Temperature is a funny thing. I’m of the school of thought that too cold is
better than too hot. If you are too
cold, you put on more clothes. If too
hot, it is often impractical to remove clothing. Even naked, you are too hot unless you
possess a nice cool water feature. A
pole of friends and the temperature they are comfortable yields a variety of
results. Generally, in the summer, the
average is about 75 degrees depending on the house, the cheapness of the person
and how comfortable people are with in-home nudity. With the old ones, that
average is increased by at least 4 degrees.
Even at 79 degrees, Grandma is found under a big fluffy blanket. At night, she has an electric blanket set on
high. Mom isn’t much better. She is always cold. Is the cause of their weird temperature needs due to age? Do they need more iron? Is their
skin weirdly thin? Who knows? The upshot is that old people like it hot (for
everyone that went to a bad place with that comment, BAD PERSON).
Upshot is that there are different views in the house about
temperature. Grandma is the best since
she is always cold, wearing fleece and under a blanket at all times. Very
predictable. Mom just complains and wants
the thermostat turned up. Dad is more unpredictable. Mostly he leaves the temp up to us. However
if he is cold, he has on several occasions, changed the thermostat to
heat. It is 90 degrees outside and Dad
turns on the heat. Logic is not his
friend. It was never really close but it
used to be at least an acquaintance.
Part of Dad’s problem is that he has some scientific knowledge. Thermodynamics says that heat rises. Sure, great, no argument. However, a house is not a closed system. Dad
would close all air conditioning vents in my area of the house (downstairs). Do that and the result is several rooms, including
my bedroom, that are stuffy and hot. Air
movement is the key to a comfortable house.
I live in the lower level which is several degrees solder
than the old one’s lair. But it is still
too hot for me at night most of the time.
Could some of the problem be the fact that I have 2 – 6 animals in my
bed at any given time? Sure. But that is how I role so stop judging. My one ace is that I actually have a job and
it would be nice to be awake for said job. I find it impossible to sleep when sweaty. So the air conditioner remains on. I think we have established that the house can be as hot as they want
when I’m away. Evenings are it 76 and
nights 78. That way no one is happy.
