"Whatever I touch, starts to melt in my clutch. I'm too much." I’ve made it no secret in the past that summer is my favorite season. But despite ALL the things tipping the scales in summer’s favor (and there are a lot!), it can be, quite frankly, somewhat trying to work in when that midsummer heatwave hits.
It seems like every summer, usually around mid-July, we’re hit with one or two real doozies of a heat wave. And the projects we’re working on during those heatwaves are etched in my brain for eternity – the concrete job where we were constantly battling the streams of sweat dripping off our faces messing up our finish, the excavation job where we were covered in caked-on dirt that refused to let go of our sweat-covered arms and faces, the patio job where the surface temperature of the stones must have been well into the 130’s or 140’s. Yup, name the year, and I’ll tell you where we were during the big heat wave.
Well this year’s heat wave has arrived, and we have embraced it once again. High temperatures have averaged well into the upper 90’s, with humidity to match and nighttime lows only in the mid 80’s. No doubt, it’s hot.
And it’s not just the air temperature that gets hot. Ever try picking up a black steel pry bar after sitting in the hot sun for an hour or two? Let’s just say I don’t recommend it. I wear heavy rubber gloves when I’m using the bricksaw, and I swear they were just as wet on the inside from sweat the other day as on the outside. And I made the mistake of leaving them on the hood of my black truck for a few minutes while I took a phone call. Somehow or other the gloves didn’t melt, but I put them back on and nearly scalded my hands as the moisture on the inside of the gloves must have been approaching boiling. Ouch.
But that doesn’t stop us from carrying on. I’ve had a few clients comment to me that they can’t believe we’re working in this heat. My reply is that if we waited for the perfect day to work, we’d probably only be working 5 to 6 months a year. And that ain’t gonna swing it as far as maintaining a sustainable business. So we carry on.
Truth be told, I really don’t mind the extreme heat. Is it ideal? – Well of course not, but it sure beats those late fall jobs or early spring jobs when we have to thaw out the hose in the morning and we can’t move or feel our fingers throughout the day. I’ll take the heat over the cold any day.
It seems like every summer, usually around mid-July, we’re hit with one or two real doozies of a heat wave. And the projects we’re working on during those heatwaves are etched in my brain for eternity – the concrete job where we were constantly battling the streams of sweat dripping off our faces messing up our finish, the excavation job where we were covered in caked-on dirt that refused to let go of our sweat-covered arms and faces, the patio job where the surface temperature of the stones must have been well into the 130’s or 140’s. Yup, name the year, and I’ll tell you where we were during the big heat wave.
Well this year’s heat wave has arrived, and we have embraced it once again. High temperatures have averaged well into the upper 90’s, with humidity to match and nighttime lows only in the mid 80’s. No doubt, it’s hot.
And it’s not just the air temperature that gets hot. Ever try picking up a black steel pry bar after sitting in the hot sun for an hour or two? Let’s just say I don’t recommend it. I wear heavy rubber gloves when I’m using the bricksaw, and I swear they were just as wet on the inside from sweat the other day as on the outside. And I made the mistake of leaving them on the hood of my black truck for a few minutes while I took a phone call. Somehow or other the gloves didn’t melt, but I put them back on and nearly scalded my hands as the moisture on the inside of the gloves must have been approaching boiling. Ouch.
But that doesn’t stop us from carrying on. I’ve had a few clients comment to me that they can’t believe we’re working in this heat. My reply is that if we waited for the perfect day to work, we’d probably only be working 5 to 6 months a year. And that ain’t gonna swing it as far as maintaining a sustainable business. So we carry on.
Truth be told, I really don’t mind the extreme heat. Is it ideal? – Well of course not, but it sure beats those late fall jobs or early spring jobs when we have to thaw out the hose in the morning and we can’t move or feel our fingers throughout the day. I’ll take the heat over the cold any day.
This Year's "Hot" Project The trick is just to accept and embrace it. When your shirt is saturated with sweat by 10 am you really don’t have much choice. As long as you’re drinking your water and listening to your body, you’ll be fine. Sweaty, but fine.
I went to the bank at lunch the other day, drenched in sweat from head to toe, with a nice layer of dirt and sand and mortar sticking to me like I was some sort of magnet. A cute young girl went to get in line behind me, and it was quite apparent that she didn’t want to get anywhere near my sweaty self. That’s right I work, got a problem?
Thankfully my wife is much more understanding.
So where were we during this year’s big heat? Not that it’s ended yet, or that it won’t return in a few weeks, but so far we’ve endured this year’s heat while doing a paver stone patio project. The project turned out great, and a big thanks to our clients Bill and Rose who continuously offered us ice water and cold juice throughout the day. Good clients and nice people are just the best. Period. Thanks guys!
So according to the forecast, the heat is supposed to break on Saturday when a line of storms passes through. I can’t say I’ll be sad to see the heatwave go, but a part of me really kind of embraces and, dare I say it, enjoys the extremes. Enjoy it while its here. Or at least make the best of it. It never lasts too long, and it certainly gives us something to talk about (or blog about) in the mean time.
To quote Ferb from one of my kids’ favorite shows Phineas and Ferb, “Summer – it’s noticeably warmer”. Indeed it is Ferb, indeed it is.
I went to the bank at lunch the other day, drenched in sweat from head to toe, with a nice layer of dirt and sand and mortar sticking to me like I was some sort of magnet. A cute young girl went to get in line behind me, and it was quite apparent that she didn’t want to get anywhere near my sweaty self. That’s right I work, got a problem?
Thankfully my wife is much more understanding.
So where were we during this year’s big heat? Not that it’s ended yet, or that it won’t return in a few weeks, but so far we’ve endured this year’s heat while doing a paver stone patio project. The project turned out great, and a big thanks to our clients Bill and Rose who continuously offered us ice water and cold juice throughout the day. Good clients and nice people are just the best. Period. Thanks guys!
So according to the forecast, the heat is supposed to break on Saturday when a line of storms passes through. I can’t say I’ll be sad to see the heatwave go, but a part of me really kind of embraces and, dare I say it, enjoys the extremes. Enjoy it while its here. Or at least make the best of it. It never lasts too long, and it certainly gives us something to talk about (or blog about) in the mean time.
To quote Ferb from one of my kids’ favorite shows Phineas and Ferb, “Summer – it’s noticeably warmer”. Indeed it is Ferb, indeed it is.
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