Hi Evelyn--we survived the intense heat and humidity this past week without air conditioning. I don't know that we could have done it without a dehumidifier running in the basement and fans drawing out hot air on the second floor.

We typically close up the house during the day.  All windows and blinds down.  And, then open the second floor windows in the evening to pull cool air from the basement. It works pretty well. 

I recently got back from Frostburg, MD, where some of the older houses are still equipped with real shutters, awning, sleeping porches, summer kitchens etc.  All these design elements helped folks to cope with extreme heat, cold, snow etc.  I would like to have real shutters on my house and to install awnings, next.

  I also incorporated a siesta on one of the hot days...went swimming a lot...slowed way, way down...we need to incorporate behaviors that allow us to survive without air conditioning. 

I used air conditioning constantly the last few weeks, though I keep it warmer than most would. It was so hot and muggy. I drank a lot of cold water, and tried to postpone whatever I could. On Friday, I had to be in the heat (heat index 105 then) without air conditioning so I found some shade. I accepted a popsicle when offered. It has been years since I had a popsicle and I liked it! 

In the evenings, before total darkness, I would do the outside stuff like clean and refill the birdbath, water the few veggies that I planted this year, etc. The City pool across the street got heavy use this year, and that is good. It also got some after hours use by neighborhood kids, which made me wish that we had enough resources and flexibility to keep the pools open until 10 or 11 on really hot nights.

Even with air conditioning at home and work, I found myself tired, dehydrated, and began the cabin fever syndrome. I reminded myself to cut others a lot of slack, and give other drivers a lot of space, and just not engage people if I had a choice. When the temperatures go up, so does rage and crime, and it is best to detach.

I like what Laura posted about the siesta, shutters, and sleeping porches. It speaks to a time of being in tune with the earth, and following what is natural by changing our habitats to accommodate the season.

We don't have central air but we do have a unit for the bedroom. Don't know what we would do without it! I've been worried about our cat a great deal this month (she's 13) but we have fans strategically placed in the kitchen and TV room and she's pulled through. She's a lot happier that it's cooler now. We all are!

I have mainly been thinking of ways to change my physical enivorment to keep cool -- I too would like to add awnings to my house ... but I agree that changing your behavior and attitude are very important too. I used to visit Georgia and South Carolina often and the attitude was definitely different there, slower, more relaxed. I remember distictly the difference between arriving at the airport nearly late for your flight in Cleveland vs, Charleston. In Charleston -- "Oh don't worry you'll make it honey" -- It was like two different worlds.

I am not an air condition person.  Open windows and fans does the job.  On some of these really hot days it means slowing down a bit.

When we were in Phoenix a few years ago, I liked the swamp coolers.  They kept the houses really cool.

My cats kind of like the fans too, especially the Sambo the male cat.  He weighs about 30lbs and his favorite place to stretch out is in the middle of the kitchen floor - he's lazy too.  He lays on his back with all fours stuck straight up in the air, his head cocked to the side almost bearing a grin showing his two long teeth.  When he's laid out - he refuses to move for anybody.  I don't know how he does it but he sleeps like that for hours.

His sister is the opposite.  heat or no heat she's got to be chasing something - a bird, a butterfly, bug or squirrel.