My brain is overheating

My brain is in melt down mode.

I’m overheating not because I’ve been very busy – well, actually I HAVE been very busy over recent weeks with the studies I am doing.

No – the reason my brain is dribbling out through my ears and eyes (or so it seems) is that we are having a late burst of summer here in South Australia. Actually, according to the calendar it should be autumn (hey – that’s Fall for all my North American friends). But here we are in the worst heat wave in recorded history of our state.

Our state capital city Adelaide has broken all sorts of records over recent days. Today is the thirteenth consecutive day of above 35C (95F) temperatures. The previous record for Adelaide was eight consecutive days in 1934. The Australian record for a capital city was ten days in Perth, Western Australia in 1988 so that one has been broken as well. What is even more depressing is the news that there is no relief in sight until at least Wednesday, so we could end up with 16 consecutive days of extreme heat. Whew.

My wife and I usually go for a walk at 6am every morning. On Thursday it was 30C at 6am with a hot north wind blowing. Most uncomfortable – no wonder I’d woken up saturated in perspiration. After our walk we were so hot we put the air conditioner on to eat breakfast in some sort of comfort. That was a first – and I hope the last time I ever have to do that.