ECU

Summer feels nearly over in Seattle, but I have managed to enjoy a few hot days since I've been home. The thing is - I wilt above about 82.5 degrees, so heat isn't exactly what I enjoy. I guess "not cold" and dry is really what I am really looking for in terms of summer weather.

When the mercury starts to rise above 90 degrees, I get into survival mode. Fans must be set-up, Otter Pops stocked, and self-tanner applied.

I keep a cooler in my car nearly all the time, since it insures frozen food will remain frozen on the trip home from the store. No, I don't live in the country. In fact there are two grocery stores within a one-mile radius. Sometimes though, I like to go to a store FIVE WHOLE MILES AWAY! I can't risk that kind of melting...

A couple weeks back, we were meeting my friend Robin for dinner on Queen Anne (hill). It was over 90 degrees and we were likely to hit some traffic on the way there. We were bringing some beer and a bottle of Crémant along to have at her place before dinner, but I feared they would not stay cold on the 20-30 minute drive, so I packed the cooler.

As we finished getting ready, Gavin hollers from the kitchen, "hey, I think you are guilty of a little E.C.U.?" Wha? ECU? Yes, ECU he explained was "Excessive Cooler Use." What do you mean "excessive" I argued. It is a bloody inferno out there and the traffic, the traffic! Sure, it is only about 12 miles away but it could take us 45 MINUTES!

He conceded that cold drinks were better than not-as-cold any day, so the cooler stayed stocked and even though the drive only took us 30 minutes, the drinks were as cold when we arrived as they were when we left home.