I hadn’t planned on working outside this morning, but it was cool enough that I thought I should continue preparing the soil for when my tulip bulbs arrive. (One company said they will send them this month; the other company said they will send them next month.)
As it turned out, although it was below eighty degrees Fahrenheit when I was out, the humidity hovered around 60%. That doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re used to humidity in the low teens, it’s a lot. And humidity, even more than high heat, makes me perspire.
I always thought it a silly cliché when movies show a bead of sweat dripping from the end of a character’s nose to indicate nervousness. After this morning, I know for a fact that sweat can drip off the end of a person’s nose, though in my case, it had nothing to do with a case of nerves but because of too much exertion in too much heat and humidity. Normally, I’d swipe an arm across my face to get rid of any unsightliness, but I’d sprayed my gardening clothes with permethrin to protect me from mosquitoes, and though the bug spray is supposed to be non-toxic to humans, I certainly don’t want it anywhere near my face.
So I dripped.
I desperately needed a shower when I was finished, but since a worker was here to lay rock around the house, I hesitated. There’s something about taking a shower when strangers are working close to the house that makes me nervous. I’m sure none of them ever stop to think, “The shower is running, so the woman is nekkid,” but still, prudence makes me hesitate.
Luckily, the worker went home to take a break, so I got my shower.
Unluckily, he never came back.
It just goes to show that I can only count on myself to get anything done, but since I’m not foolish enough or young enough or strong enough to lay the rock, I have to wait for people to come and stay long enough to do the work. I just wish they’d let me know what’s going on. I presumed he was coming back because he left tools out and the gates open, but who knows.
I’m just glad I got my tulip bed ready, so at least something was accomplished today.
***
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Bertram's Blog 
August 5, 2021 at 5:30 pm
Your nekkid truth made me laughing. With my consultation of my telephone (programmed for four big towns Paris, Lyon, Tokyo and Denver) to know the temperature etc. Except you are strong women with very good health I recommend to not to work after 7-9 am. The raison law humidity, high temperature and the forecast says air quality worse than Paris.
Anyway it is your personal privilege to be not to be.
Even it is very beautiful tulips will bloom for 1-2 weeks but if the weather is warmer, each bloom will last for just a few days.
But I have no personal experience with tulips.
August 6, 2021 at 7:17 am
The thing I like about tulips is they grow at a time when very little else does, and once they take hold, they don’t need any care.