[alligator]

I just got into the house now (it's 4 p.m), after working outside since 9:00 a.m in 90+ degree weather. Why? Because my wife wants to landscape the south side of our house. Of course, this means that I get to do all of the work. Well, she did help a little, but I had to do all of the heavy lifting.

I spent the morning cutting sod to make room for our new plants and wood chips. Then I had to load up all of the sod and take it to the compost site. If it wasn't for a helpful neighbor who let me use his pickup truck, it would have taken me several days. As it is, I got it done in one day - but I have a huge heat headache to show for it.

I thought this was the weekend to relax and remember our service people. Maybe visit a grave site, but not to work on the home. Still, it's all done in the name of love. It will be worth it some day, but I'm not in the mood to enjoy anything at this point. I'm just too hot and tired.

Anyone else having a less than perfect memorial day weekend?

[production_coordinator]

I went in to work for 7 hours...

[Sage]

I’ve been outside moving rocks for my dad. The heat I don’t mind, but the flies – at one point I stood still for a couple seconds, and about eight flies landed on me at the same time. Damn little boogers.

[The Godfather]

for doing it yourself and not hiring someone else to do it for you.

Think of how much money you saved.

[brassplayersrock²]

Sage, about the flies. ya know those dryer sheets in the orange box that some people use? put some of those in your pockets and the flies should leave you be. dont know why it works, it just does.

good job alligator i'm sure that your house will look great after it's all planted.

[ghporter]

I used to install two-way radios and "mobile telephones" (this was before cell phones hit the market) in Austin, TX all year long. The service bay was just a big, tall garage with only one fan. I feel your pain-and I don't do that anymore!

Now I understand where you're coming from. For crying out loud, you're in Minnesota and it's still MAY! But that's the kind of weather we've had here (off and on, mostly on) since early April.

So here's what you do. Reduce sun exposure-either by working on the shaded side of the house when you can or by wearing a loose-fitting, long sleeve shirt and a hat. That helps a lot!

Stay hydrated too. If you don't have to pee every couple of hours, you're underhydrated. DRINK, man, drink! Water is much better than most other beverages for this, though Gatoraid is ok. Don't buy fancy hydration drinks because they're either all hype or more than you need. Save the beer for after you're done, because alcohol messes with blood distribution and you might not cool yourself as well as you should.

Finally, take breaks. Timed work intervals with minimum timed breaks are important. Don't work more than 30 minutes in weather that's much hotter than you're used to, and take at least a 10 minute break after each work interval. You can acclimate pretty quickly, but don't push it. A nicely landscaped yard is no fun if the guy doing the landscaping is in the hospital from heatstroke.

Good luck and take a break!

[FeLiZeCaT]

I did 145 km on my bicycle plus a 20 minutes run.

I am such a slave to myself!

[Woehrle46]

I got a summer job at home depot loading bricks and dirt into people's cars, over this weekend I'm working a total of 24 hours, the weather around here was 90 yesterday around 100 midday today and supposed to be in the 90's again tomorrow, I think I win for worst weekend.

[Spliffdaddy]

you win

[RAILhead]

Newbie. Try living in South Texas.

[alligator]

Yeah, I'm the first to admit that I can't handle the heat. Cold - no problem. Give my -40 any day over 90 degrees. At least I can still think when it's cold outside, but when it's warm, my brain goes to mush and my attitude gets really bad. I'm just not in the mood to put up with anything when it's so hot outside.

I guess my body is just better at shivering than sweating.

[smacintush]

Indiana's summer weather sucks ass too. 90-100 degrees, humidity maxed out, and lots and lots of bugs.

That being said I have put in 36 hours this weekend, but most of that was spent in air conditioning with my feet up and listening to my iPod.

[chris v]

Originally Posted by RAILhead

Newbie. Try living in South Texas.

Yeah, my reaction was "Oh, Waah."

[cjrivera]

Not as bad as you, but spent Friday and Saturday washing/waxing/detailing my car. It got up to the mid 90's and with the awful humidity in the midwest, made it unbearable in the garage (no breeze with the doors closed to keep the bugs out.)

Although I was able to get out on the lake twice this weekend. The heat wasn't too bad once you got in the water....

[macintologist]

Originally Posted by RAILhead

Newbie. Try living in South Texas.

Hey n00b, try living in Saudi Arabia

[ak1nza]

I start tuesday... outside all day, removing paint from aluminum siding then repainting it... the sun off of the aluminum just sucks..

[RAILhead]

Originally Posted by macintologist

Hey n00b, try living in Saudi Arabia

SA's humidity/heat combo is no where NEAR as punishing as Texas'. There's massive difference between dry heat and wet heat. South America now, THAT can get downright unbearable sometimes.

[wallinbl]

I'm sorry, are you complaining about how hot it is in Minnesota? People die in Texas because of the heat. Those of us in Florida just laugh at those pansies. We can take the heat just fine.

[Madferret]

Last summer I worked at a racetrack setting up stuff for the nascar crap happening later in the weekend, and it was 96, high humidity, and the sun was blazing. I didn't wear a shirt, and I think I drank over 20 bottles of water. It's okay as long as you keep hydrated.

[screamingFit]

About 10 years ago, we had a week-long stretch in these parts that was over 110 degrees with as much humidity as you can put in that hot of air. Back then, I was moving used meat saws, slicers and other commercial meat making hardware mainly outside/in a warehouse. Lots and lots of rancid meat, flies, maggots and fat on that equipment that the extreme heat just made all the worse.

This weekend, I did nothing. And when I say nothing, I mean watching the complete seasons 3 and 4 of the Wonder Years. God, I need a life...

[Albert Pujols]

It must have been pretty hot in my room this morning. When I woke up the fan thermometer, which can only display two digits was displaying "Hi". So it must have been 100 degrees F or higher.

Outside it was mid 90s about 80% humidity, nice day to play tennis. Then again, everyday is a nice day to play tennis.

[greenamp]

I worked inside all day in the A/C drinking coffee.

[nredman]

Originally Posted by alligator

Anyone else having a less than perfect memorial day weekend?

i went to the driving range and then had a beer. it was alright....but i would take doing some yard work considering i will be living in an apartment for another year. so its not all bad man

[hayesk]

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock

Sage, about the flies. ya know those dryer sheets in the orange box that some people use? put some of those in your pockets and the flies should leave you be. dont know why it works, it just does.

Urban Myth.
http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/skeeters.asp

[ghporter]

Well it could have been Very Bad™. We went to a friend's house for supper, and when we came home water was running out of the water meter box by the curb. OH NO!!!! We called the utility and they sent a truck out about an hour later---it's a leak on THEIR side of the meter, so THEY have to fix it and THEY have to pay for it. Yaaaay!

Of course I'm sore from bailing the hole to see if I could watch the meter running, and I have some other stuff to do before going to bed early for school starting tomorrow, but it could be vastly worse-even with nobody on fire!

[brassplayersrock²]

Originally Posted by hayesk

Urban Myth.
http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/skeeters.asp

hmm, interesting read. if you had paid attention to the article you linked too, it was about skeets aka mosquitoes. not flies like i mentioned. nice try though to your effort in trying to debunk my post.

have a nice night

Brass

edit: that sounded a bit harsh on my part after reading it again. for that i'm sorry, but, dryer sheets repelling flies does work when my friends and i have stuffed them in our pockets.

[cjrivera]

Hot again today... about 92-94 and kinda muggy.
Went to the STL Cardinals game....

Originally Posted by Albert Pujols

Outside it was mid 90s about 80% humidity, nice day to play tennis. Then again, everyday is a nice day to play tennis.

Thank goodness that tennis didn't wear you out. That wa a nice game winning HR.
The heat and humidity didn't feel as bad once we finally got a lead in the game...

[cSurfr]

How about working over in the sand box, where the actual temp is 106 degrees right now, with a heat index of 135 ? Embrace Teh Suck!