Ten Ways to Stay Cool (Adult-Style)

I need to run errands today, and it just so happens that we're facing record temperatures here in NC.  With a heat index projected to hit 115 degrees, being out and about in a hot car is not my favorite way to beat the heat.

So naturally I started listing all the things I'd rather be doing in this kind of weather.  Although I really am excited about knocking out this part of my to-do list.

When it gets hot (and my definition of 'hot' begins around 85 degrees) I like to:

• Go swimming.  My favorite version of this involves a fun floaty and a good book, but any sort of cool water will do.
• Make smoothies.  I made this Sweet Strawberry-Watermelon Smoothie yesterday, and it really hit the spot!
• Eat ice cream.  My waistline really doesn't need it, but it sure tastes good on a hot day.  If you want to make your own, you can find a fun recipe to make with your kids here.  
• Find someplace cool to read.  As far as I'm concerned, there's not really a bad time to read a book, but when it's crazy hot all around you, being transported somewhere in the Artic or to a refreshing beach works for me.  If you're doing that physically in front of a fan or with your feet in a bucket of water, so much the better.  Need some recommendations?  Check out my book review page!
• Go see a movie.  We don't see many movies, but most theaters have great AC units.  While exploring a nearby town during another heat wave a few days ago, my husband and I decided to visit a second-run theater.  We saw a movie that premiered a few months ago for only $4/ticket and spent some time together cooling off after our hike around town.
• Visit a book store.  One of my errands today involves a book store, and after speaking to an employee on the phone yesterday, she advised me to be prepared to stay a while.  Me?  Spend a few hours amidst stacks of books?  Yes, please.  :-)  Many stores encourage 'extreme' browsing, and some also have coffee shops or snack bars where you can treat yourself to something cool or chocolatey while you browse.
• Turn off the oven.  I love to cook, but when it gets hot, cooking happens either in the toaster oven or outside - I refuse to heat up the house any more than necessary.  Who wants to eat when it's 115 degrees, anyway?  Serve fruit salad and granola bars or a fresh green salad with some grilled meat and call it a day.  :-)
• Take a bath.  This feels uber-indulgent to me now, but when we were kids and it got hot, my mom would run a cool bath and let us play.  It felt like I'd be in there for hours, playing with boats when I was little and then reading (of course) as I got older.  Why not try it now?
• Unplug the hair dryer.  This may sound wacky, but I hate drying my hair.  No matter how nice and cool I feel after a shower, drying my hair always heats me up and makes me sweaty again.  In this kind of weather, I'm happy to pin all my hair up in a clip or a pony tail.  It may not be super fashionable, but it keeps me cool longer, and I'm all for that.
• What about you?  What's your favorite way to stay cool in a heat wave?

Come back soon for our favorite ways to stay cool as a family!