Hot, Hotter, Hottest

February 22nd, 2021

We had hot summers years ago before AC. We didn’t even have big fans. Our windows didn’t open very wide. Many a summer night I put a sheet and pillow on my cool linoleum floor. If you picked cherries or tomatoes in the sun all day, you can sleep anywhere. We kids didn’t carry any water. Thirsty, eat some cherries or a tomato. The men doing field work carried water in thermos jugs. Some wore wide brimmed straw hats like the Amish, wore long sleeved shirts and long pants. No sun screen needed. Even though we were sweating, we didn’t have body odor. I wonder if processed food with sodium and chemicals cause our bodies to lose moisture and smell. Before indoor plumbing, we washed in sinks or the men might use outdoor tubs. Lava soap was the usual choice or Lifebuoy. We caught rain water in barrels from the down spouts on the corners of our house. This was “soft” water before “acid rain” was known about. Some words come and go. We drank well water with no chemicals. We ate lots of organic food. Today the stores sell body scrubbers. We got the same thing using one of Mother’s rough towels that had been dried in the sun. I don’t remember the word “cancer” growing up, maybe other words were used instead. I am glad I had an innocent growing up. During WWII city people had “victory” gardens. Ours was 60 acres.