The temperature has made it crystal clear. I am no royal, and with the heat index reaching triple digits, I have even flunked being a southern belle.

That is right. This little woman has squashed what they call glowing, shattered perspiring and am stuck in full-blown sweating-like-a-pig mode.

It is hot!

What makes things even worse, we have not even reached August.

Funny thing, the other day I was ruminating about these dog days of summer when I realized there was still a week left in July.

I guess it was delirium from the heat that was skewing my thinking and making me feel summer was dragging on.

Oh yeah, and how can we forget, along with the toasty temps there has been no rain.

Lord help me, between watering my plants and cooling my house, the triple digits on the thermometer will pale compared to the triple digits on my utility bills.

Last week, I took my life in my own hands and ventured into the yard to do some trimming. By the time I quit raking up the clippings, (there was no finishing the job in the blazing sun) I know I must have weighed at least three pounds lighter from all the fluid reduction.

Not the way I wanted to drop a few pounds.

This summer is truly testing out the survival of the fittest in the yard. The hose will only stretch so far. I just hope the grass will hang on until the fall. Mowing dirt is such a mess.

While the heat has been crushing, I will have to say that I have been able to persevere with my exercising in the park.

My boss says I am bragging when I talk about how I have persisted in the heat.

It has not been every day that I go, but on occasion, you can find me limping up the hill towards the Louisiana monument, and by the time I reach the top, exhilaration takes over knowing I survived without suffering a heat stroke.

OK, Tim. Maybe I am boasting just a little.

Obviously, there are those who are benefiting from the high temperatures like retailers in the business of selling antiperspirants. Sales are surely skyrocketing, or at least I hope so!

However, let’s be honest, there is no miracle product that will keep the pit stains at bay in this heat and humidity.

The summer heat can be challenging, glasses sliding down my nose and hair falling flat, but when you think about the alternative, those cold dreary days of winter when my fingers and toes go numb from the chill, I know I am glad to be living in the south.

Each season lasts only long enough for me to get excited when the next one arrives.