A cursory glance at a weather map of the lower 48 will reveal that it’s hot everywhere. Very hot. Coming up on this weekend, I wasn’t sure how I was going to cope with the heat. I have a couple A/C units, and last year they worked quite well. But last year, other people put the units in for me, and they’re nowhere to be found this year, and me with no upper body strength to lift things. What to do?

Well, necessity is the mother of invention, etc., because I managed it! I pulled a unit out on blankets and dragged it over to the window, lifted it onto the windowsill and shimmied it over the edge, then stuffed concrete blocks and books I no longer want underneath it on the outer sill. And repeat.

After duct taping up cardboard around the A/C units (I know it’s not sufficient, but I don’t have anything else that works), I turned them on and let them do their magic. I got some ice cream, opened up my computer to work on a freelance project, and sat down on the couch. I was so impressed with myself for doing something I’d thought I couldn’t do, that as I turned on the TV for some background movie watching, I actually said, “I am a hero to myself!”

And then the power went out.

Yep, this hero had blown a fuse with all that electricity. I had to throw on some shoes, grab my keys and a flashlight, and go down three flights of stairs to the basement to fix it. When I got back upstairs, I turned just one of the units on for safety’s sake. I guess this whole “being a grown-up” thing doesn’t work out 100% of the time.

At least the ice cream didn’t melt.

Image 1. Image 2.