A rosy glow

Momma was fond of saying that "Horses sweat, men perspire, and ladies take a rosy glow." Maybe so, but it's hot out today, and I am sweating like a horse. Accuweather tells me it is 85 F outside, but that it feels like 99 degrees. I know that it is damned hot out there, and the thermometer on my back porch says it is 87 degrees. The predicted high is 98F. We'll see.

During summer weather I wear bluejeans, a tee shirt and a baseball cap, which I am bad about losing. I scatter ball caps around the landscape, littering with graphics. One of my caps was found at Momma's house, and I left one yesterday at an Auto Glass shop owned by a friend. It behooves me to have extras laying around. There is one cap, with my favorite team logo that is kept clean. The others are working caps, apt to become greasy, sweat stained, with sawdust thrown in for good measure. Because I am absent minded about my caps, it doesn't behoove me to spend much money on them. The one I left at Momma's was a campaign hat from a Sheriff's race. The one at the auto shop was a High School baseball cap. The one I am wearing right now says Baylor Track and Field. I buy them at Goodwill stores. The Baylor hat probably sold new for $15.00 or so. It is a nice cap, with a plastic brim insert and embroidered letters. It still had the tag on it when I bought it at discount for $1.99. It's a good cap to sweat in.

My youngest son looked at one of my caps last week and had to supress his gag reflex. That cap needed washing, in the worst kind of way. It has since taken a trip through the washing machine and dryer with a load of bluejeans.

I learned a long time ago that the surest way to keep cool under a working load was to perspire. Let the sweat soak into your clothing and the evaporation will keep you cool. I'm normally hot until my shirt and jeans are sweat-soaked, then I maintain a rational comfort level until I can get inside. It works, but hydration is important so that you can continue to operate.

My indicator of when it's time to take a break is when the brim of the cap becomes so sweat-soaked that perspiration drips from the brim. When that happens, drop your tools and find something cool to drink. Whatever you're doing will keep for an hour or so while you cool down.