The Great Heat Wave of ’09, or whatever it will end up being called, was pretty miserable in my apartment, and left me feeling rather out of sorts and tired due to lack of good sleep. I was going to work later and staying later to avoid the worst of the heat, hiding in restaurants, cafes, and even a movie theater, freezing my rice pillows, and wearing a wet Buff everywhere for evaporative cooling purposes. And still sizzling, or scorching, or baking, or whatever the weather calls for when it’s 106 outside. 106!

However, Portland being the marvelous city it is, my cranky irritability has disappeared along with the heat, to be replaced by tasty cauliflower, lazy strawberry-rhubarb compote, marvelous people, and beautiful sunsets that I can actually appreciate instead of being distracted by futzing with the angle of the fan to optimize the cooling-off of my apartment.