Whenever I mention the heat in Phoenix, people typically respond with, “Oh, but it’s a dry heat”. Ah. Well, since we’re all adults here (but, nevertheless, here’s my “kids, don’t try this at home” warning message anyways!), try the following:

1) Go to your kitchen
2) Open your oven and remove all metal racks
3) Set the oven to 108 degrees
4) Wait for the bell or buzzer indicating requested temperature has been reached
5) Open door and ever-so-carefully stick your head inside.
6) Count to 20, then ever-so-carefully remove your head.

Did you feel the blast when you first opened the door? Good. That’s how it feels whenever I open the garage door or the back slider on any given afternoon between May 20th and, oh, say, October 14th. That is, with the exception of those 2-3 weeks in mid-to-late August where we in Phoenix get “the monsoon season”. That’s that oh-so-special period where you get the same heat you’ve been used to for 2 1/2 months BUT with humidity as well.

Actually, we got a mini-monsoon this week with two amazing duststorms that EVERYONE was talking about – pics and commentary here and here. Tracey says she walked out of her workplace to an incredible wind and absolute white-out conditions that continued for an hour or so. She actually likes the duststorms – “they’re the only thing that slows the SUV drivers around here down”.

And dudette ain’t kidding – the drivers around here are maniacs, and we’re not the only ones who think so.

One final unrelated comment: as you know I’ve been guest-blogging over at CrabAppleLane Blog for the past week, and I just want to say thanks to Rob for giving me the opportunity. I hope my posts lived up to the qaulity of the usual fare you can find over there, and I hope you’ll include his blog in your daily tours of the blogsphere.