Too Pooped To Participate!

When we were kids, we used this expression on hot days: “Mom: we’re T.P.T.P.!!!”

What is “T.P.T.P.” you ask? Why it means “too pooped to participate!”

Yes, it has been the long-awaited holiday weekend and by mid-week the doomsayers (a/k/a the weather folks) were already predicting the Independence Day extended holiday forecast … continued hot and steamy weather, with afternoon thunderstorms every day as a result of the heat spikes. Heck, they even threw in possible severe thunderstorms for a couple of the days as the proverbial cherry on top of the melting sundae.

However, Sunday was predicted to be perfect.

So Sunday arrived. I was up with the chickens, eager to get out to a different venue, but the 5:08 a.m. weather forecast was for continued heat, humidity, rain and a pop-up thunderstorm – all slated for this morning when I would have departed. (Hmm – what happened to clear as a bell?) So, I’ve stayed in ‘til the highly anticipated cold front passes, so the humidity will vanish and cooler temps will be in place … for two days anyway. This cold front was supposed to happen last night – sigh.

We’ve had this extreme heat and iffy volatile weather for about ten days – the meteorologists predict storms and they don’t happen, yet we’ve had multiple pop-up rainstorms in the course of one day, or rain and rumbles when the forecast was clear weather. It was just oppressive stepping outdoors, in fact some heat advisories were in place from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday. The temps got to “real feels” close to 100 degrees F (38 C). Though I’ve grumbled mightily about the brutally cold and ice-ridden Winter, then the chilly and rainy Spring, Summer’s been no picnic either with its continued heat and humidity and buggy and muggy – whew, I feel like I’ve been moving at the pace of a snail.

So, instead of heading out to a larger park where I could enjoy a change of pace and view, even if it was waterlogged or soggy, I just stuck close to home throughout the long holiday. I got my steps in, then scurried home to the A/C to be a lady of leisure.

Or propping my feet up – a few naps were necessary as the neighborhood fireworks went way past my bedtime.

On the Fourth of July, I ambled through the neighborhood to check out the patriotic swag. I always like this home for their year-round homespun décor.

I stopped long enough to take a few shots, then decided that I was very much unlike this sign advertising “fresh flowers” … yup, I was just the opposite of this bloom. (Sorry I was fresh out of pics of daisies.)

I was feeling very wilted.

I am scrambling to do this post before the predicted thunderstorm, lest you think I melted into a pool like the Wicked Witch of the West. I, of course, am not the only one suffering from the heat. At my favorite stomping grounds. Council Point Park, even the squirrels are lethargic from the heat, as you see above. This was one of several squirrels that were stretched out like this along the perimeter path or in the grass. They did eventually come over for peanuts, but were not their usual lively selves.

I trust that St. Francis, the Patron Saint of Animals and the Environment is looking out for my furry and feathered pals as we get through this heat wave. (He might have his hands full though with the California earthquakes and Alaska’s uncharacteristic heat wave.)

After today, the long holiday weekend is over, however, two days of beautiful weather are promised. Mother Nature needs a memo about her timing – anyone have the old gal’s e-mail address or Twitter handle?

You can catch up on my blog posts before I started blogging at Patch in August 2013 by going here: http://lindaschaubblog.net/