I could have predicted this was going to happen. The summer we decide to renovate and move into an apartment with no air conditioning was going to be one of the driest and hottest summers on record here in Ottawa. I knew it.

We having been doing all kinds of things to stay cool.

• We keep a jug of cold water in the fridge (I bought a really funky one at a secondhand store just for this purpose, see?)

• … and we make sure the ice cube trays are full at all times.
• We make icy treats for ourselves, like this virgin Pina Colada Slush.
• We give the dog cool baths.
• We take cool showers, especially at bedtime.
• We got our hair cut. It’s amazing what a difference this made.
• We eat our dinners picnic-style at a nearby park and hang out in the shade.
• We set up a couple of fans, close windows and blinds before it gets too hot and open them again when the worst part of the heat has passed.
• We discovered that it feels pretty good if you wipe your skin with a cool facecloth and stand in front of the fan. We have not yet succumbed to filling bowls of ice and setting them in front of the fan, but apparently it works!
• We baked cookies! Not in the oven, are you crazy? We used our car.
• We have been eating a lot of cold dinners that don’t require turning on any elements, like salads, sandwiches, and cold cereal.
• We blast the AC in the car at every possible opportunity.
• We have been spending a lot of time at shopping malls, movie theatres, Ikea, and at the public library just chatting and reading.

At first the heat was tolerable and we congratulated ourselves on our hardiness. “We’re TOUGH,” we said loudly, high fiving each other, weakly, with sweat running down our faces. After all, the lack of A/C is a first-world problem. Surely we aren’t so spoiled that we can’t deal with a little heat? Ha. We have learned a few things during this process, namely, fans are amazing, and that we are made of tough stuff. To a point. 🙂 How do you beat the heat where you are?

Useful links

Find fans on your local Used.ca site

Find a pool on your local Used.ca site

Find air conditioners on your local Used.ca site