Matthew, you are having rather cool where you live.

Come and visit Houston, we still are having temperatures
in the 90's.

I am renting a house that was built in 1965 with a very
primitive AC. It only works if there are cool spots
already in the house. That is similar to the houses
designed in the early 20th century where it would be
cool enough for milk, and foods will not spoil even after
a few days.

If the temperature is 70 degrees outside, and in the
afternoon when the sun is finished heating up the house,
the temperature in the house could be as high as 90
degrees.

Without the original 1965 AC, the house would be
unlivable in the summer heat.

At Lease the place is a roof over my head, the
hot months in Texas do not last forever.

True enough, Matthew.  I'm sure people up north would agree how much of a joke Texas winters are though! :wink:

Dolores is the EL NUMERO UNA.

I can't speak for Chicago, but Summer 2014 in New York has thus far been the coolest I can remember (which is more than three decades).

A year or two ago we had a goodly number of 100+ days... and, as I'm sure Frances, Claudel and some of the other New Yorkers here can attest, 100 degrees in filthy, muggy New York City is hellish.
 

We get more than our share of 100+ degree days in L.A., but it's normally dry heat, which is actually tolerable:  at least you can spray some water on your face and cool down.  But add humidity to this formula and it's a whole different ball game.

This past week we had one day in L.A. when the temp. was above 80 all night long, with 100% humidity.  That is VERY unusual here.  I don't recall EVER having noticed it before.  I had to leave the air conditioner on all night (set to come on every half hour or so for 5 minutes, by thermostat) just to get some sleep.  

I've heard stories about Panama from people who lived there and I have no idea how they could get any sleep at night with that heat and humidity.  One witness told me that when you go out in the morning, wearing fresh, dry clothes, you only enjoy that for about 15 minutes, because then they're all DRENCHED with perspiration.  He said you'd have to change clothes two or three times an hour to stay dry all day, and you'd have to stay in the shade all the time.  

A man, a plan, a canal, Panama.

.

Here in AZ we get a lot of Canadians down for the winter.  I wonder why they don't stay for out 116 degree summers?

We're actually starting to cool down now, it was only 109 yesterday.

Marsha :roll-laugh1:

I can't speak for Chicago, but Summer 2014 in New York has thus far been the coolest I can remember (which is more than three decades).

A year or two ago we had a goodly number of 100+ days... and, as I'm sure Frances, Claudel and some of the other New Yorkers here can attest, 100 degrees in filthy, muggy New York City is hellish.
 

It could be seventy, and summer in New York would still smell terrible.  Ever have the misfortune of wading through the stench-ridden gauntlet of sidewalk in front of First Park?

Hmmm I suppose I shouldn't complain about the balmy summer we have had here in the pacific northwest, most days in the 80s with hot days approaching 90.  Well I have been trying to enjoy our 'dry season' the wet season will be here soon enough with rain pretty much every day...

I lived in Houston for six years and really loved it.

Yes, I had to become accustomed to the heat because I am from New Jersey.  The temperatures easily reached the upper 90's, at least, starting in late May and continued like that through the end of September.  I would say we went over 100 at least 1/4 to 1/3 of the time.

You just learn to hydrate, pace yourself, avoid overexertion and too much exposure to the sun, etc.  And while Houstonians aren't wimps by any means, they sure know how to crank the AC.

I began commuting to work by bicycle, 8.25 miles each way, in 1997 and continued this until 2002.  I really enjoyed it.  The mornings were not a problem, because it was still usually in the 70's and I was moving most of the time on the bicycle, so I would have a little sweat on my back at most.  I'd towel off and get dressed in my office.

The ride home at 4 p.m. was another matter.  Oh my.  Walking outside into the heat was like walking into something almost solid.  It literally took my breath away for a moment.  But I would just get on my bike and go.  The ride was about 45 minutes.  I was quite sweaty at the end of the ride, but that's not such a problem when home is your destination.  The only part of that trip home that really bothered me was being stopped at a red light behind traffic, because then I would just bake -- with the addition of hot car exhaust.

I miss Houston very, very much and I still have friends there.  I plan to visit this Christmas.