Here it is barely June and already I feel like I’m melting into
the dog days of summer.
Here it is barely June and already I feel like I’m melting into the dog days of summer.
Our backyard thermometer, which is flanked by a birdhouse and “A Spoiled Rotten Dog Lives Here” plaque, has been zooming up to the high 90s every day.
What happened to spring? It seems as though we skipped it entirely, jostling from windy and rainy days to sun-beaten ones in less than a week’s time.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been scouting out the coolest places in Gilroy and beyond to find relief for myself and our 5-month-old daughter, Emma.
At home, our little munchkin prefers to nestle in her crib under her ceiling fan. Yes, she is finally taking naps! About every three hours she settles down for a little shut-eye while Mom does a load of laundry, runs the dishwasher or thinks about her next column.
Our miniature dachshund Lucy’s new cool spot is under Emma’s crib. She parks herself there for hours at a time while our little one sleeps. But don’t think she’s sprouted a maternal instinct just yet. Lucy doesn’t exactly alert me when the baby awakes. She’s more likely to bury herself under the covers to drown out the noise.
Anyway, when the baby isn’t napping, we head out about once a day for an hour’s respite. These are our top picks in no particular order:
1. The frozen food section of Nob Hill. We must go to the store about every other day to pick up something. I like to stick my head in the ice cream freezer and pretend to hunt around for my favorite flavor. Of course, I can’t stay in there for very long because the glass gets fogged up and Emma starts grouching.
2. The mall. If we’re feeling especially adventurous, we head to Valley Fair. Emma took her first trip there about a week ago, and I know it definitely won’t be her last. Let’s just say she was born with my shopping gene, and her Daddy is none too pleased. Her eyes got huge trying to process the whirl of shapes and colors. The next sticky challenge will be to try to keep everything just beyond her reach. She’s at the stage where everything goes in her mouth. And you know the old adage, you drool on it, you buy it. I don’t have that kind of money.
3. Grandma and Grandpa’s swimming pool. This is probably Emma’s favorite spot to wile away a hot afternoon. Grandma has even bought her a little canopied float she can lounge around the pool in. She is a sight in her pink swimsuit and matching pink sunglasses. All that’s missing is the frosty umbrella drink. But she’s got plenty of time for that.
4. Model homes. This is a cool deal. You can get out of the heat while getting neat decorating ideas. It’s almost as good as watching TLC in front of an air conditioner.
5. Most any city building. Emma and I stumbled upon this happy discovery earlier this week when we had to stop by City Hall on an errand. Inside, it was as cool as my crisper refrigerator drawer. So go ahead, check out a library book, file a permit or, better yet, see your City Council in action.
6. Your neighborhood pet store. Emma and I like to browse the aisles shopping for doggy treats while I sing “Old McDonald” to her. The louder the singing the better. I just ignore the curious stares from my fellow shoppers.
What’s great about these places is that they’re pretty much free, save for the big pretzel from the mall, the Nature’s Miracle from Petco, and a pint of Ben and Jerry’s at the supermarket.
Before I wrap this up, I have to add one more place to my list. It’s become my new top spot. It meets all my criteria and then some. One evening this week, just when I thought it couldn’t get any hotter in the house, I opened up the windows and doors and felt a cool breeze blow in through the screen door.
I felt that sense of relief you get after a long summer day when you realize that the heat has finally blown out of town. I picked up Emma and stepped outside. We sat down and listened for what seemed like a great while to the neighborhood sounds of kids hollering, doors shutting and air conditioners whirring. Eventually, the sounds faded away and night settled over Gilroy. I looked down at Emma. She was fighting sleep, her little eyes closing then slowly reopening.
“It’s OK, little one,” I whispered. “Go to sleep. We have all summer to play.”
Sometimes, I thought, you don’t have to look far to find exactly what you’re searching for.
