I live in Arizona. As you've likely heard, one of our favorite phrases is, "but it's a dry heat." Usually that makes me want to giggle, but not today. I have had very little sleep in the last week or so, because of this "dry heat." You see, I wake up and it's 82 degrees. I go to bed and its 85 degrees. And during the day, it has promises to pass the recent 112 degrees. From my vantage point, either everyone is hanging out in the air conditioned theaters, malls or grocery stores, or they're soaring through the cooler stratosphere in a hot air balloon.

Now, what I've heard on the weather channel for the last few days is that some storm system is out of whack. Where there was supposed to a smooth curve of a weather system gliding across the nation, there is, instead, a jagged, frenetic conglomeration of atmospheric accidents. Putting it simply: our weather is a MESS! All around the country there are evidences of bizarre weather.

Take, for instance, Washington State: I read that one guy died from heat exhaustion! In Washington State??? I used to live up there. The summers were fabulous, fall and spring were mellow, and winter was great as long as you weren't assigned the task of shoveling the sidewalks or scraping the car windows. But now, temperatures are reaching triple digits and confusing the residents.

Moreover, the Midwest is experiencing floods. Not just the overflowing of little streams, but the gushing of water that redirects traffic and stalls travelers. All this and the power outages, mute telephones, and floating lawn furniture you might expect during a season of heavy rainfall. I imagine tow trucks are running a very lucrative business at the moment, but other folks are likely not impressed.

Tornados are apparently plaguing the Southeast. The suited character on the Weather Channel claimed that the landscape was dotted with tornados. All I can think of is, "haven't those poor people suffered enough?" No reports about people dying, so I hope the destruction of homes and property hasn't been too bad either.

And, what do you know? The Northeast is content with the weather they are receiving. Temperatures are mild, rain is mild, winds are mild, and tempers are even mild. I hope they have a winter that is just as timid, but I doubt that will be the case. At least they get a reprieve... for a while.

Here in Arizona, though, we thought we had paid the price.  Winter was fairly mild, even if it lasted less than three months. Spring was delightful with the cool, beautiful days and the crisp nights. We even had some rain while that groundhog kept seeing his shadow. Most of us hoped this meant we would have a mild summer. NOT SO!

Alas, with temperatures reaching 80 degrees by 7:30 am, 90 degrees by 10 am and 112 degrees by noon, it's no wonder I repeatedly hear the whoosh of the hot air racing up into the balloons overhead as the colorful orbs float across the sky. I envy those folks up here, smiling down at us ants below, huddled in the one room in the whole house that has a portable air conditioner. Our faithful swamp coolers are totally ineffective now that the humidity is 19%, so I'm gonna lay beside the air conditioner and imagine the peaceful journey of a hot air balloon.