or be outside unless it is absolutely essential.
Yesterday hit 44'C at this tiny spot on the planet. I kept a close eye on the Senior Cat. He put his nose outside for no more than a minute and came back in with his tail drooping. He likes to be OUT and DOING and neither was possible.
Today will be no better. Tomorrow might drop to the mid-thirties if we are lucky. I have just looked at the forecast for the rest of the week and it is going to go on being too hot to be out. I will need to do some essential shopping but I will do it as early as possible.
Middle Cat has strong views about people being out and about in the heat.
"Heat stroke can lead to an ordinary stroke," she has told the Senior Cat more than once. Doctor-Nephew Cat has backed her up warning his grandfather, "Don't go out in the heat."
He sighs and is sensible and stays inside but he also has a severe case of "cabin fever". He's read things and watched video clips about things he is thinking about on his i-pad. He has folded origami and had naps in the afternoon. He would prefer to be doing "gardening" (very slow and little of it but still OUT) and doing "things" in his shed (which is OUT - at least, out of the house).
His shed can reach 60'C+ in the heat. It is just an unlined tin shed.
Nobody could work out there for long.
So why are people playing tennis - at the Australian Open no less - and tearing around on bicycles - at the Tour Downunder? It's plain outright stupid. Oh yes, they cut short part of the bicycle race and cancelled something else but part of the race went on and the tennis didn't stop.
Is it going to take the death or permanent disability of someone due to a stroke brought on by the heat before they cancel these events? I know, it's money. People have paid to come and see these things. It costs a lot of money to run them. You can't "disappoint" the public - who are equally foolish to be out watching these things in the heat.
I will shortly pedal up to the supermarket and get milk and be thankful for the "cooler bag" and visit the green grocer for some more lettuce and tomatoes and other "salad" ingredients. After that it will be good to get home and, cabin fever or not, we will stay IN.
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3 comments:
Why are they playing at such temperatures? I woinder how much pressure sponsors nd advertisers place on organisers. I know nothing of. The behind the scenes but this thought occurred to me. Vast sums are spent by customers who probably want what they consider is their money’s worth. I wonder how they would like being connected to a death or serious illness if such should occur.
I feel for your dad. Is there anything he could bring inside from his shed to work on? I watch little TV but do read. I knit. Socks are good to knit in heat.
I have handled this summer better than last. I am in my 70s, have trouble walking and use a frame. I have been keeping a check on the forecasts.I live by myself in a unit in Sydney’s inner west. Blinds come down early on my north facing balcony. They cut the glare as they are mesh and lower the heat access to my place. Even cutting the glare helps psychologically. I have aircon, but only in bedroom and I do not use it much at all. Blinds from lounge to balcony also come down in extreme heat.
I have been making sure of preparation. Ice block trays filled , water in fridge. If it looks like a few days of heat, I have been making casseroles etc at the beginning, dividing into meals ans storing. Some extra tasty ones have even been eaten cold. Potato salad to bulk out my lunch salad was made early this time. Corned beef etc cooked for lunches.
All just plain commonsense really, but many have been surprised when I tell them of these simple measures. My family ring and tell me to read in bedroom with aircon. I assure them I would do that if needed. I realise they do this out of concern. A wet towel over my shoulders while sitting in front of a fan helps too.
I had to look up your Fahrenheit temp on weather.com. It is a very brutal 103 degrees. No one should be out in that kind of heat. It can't be safe to play tennis, can it? Why do people put money before safety?
Jo gave so many sensible suggestions. All of which my parents practiced when we were growing up with no air conditioning. We did have an attic fan which helped bring in cool air at night.
Is there enough shade that our Senior Cat might be able to sit on the patio very early in the morning? It's hard to stay inside cooped up.
I looked at long range forecast and it looks hot and miserable. Wish I could send cold and snow from USA to Down Under.
Big Sister Cat
The Tour Down Under is free for the public.
You are right about the money aspect though - all to appease sponsors etc.
I can't understand why tournaments need to be scheduled so tightly? For example, in my daughter's sailing competitions, the schedule allows for inclement weather - sailing is a sport that definitely depends on the right weather conditions. Lay days give that extra wriggle room in the calendar to catch up on events that had been postponed or cancelled.
It was distressing for me see top sportspeople struggling with signs of heat stress on the tennis court. Where is the common sense of the umpires, organisers and event doctors to announce a break in play? They do it in cricket when it rains, so why not in extreme heat conditions also?
In the case of tennis players, it is not a case of 'who is fittest' We are all biological organisms that can only function properly in a narrow temperature range. these players were not suffering due to any lack of fitness or strength - they were at the mercy of their biology which was at its limits!
You could here the discontented grumblings in the tennis audience through the tv broadcast. I was very angry that there was no one in the tennis organisation that had the courage to do the right thing and postpone the play.
There is an argument that these sportspeople are "professional athletes" but many of them come from cold countries and are not as familiar as Australians about the dangers of our extreme heat. Surely the tournament organisers, coaches, etc. have a duty of care to the participants and that includes officials and the 'ballkids' too. I'm glad the tennis players had an outcry about it.
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