16 August 2010 Ides, dog days, Dog Star, no dog nights

We never made it into the pool yesterday. But the day ended well. Any night that ends with us together is a day to be grateful for.

The pool needs water, the grounds need trimming, and the temperature will likely exceed 90°F by 1500. Since the reading at 1054 is 86.32°F with a heat index of 91°F, trimming, mowing, wood cutting, and other physically demanding chores will likely be shoved aside while we spend some more time in and around the pool.

If it passes 90°F today it will break the 2007 record for number of days exceeding 90°F. The record has previously been 47 consecutive days above 90°F. Just to point out the obvious, I receive no monetary or other compensation for the use of “°F”. in this or any other entry.

Today’s hike with Mike was graced with more traffic than normally presents. Loki found far too many things to fixate upon, slowing the pace. We normally walk at about 3.5 MPH but are slowed by the necessity of allowing cars and trucks the right of way. The local drivers expect that right of way and most of them will take it from the middle of the county road. They all drive as if they will be penalized for maintaining speed at or below the legal posted limit, and using one’s brakes is just not the “manly” thing to do.

There’s some sort of NASCAR event going on at the “Bristol” race track this week. “Bristol” is used because the track is not really in Bristol. The proximity and nature of the NASCAR franchise teams and all those fans means that every driver who thinks of his or her self as a possible replacement for any team vacancy, who ever had wet dreams over the noise of souped up un-muffled automobile motors, or who ever met an official driver, will automatically add 20 MPH in velocity to any trip onto the public roads this week. The closer to the actual race days, the greater the probability that the driver will run red lights and “stop” signs. This, while complaining that red light cameras “are an infringement upon their rights as Americans.”

It puzzles me greatly that someone who is incapable of spelling “infringes” chooses to claim to have a “right” to run red lights and stop signs. I don’t know of any legal right to violate traffic laws, in particular those designed to ensure the safety of people using public highways. But I’ve read and continue to hear objections to such cameras based on that argument. These must be the same sort of people who believe chaining a dog to a tree or post with no food, water, or adequate shelter is somehow protected by the Constitution.

In the end, we can expect to find such people proclaiming their simultaneous beliefs that Elvis and JFK still live with the aliens in Area 51 that Obama was born to be a deep-cover secret Moslem with forged birth documents somehow planted in Hawaiian newspapers and governmental files. You’ll recognize them t Tea Party rallies by their pseudo-patriotic costumes and signs directing the U.S. government to refrain from taking over Medicare and Social Security. They’re prime mob material.

They know the phrase “Dog Days.” “Dog Star is more elusive. Siriusly, I could play on that for a few more minutes but won’t.

We are receiving our first rainfall in over a week. It’s free water to add to what I’ve added to the pool already today. The creek and the trout in it will benefit. We’re going to have to harvest a few of the bigger trout before they fall to the drought conditions. 0.12 inches of rainfall is next to negligible but we’re thrilled to have it. The accompanying thunder and lightning that spooks Loki also brings some comedic relief. She doesn’t like being out in the rain at all. But today she tried to climb into the shower with me when the thunder grew too loud and too close. I wonder which dislike would have taken precedence.

There is a horde of race fans already parked off the highways around the Bristol track. Many of them are in motor homes, camper-trailers, and there may some tenting. I’ve tented in 90°F + weather and comparable humidity. I found it most unpleasant. I can’t imagine being in a trailer with no surrounding shade or overhead.

The nights never get cool enough to stop one from sweating. They are, no-dog nights. Sitting there, waiting for the opportunity to enter the race track structure must be like going from as slow braise to a full broil. We haven’t even begun to speak about the noise of maintenance, training, competition, and the overlaying selections of local radio stations and those “music” selections emanating from every campsite. I don’t think there’s any sort of entertainment that would cause me to put up with such unpleasant conditions before, during, and after the event. Fortunately, I don’t have to.