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Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Hotter 'n a fur coat in Marfa

hiuhime.com

For those of you not familiar with Marfa, Texas...it gets pretty hot there. However, today it's only 94 degrees in Marfa, but it's forecast to reach 110 in Fort Worth. It was 109 yesterday, and it's supposed to be 110 again tomorrow. (That's 43 C for you folks in other areas.)

And my air conditioner isn't working...again.

Ah, the joys of owning an old home. The last time a repairman came, he said the current unit was installed sometime in the 1980s, so I'm sure it's time for a new one. I imagine it's only the second central air system that's been in this house, which was built in 1950 (and probably only had window units then). I'm guessing the first central air unit was put in sometime in the 1960s.

You know things aren't good when you get an automated message that says, "Because of extreme weather conditions, we are experiencing an unusually large number of request for repairs. Please stay on the line. Estimated wait time is approximately 20 minutes."

I finally talked to a human, and my request for service was duly noted, but no one has called back to schedule. In the meantime, I've pulled out all the fans I own, and the grandsons and I are hunkered down in the only room in the house that is shaded on both sides by huge trees. So far, it's only 84 in the house.

Till I hear from a repairman, I guess I'll be going through a list of other Texanisms, like "hotter than whoopee in woolens," "hotter than a tater bug" or "hotter than a two-dollar pistol."

You think all those McMansions are having a/c problems too?

12 comments:

  1. Oh no Dana! I'm so sorry your air went kaput! That realization of "I don't think the AC is working" puts a knot in your stomach. It happened to me about 3 weeks ago... luckily they came quickly and it was a minor thing but it puts you in a PANIC!

    Hope they get there soon... otherwise a hotel might be in order. (not kidding... we've done that before!!) It's miserable.
    I worked outside in it all day today and it was only in the 90's here. I'm whipped. Stay cool, girl and have some fun with the kidos... it'll be an adventure. Granted a hot one... but an adventure! :-)

    Much sympathy from your Texas friend!!!

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    1. It's weird how it takes you a while to notice that you're sweating...and then that feeling you're talking about comes over you. It's like, "Hmmmm...why is it so hot in here?" And then it hits you that the a/c is on the fritz.

      I imagine this unit is going to be replaced when I build the guest house out back. Might as well bite the bullet and get it all done at the same time.

      So far the fans are keeping me cool, but if it gets bad, I'll definitely head for Dallas and camp out at my daughter's place.

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  2. "hotter than whoopee in woolens"

    Hahahaha. I'm totally using that one. You poor thing! Awful time for the A/C to go out. We reached 110 in Tennessee a few weeks ago, and I can't imagine being without A/C through that. We usually keep our house around 80, but I heard friends (who of course own newish suburban houses) say things like "the upstairs wouldn't get any cooler than 74." What?! That's a first world problem, isn't it?

    Here's hoping you get your house cooled off soon!

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    1. I keep trying to remind myself that I grew up with no a/c at all till I was 8 or 10, and then we only had a couple of window units, which wasn't unusual at all in the mid-to-late 50s. We got our first central air in the 60s when I was a teenager.

      You're right about our whining about the heat being a first world problem. We really do feel entitled to comfort, and I also have to remind myself that people in many countries don't even have fans...or electricity to plug them into, for that matter.

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  3. I know your pain! Missouri has been especially awful this summer...100+ every single day. And huuuuuumid. I have to walk in this sweltering heat to/from work several times per week, and by the time I get home I'm sooooo thankful for the crappy, '80s window unit in my apartment.

    One day last week I got home and it was crazy hot in the apartment. I went to go turn it up and - squiiish - the carpet was soaked all under the window unit. It had leaked all day onto the carpet. Uggggh.

    Here's hoping you get cool real again soon.

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    1. I guess this extreme heat is putting a strain on units everywhere. This too shall pass...but I wish it would hurry up! :)

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  4. Perhaps you could hang out at the store and lounge on those nice sofas.

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    1. But then I wouldn't be in Fort Worth when...or should I say IF...the repairman finally gets around to coming out to get this place cooled down. :(

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  5. Sorry to hear, lots of water Dana!

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  6. OMG! Once it hits 35 C here all I want to do is sit in air conditioning!
    I cannot imagine how that sort of weather would feel but I know "I WOULD BE GRUMPY" *lol*
    You need Popsicles, Icecream and a pool to tie you over.

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    1. I'm way beyond grumpy at this point. I called to get my a/c repaired on Wednesday, and they're still not able to set a time to come. But I'm stocked up on Italian ice, water and lots of fans.

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