According to multiple sources, the idiom, “dog days of summer” refers to the hottest days of summer, usually between July 3rd and August 11th in the Northern Hemisphere. According to Idioms.com, “The phrase originated from the belief of early Romans, Greeks or Egyptians that the hot summer days were caused by the Earth’s proximity to the dog star Sirius during the summer months.” Savannah Sher, author of “What Are the Dog Days of Summer, Anyway?” on Bobvila.com says, “People commonly use the term to describe the sluggish feeling that comes with extreme heat. The dog days of summer is a time when many prefer to stay indoors, seek out air-conditioned spaces, or cool off in bodies of water. The phrase has also permeated popular culture, symbolizing laziness and inactivity.”
So, after this little bit of research on the dog days of summer, I can now confirm that yes, this is where I am. My husband and I are teachers now on summer break. It’s now July 14th, and these were some of my behaviors this past week.
- I bought a small plastic kiddie pool for our backyard. We have no kids at home, so I used the excuse that it is for the dog, but my husband and I have been filling it with hose water and sitting in chairs with our feet submerged in it just so we can tolerate sitting outside in 90-degree+ weather we’ve been having for now the second week in a row.
- We went to the lake four times last week. We live about 10 minutes away from a huge lake, and we pay for a membership at the yacht club there, but we have no boat except for a few paddle boards and kayaks, but that’s ok. We have exclusive lake access! This week I acted as if getting out to the lake was my job. It’s 95 degrees out! Quick! Load up the cooler and the car, and let’s get out there! We can’t come home until at least 8:00 when it starts to cool off!
- We finally turned the AC on. Growing up in Montana, we never had air conditioning. We never really needed it, and my family couldn’t really afford the extra expense. Even during the dog days, it would always cool off at night, so I know how to play the game. When the outside temperature matches the inside temperature in the evening, open all the windows in the house. I mean, every single one. Start going to bed later so you can sleep during the cool hours. If you have ceiling fans, set them to turn counterclockwise during the summer to keep that cool air circulating. In the morning, close up the east side of the house first, followed by the west side as the sun comes out more. Shut all the blinds to keep the sun from beating in during the day, and don’t go in and out of the house! You’re letting the warm air in! And for God’s sake, do not turn on the oven! We made it until July 11th this year by using this method, but we finally broke down and turned on the AC. Our utility bill will go up now, but we’re not turning it on until the house reaches 75 degrees each day. Then it kicks on until we can open up the windows again at night. It’s a luxury to have central air in our current house. My daughter recalls the days of her childhood when she claims to have gotten no sleep in the summers ever because the house was too hot, and we refused to turn on the portable air conditioning units until it was absolutely necessary. She remembers getting ice packs out of the freezer to cool down at night. Poor thing. She’s very dramatic when she tells that story. I’m sure it wasn’t all that bad. She’s lucky she didn’t grow up in an area where it gets really hot.
- This past week, I somehow managed to get almost nothing done. I had the whole week off! How did that happen? I think that dog days lethargy has set in. I’m lucky to get up and showered and ready by about 11AM. Then I make sure to take the dog on a walk before the sidewalks get too hot. That’s it. All bets are off after that. I’m not sure what I did this past week, but it sure didn’t amount to much. I was even too lazy to read! I did have that full-time job of getting out to the lake, though.
- Summer weight gain. The combination of trying to move as little as possible because it’s too hot and indulging in the refreshing beer or cocktail every day since we’re on vacation has somehow caused the pounds on the scale start creeping up. And, I read that water retention can be a phenomenon when it gets really warm out. That must be the problem, I’m sure of it.
So, in my little bit of research this week about the dog days of summer, I have learned that people have been complaining about the weather since ancient times, so it’s not just me. I always want to enjoy every minute of summer and sunshine I can get where I live because the winter months can be quite long and dark around here. I don’t want to miss one second of the glorious sunshine in the summertime, but sometimes it happens, and summertime starts to feel like a chore. I don’t experience lack of motivation very often. It’s not really part of my personality much. My daughter always called me “extra” when she was a teenager. In high school I was voted “Most Spirited.” Well, occasionally that spirit does run out, and I’m going to try to not be too hard on myself about it. The dog days of summer are a real thing, and I’m sure I’m getting acclimated now to these hot days, and I’ll be ready to make the most of summertime again soon. I know I’ll miss these summer days when I’m back in school in the fall. I need to appreciate these days, even the hot ones.
