[Moorf]

As it's very, very warm for most of us at the moment, I thought a thread containing ways to keep cool might be of use.....

I don't really have a tip so I hope others can help!! I drink lots of cold drinks and occasionally duck under the garden sprayer or strip off and sit on the deck!!

[willsken]

http://www.wikihow.com/Cool-Yourself-Without-Air-Conditioning

Can you tell child no 2 is hogging the TV watching Sponge Bob???:roll

[jubjub]

strip off and sit on the deck!! :eek: :exit

If I did that whale watch would be called.....

We have two fans, keep as many windows open as possible, and the curtains closed on the sunniest areas to keep the heat out!

[Moorf]

You think that's bad - no.1 child here is hogging tv for about 12 hours of Battlestar Galactica!

[willsken]

You must have the patience of a saint!:yes

[Lupin]

my two found it too hot to out today after lunch so spent the afternoon in their undies watching Babar eating ice blocks. that seemed to work :)

[wiki]

Go to a grain store and buy a bag of wheat (it was $12 for 25kg I think last time) and then sew some simple rectangle shaped bags (about 12cm long, or longer, and pour enough wheat in to fill it 2/3s. Chuck them in your freezer and then when you want to cool down grab one and pop it on the back of your neck, small of your back or under the soles of your feet.

Bliss.

And a great ice pack for injuries when you don't want your frozen peas to thaw!

Or you could just buy a commercially made wheat bag, but to be honest it's a bargain to do yourself :)

*and when we get up to tips to keep warm in winter, you can chuck them in the microwave for a couple of minutes with a glass of water and they stay well toasty.

[Lupin]

Fabulous Wiki, I love it- that's just so Kiwi :) :) :)

Cold shower before bed.

[jubjub]

Oooh, i hadnt thought of doing that with a wheat bag!

[Familyofmonkeys]

Go to a grain store and buy a bag of wheat (it was $12 for 25kg I think last time) and then sew some simple rectangle shaped bags (about 12cm long, or longer, and pour enough wheat in to fill it 2/3s. Chuck them in your freezer and then when you want to cool down grab one and pop it on the back of your neck, small of your back or under the soles of your feet.

Bliss.

And a great ice pack for injuries when you don't want your frozen peas to thaw!

Or you could just buy a commercially made wheat bag, but to be honest it's a bargain to do yourself :)

*and when we get up to tips to keep warm in winter, you can chuck them in the microwave for a couple of minutes with a glass of water and they stay well toasty.

Great idea :nice1
My own tip would be to strip off and close all the curtains so the neighbours can't see....keep some clothes by your front door though...just in case :laugh

[benandclare]

Be a milkman and spend all day in a very large fridge:D :D :D

[wiki]

Be a milkman and spend all day in a very large fridge:D :D :D

My dad was a butcher and on hot days going into his big walk-in chillers and freezers were bliss.

To get something similar go to Liquorland/SuperLiquor etc and spend some quality cooling-off time in their walk-in beer chillers ;)

[Tia Maria]

If you are someone, like me, who feels the cold and whose OH is always walking around in his shorts in the winter, saying, "you need to toughen up" as you wear 3 pairs of socks, 2 jumpers and hide under the duvet, then say.......

"actually I think its just lovely, do you mind if we close the window - its a bit draughty!" :p

Ha ha revenge of the people who have poor circulation.

Cheers

Tia

[wiki]

Ha ha revenge of the people who have poor circulation.

Cheers

Tia

Rather than 3 pairs of socks, have you tried putting a light sprinkle of cayenne pepper in your socks so your skin absorbs it? Heats up feet really well...

I can't vouch for side effects, but I did that for 12 years' worth of Saturday morning netball and it didn't kill me or any of the other girls in our teams :)

[Tia Maria]

Rather than 3 pairs of socks, have you tried putting a light sprinkle of cayenne pepper in your socks so your skin absorbs it? Heats up feet really well...

I can't vouch for side effects, but I did that for 12 years' worth of Saturday morning netball and it didn't kill me or any of the other girls in our teams :)

I thought you were messing with me! But found this:

Warm up your cold feet with cayenne pepper.

When you eat red pepper, its active ingredient, capsaicin, increases the circulation in your toes and fingers. When you put cayenne (or red pepper spices) into your shoes or socks, you're doing the same thing... topically. For some people, the warming sensation happens immediately, for others, the heat gradually increases over time. (It also depends on how much you use.)

"Cayenne causes the blood vessels under the skin of the feet to dilate, thus stimulating extra blood flow and providing warmth to the feet." Source

How To Use Cayenne In Your Shoes Or Socks:

Turn your socks almost inside out, and sprinkle a teaspoon of cayenne pepper into the portion of the sock where your toes and the top of your foot will be. Then slip your foot inside. Make sure the pepper is distributed evenly across the bottom of each sock. And let the warming sensation begin!

If you feel inclined to use more than a teaspoon of the cayenne pepper, then add it to a "base" of talcum powder or cornstarch first. Then sprinkle the mixture inside your socks.

Or, you could wear a thin pair of socks normally over your feet. Then sprinkle the inside of a thicker pair of socks with cayenne pepper, and put them on over the thin socks.

Just the same, you could try sprinkling the bottom of your socks, instead of filling them inside.

If you don't want to take any chances of the pepper coming into contact with you feet, put a tiny bit of dried, powdered cayenne into a plastic or cloth bag. Seal it tightly, and place it next to your cold feet to warm them.

You could also sprinkle the mixture inside your shoes, rather than inside your socks.

Warnings Regarding Cayenne, Chili Powder & Capsaicin
Cayenne and chili powder will cause your white socks to turn pink and your feet to turn red. (Plus, they will kind of smell like chili!)

Well, you really do learn something new everyday! :nice1

Cheers

Tia

PS Got to spread it about, or you'd ceratinly get Rep for that one!

[wiki]

I thought you were messing with me! But found this:



Well, you really do learn something new everyday! :nice1

Cheers

Tia

PS Got to spread it about, or you'd ceratinly get Rep for that one!

Not many people believe me when I tell them that one - but when you grew up in Southern NZ winters like I did and had a propensity for playing ball games on frosty concrete in short skirts, you learnt every trick in the book for staying warm!

(and don't worry about the rep - I've just tipped over onto 4 squares, and I've no idea how... I'm not going to be greedy! )

[ellenmelon]

My dad was a butcher and on hot days going into his big walk-in chillers and freezers were bliss.

To get something similar go to Liquorland/SuperLiquor etc and spend some quality cooling-off time in their walk-in beer chillers ;)

i worked in a liquorland last summer...beer fridge was definately a bonus. 4 degrees i think it is...

[cathgates]

Can I just say...... as someone with Raynauds......... the suggestion of cayenne pepper is one I have never come across, but will be buying an extra large tub of it today, Thank you.
And also....... do you have to flaunt your glorious weather to all of us here in cold, dull, grey, england?;)
We've had a good offer informally given on our house today, so maybe with you sooner than we thought, but not soon enough to sample the glorious weather - some people here have said we will end up with two winters, but that's beginning to be the norm in england, so what's the difference!!!!

Cath X

[Jo Jo]

Keeping cool - I have put a frozen bottle of water in the bed before, but wiki's suggestion sounds much less messy. Actually, those frozen things you put in eskys might work better - I might try one of those tonight. Also, standing a frozen bottle of water in front of a fan is a cheap form of air conditioning.

Keeping warm - Roman soldiers used to rub themselves with stinging nettles in order to warm up. I haven't tried this myself, but if anyone does, can you let me know if it worked?

[aberdian]

Not many people believe me when I tell them that one - but when you grew up in Southern NZ winters like I did and had a propensity for playing ball games on frosty concrete in short skirts, you learnt every trick in the book for staying warm!

Fantastic one. And it's good for keeping cats off the veggie patch too :)

[GeordieLass]

We had a veeeeeeeeery hot summer in London a few years ago. The only way I could sleep in a small flat was to get nude and use a wrung-out wet towel instead of a sheet. Worked a treat! Not much use for the office though.

At the other end of the scale I found my OHs sheepskin boot/slipper things were great for keeping me warm round the house. If the feet are cold, everything is cold! His were cold - but then it was his idea to move somewhere where they don't have central heating!

[marcia]

Its 42 degrees out on our deck at the moment and thats at 6.30 in the evening!!!!!!!!!!!! Too flippin hot for me so I'm inside with the windows open letting in a nice breeze! Its surprisingly cool in the house though anyway since we had all our windows tinted so I could chuck out those horrible net spider and fly infested net curtains!!

I always find if I'm too hot, a good old cuppa cools me down!! :nice1

[Potato]

Its 42 degrees out on our deck at the moment and thats at 6.30 in the evening!!!!!!!!!!!! Too flippin hot for me so I'm inside with the windows open letting in a nice breeze! Its surprisingly cool in the house though anyway since we had all our windows tinted so I could chuck out those horrible net spider and fly infested net curtains!!

I always find if I'm too hot, a good old cuppa cools me down!! :nice1

Hehe, decking I always find too hot in summer! The air temperature itself is probably "only" about 23C, which makes for a very pleasant evening, IMO. :)


On cooling down tips, a classic is the old "wrists under cold running tap". Can work pretty well. Only issue is at this time of the year the cold water from the tap is often not very cold at all!

Cold showers (genuine cold showers) have the effect of heating you up once you're dry. Luke warm water is a safer bet.

[Tia Maria]

Potato wrote:

On cooling down tips, a classic is the old "wrists under cold running tap". Can work pretty well. Only issue is at this time of the year the cold water from the tap is often not very cold at all!

I was going to suggest this one, also very helpful if you get hot flushes when you are out and about and when stripping naked might not be appropriate!

Cheers

Tia

[Potato]

I was going to suggest this one, also very helpful if you get hot flushes when you are out and about and when stripping naked might not be appropriate!

Cheers

Tia

Since when is stripping naked not appropriate?

La-de-da....