Summer 2004…Come Back, We Miss You

Late Saturday night/early Sunday morning, I was watching a movie and remembered I needed to get something out of my car. When I came back inside, I checked the temperature. It was 89 degrees...at 1AM! Welcome to the Equator!

My friends, it is just too hot! When we were topping out in the triple digits on Thursday, at least the humidity was nowhere to be found. Once that started figuring into the equation, oppression and defeatism began creeping into our outlooks.

But, for me, something else, as well.

Fond memories of the summer of 2004. We went day after day, during those three incredible months, enjoying below average temperatures and watching thermostats NOT threaten revolt. It was a terrific summer.

Camping stands out in my mind.

On more than occasion, a group of friends and I would go camping on a remote piece of land in Grayson County that one of them owned. It was cleared out, we pitched tents, cooked, went fishing, AND were able to actually enjoy a bonfire. In fact, we NEEDED one.

Can you imagine needing to stand around a fire in this heat? The thought makes me break out in hives.

It was a great summer when the water in public lakes and pools--and at big parks like Holiday World--was almost always too cold. Now, when the temperatures don't drop significantly overnight, you run the risk of jumping into bath water. Oh, it's not a risk in the real sense of the word, but it's not comfortable, either. And it's certainly not what you're looking for when you're needing to cool off.

Well, hopefully cooling off is something we will eventually get to do this summer. I keep looking at extended forecasts for that possibility. It's funny how you can start to look forward to a high of 95.

By the way, I remember talking to Eyewitness News Chief Meteorologist Wayne Hart after summer 2004 wrapped up. He told me that it was the fourth coolest summer on record.

Right now, sitting in an office warmed by outside heat permeating the walls, that couldn't sound farther away.