen so now I am one short for the other one I'll start tomorrow. Geeze I would have been finished today with this one but it was so darned hot the paint wouldn't even dry. So I'm in my office swatting the insects jsut waitineg for tomorrow when I put up the new screen. I decided jsut to make old fashioned wood frame screens. Sure do wish I had a chop saw, my little hand saber saw doesn't cut straight enough. I figure I'm only making these screens to last a few years and then we'll get the whole hosue done with aluminum screens.

The dippy little project does not even jsutify pics. I kept thinking about all y'all working in the heat so I got off my butt today and got some work done. It felt pretty good I am not really very happy when I am not working on a project. Not working bores me especially since I don't watch any television and have read everysingle English langauge item in the house. I'm waiting on more books to arive.

We might, oh prety please get some rain tonight or tomorrow morning. I think we had jsut 2 rainfalls since February. The olive trees really could use rain, we irrigate but they really benefit form rain. I am not holding my breath on the rain.