Just as I predicted; hotter than the hinges of Hell

Good God.

It's evil I tell you, evil.

Started yesterday. Everyone's in their rooms, moving furniture around, getting their overheads and class sets of books from the library on carts, and we realize, IT'S HOT. Sweat-dripping-down-our-faces-and-every-crevice-in-our-bodies hot.

So, Michelle and I went on our walk around 4:15. Problem was, it was half an hour after high tide. Very high tide. 5.07 feet high tide. Which meant we couldn't walk on the off-leash beach, because it gets cut off when the tide gets up to 4 feet or so. Rats. We knew the beach would be the coolest place, so we just went down to the walk near the harbor instead. I forgot for a moment just who the heck we were walking with. Michelle doesn't just stroll along, and feels for a good walk, we need to go to at least Ventura and back. Really. We had walked about a mile when I asked,
"So, where are we going for Happy Hour?"
"Oh, I thought we'd go to the Casa Cabo San Lucas."

Okay. The place she was talking about was at least another 2 miles away. Remember my dog has 6 inch legs, and it's about 300 degrees outside. Also, I'm a lazy wanker.

"I don't think Charlie can make it that far. I don't want to walk that far."
"Let's go to the Beer Barrel instead."
So we walk only a mile to that place. Charlie's tongue is hanging out. Not only hanging out, but hanging out on the side, which means he's really pooped. We had to sit outside so he could stay with us, and the only table left was without an umbrella. Whatever. I was just happy to sit down.

Now this is the good part. I've been there for dinner a couple of times, and the food's good, but the service is very s-l-o-w. It can also get very loud in there. However, happy hour was a different story. $3 glasses of wine (good wine, local wine from Santa Ynez) $3 pints of beer they make on site, and, the best... homemade potato chips with melted Gorganzola.

Oh.
My.
Goodness.

They were fabulous. More than fabulous. I love cheese. I love potatoes. This was heaven. Perhaps a little warmer than heaven, but heaven all the same. Made up for the fact that they had just run out of the wheat beer. I got a red one instead. It was a good way to end the day, and even with leaving a 35% tip, it was only $15. I'm going back there any time I can.

But.

Last night was brutal. Tried to go to sleep at 10, but kept tossing and turning. At 3, I got up, opened the front door and closed the screen, and slept on the couch for about an hour. Finally got back into bed and woke up at 6 anyway. Was out to walk Charlie with Katrina and her dog Jelly by 7:30am, and knew it was going to be a hot one today. See, when the fog has burned off that early, and you are at the beach here in my town, it's a tip off that things are going to get sticky. And they did, and they are.

The Santa Ana winds picked up briefly, but have died down again. I spent most of my day at La Cumbre Plaza, in air-conditioned stores, feeling comfortable but bitter that large women basically have to chose between track suits and tunics for fashion these days. I still have a fucking waist, people! Why, oh why, does going over size 14 mean I have turned into a weeble?Why the hell would I want a top that cuts me off right at the widest portion of my body? Why?

On a happier note, I finally got my check for Young Writer's Camp. I finished work on the 29th of July. It took almost a full month, a longer amount of time than what I actually worked, to get the darn thing.

Whatever, it's here, and another bill can be paid in full.

Cheers.