6.04.2016

June 4, 2016

White Dog roused the White Dog Army early. "Do you know what day it is?" she asked excitedly wagging her tail and circling the pack (half of whom were still fighting to keep their eyes open and to stand at attention).

The Army exchanged glances. "Growers Market?" "Yes, what else?" "umm, Saturday?" "Right again, but there is still more." "Dad is home instead of teaching?" "It is quarter break. What is happening that we ALL will love?"

She got blank stares and Yo blew air through his cheeks in exasperation.

White Dog jumped up on the bed. "It is SWAMP COOLER SATURDAY!" she howled.

This week the temperatures have started to climb to the summer end of the thermometer. Even with the doors and windows open and the ceiling fans turning, the afternoons have been a bit uncomfortable.

Earlier in the week Steve had suggested that he would go up on the roof and open up the evaporative cooling system in the coolest post dawn part of Saturday. (Believe me, the roof heats up fast here in Albuquerque)!

True to his word, Steve tipped the ladder against the house first thing and climbed to the roof. The White Dogs who have experienced other summers at White Dog Ranch knew what the sound of his walking above us meant and they gathered at the vents to await the cooling stream of air.

It only took a short time for Steve to uncover the unit, wash everything down, scrub off the evaporation pads, and hook up the water line. By the time I went out to the living room, the White Dog Army had switched to Summer Time Swamp Cooler Mode.