West Coast Heat Wave?!

How do I beat the heat on this sweltering summer day? I am six months pregnant and not used to the heat at all. I live in the Pacific Northwest and I enjoy it's grey and drizzling days just fine thank you. Today is about 85 degrees and there is seemingly no relief. So how do I beat the heat and not loose my mind completely?

First, I knew this was coming. Yesterday was really hot too. Yesterday I went to my grandma's for the day to visit with family, as my husband Paul was in Seattle for two days for a progressive rock festival. SeaProg. So before I left the house, off to Grandma's, I hung up the heavy curtains on all the windows and closed up everything. The idea is, that if you house is well insulated enough, by closing windows and shuttering you'll be locking in the cool air from the night before inside and locking out all the hot air. Turns out, my house is not well insulated.

I  got home after a hot, hour long drive. It was already after 9pm and was starting to cool down outside. I was greeted by my big panting dogs when I drove up. They had been laying out in the cool grass. They followed me to my front door, eager to go inside with me. As I opened the door, a huge rush of hot stuffy air came rushing out. My dog Louie, who is completely blind, was standing at my feet ready to be the first one in. After I opened the door to the oven inside Louie sqinted through the blast of hot air and took a few steps backward before turning around and high-tailing it out of there. Smart fella.

I threw the door all the way open and pushed forward against the thick stale air. Swimming through until I could get to the next window. I opened window after window and strategically placed fans in front of a few before getting the hell out of there. I sat in the cool grass with my big stinky dogs. I figured they knew what they were doing. After about 10pm the house seemed safe to enter, there was a breeze and fresh air and the temperature was dropping.

So today, being home all day I planned ahead. I would not survive in my own home if there was a repeat of yesterday. The plan was to leave windows open as long as there were in a shaded area of the house. No cooking inside, not even the fricken toaster and load the fridge with bottles of water. Also, any cleaning or laundry needs to be done as early as possible.

I started the morning with laundry at about 8am after sleeping in later than I usually do. Then I left for the grocery store at about 10am with a very specific meal in mind. I shopped that produce section and made away like a bandit. I got fresh strawberry's, blueberry's and raspberry's. I got bananas and apples. Those were all for later. The big plan was to make something really refreshing. Something that a pregnant lady could enjoy. A hot day can easily be beat by getting drunk and going to float the river, or getting drunk and going to the water slides. Or just getting drunk and passing out somewhere, hopefully in a shaded area but not necessary. So although I cannot sedate myself today, I have a trick or two. I will make gazpacho!

Not just any gazpacho, Cucumber Avocado Gazpacho. Delicious, cold and refreshing and no cooking required. Here's my recipe, give it a try:
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Cucumber Avocado Gazpacho

Active time: 25 min

Ingredients

• 3 English cucumbers (2 lb total), peeled
• 2 Haas avocados
• 1 small zucchini
• 1 yellow bell peppers, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 fresh jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced
• 2 large garlic clove, minced
• 4 green onions
• juice of 1 lime, about 1/4 cup
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• sour cream (to garnish)

Preparation

Seed cucumbers and put seeds in a blender with garlic, green onion, parsley, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice and bell pepper. Cut cucumbers into 1/4-inch dice and combine with bell peppers and zucchini in a large bowl. Move about 1/4 of the diced veggies into the blender. Dice 1/2 avocado and add to bowl. Scoop out remaining 1 1/2 avocados into blender. Add water, salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Add more water to get a creamy but soupy consistency.

Return puree to bowl and stir. Refrigerate for a least a few hours. Dish is best served the next day, that's why this recipe makes a lot!

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Okay, so gazpacho is made and in the fridge. I also made a batch of pico de gallo since I was already chopping veggies. I cleaned and cut up my strawberries and it is just after 1:00. My laundry is done and I am officially sweaty! Next step, that cold refreshing beer... I mean shower! A cold refreshing shower!

Take a cold shower, as cold as you can stand, then turn the water way way colder. You're body with thank you later. After that frigid shower, your house should seem tolerable, mine did. I lay down on bed bed and took a nice, naked nap in front of the fan. Too modest for a naked nap? Or too many people bothering you? Try to stay as naked as possible and have all the shades drawn and lights off.

When I woke up it was just like I had passed out in the kiddie pool at the water slides, only no hangover! Winning! I was very hungry too, just like if I'd drank a bunch of beer and passed out in the kiddie pool at the water slides with a hang over. Being pregnant is weird. So to the fridge for some ice water and gazpacho!

After some work and organization, a frigid shower, a two hour nap and a meal it is 5pm. By my calculations it should be cooling off and I should be in the clear. I was wrong. It is 80 degrees! Nooo! I guess I'll have to repeat a few steps. Maybe another cold rinse off in the shower and some more ice water and gazpacho later. Also more sleeping. That is the key.

So what if it's 112 in Arizona right now. It's 80 here and I am not used to it. I know it could be hotter, but I live here for a reason and the reason is 65 degree summers. So, each man's struggle is his own.