Acclimation

No, that's not acclaim. Acclimation is the act of getting acclimated. As in, to a particular climate. Get it? Ac-climate.

I'm quite thoroughly acclimated to a closely controlled climate. One that keeps the temperature somewhere between 74 and 80 degrees fahrenheit, with a relative humidity down around 50-60% or so. That's the climate in my office and my home; the two places I spend the vast majority of my life.

Since I am thus acclimated, if my environment gets much above 80 degress and/or the humidity rises above about 70%, my body gets damp. Or wet. Depending.

I expect that, and dress accordingly on the golf course. But this afternoon at about 4:30 Carol and I went outside to hang some light plastic shutters. The sun was low in the sky, and this is just the first week in May for Pete's sake.

Nevertheless, dressed in shorts and a tee shirt, within 30 minutes I was soaked. It may not be summer yet in South Texas, but it's darn sure getting close to it! I don't think the temperatures were higher than the mid 80s, but the humidity HAD to be 120%, at least.

When we bought this house (white brick) the front-facing windows had black, wooden decorative shutters. Well, we've lived here over 20 years, and the original shutters were rotting and falling off. We pulled them down weeks ago.

Carol just read that and said, "No, it was months ago. Months and months ago. In fact, it was last summer!"

She's a stickler for accuracy.

Regardless, we were now going to replace them! I am proud of the fact that within one hour by the clock we had new shutters up on all four front windows.

(That makes me wonder: is one hour by the clock shorter or longer than one hour by the sun, or some other measure?)

I am NOT proud of the fact that two of the little plastic devices that secure the shutters to the brick were ruined in the effort, and now have to be replaced. But "stuff" happens, as they say.

Carol says they weren't lined up properly when I tried to tap them into place. I say, "stuff" happens!

To someone driving by or walking down the street I'm sure those missing fasteners cannot be noticed. Nor do they negatively impact the shutters' security to the wall.

But Carol knows they're missing. And until they are properly replaced, I will likely continue to sweat. Acclimated or not.