Debbie Bosak: ‘Dog days’ tough on Issy

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Updated: August 3, 2011 10:04PM

The dog days of summer seemed to come early and hit hard this year. Seriously, it’s a rare day when anyone will catch me complaining about excessive heat, but the past few weeks have tested the endurance of even this die-hard fan of summer.

Issy the Terrible is somewhat of a wimp when it comes to weather extremes. Normally, she eagerly runs outside to look for dangerous passers-by, errant rabbits and other neighborhood canine friends.

But I noticed how quickly her interest waned with the 100-degree heat index. Neighbors and dogs alike sought refuge in the climate-controlled comfort of their homes or other cool locales.

Venturing out to do some shopping on one of the hottest days, I scurried on the sidewalk from one air-conditioned store to another. A young man walking in front of me looked at a nearby street worker, obviously miserable under the baking sun, and shouted, “Stay cool, fool!”

Stay cool, indeed! Here are some creative ways your neighbors are trying to beat the heat.

Adele Bockman, Highland: “My husband has installed ceiling fans in just about every room in the house. In anticipation of the heat wave, he bought another two giant floor fans. It did assist the air conditioning in helping us feel cooler, but for days, it was like living in a wind tunnel. He thought it was great until that first morning when he tried to read the paper. The grandkids thought it was hysterical.”

Marisa Christos, Munster: “We got the kids the largest wading pool we could find. There wasn’t a lot of room to play, but at least they could sit, be cool and stay outside for awhile.

“Obviously, the dog thought it was a good idea, too, because one day I looked out, and there he was sitting in the pool with the kids. It would have made a great Christmas card if I’d had my camera close at hand.”

Laurie Tompkins, Highland: “My husband, Jack, and son, Billy, usually toss the baseball around each day for about an hour, but the heat just got to be too much. My son was disappointed so, inspired by my neighbor’s kids, Jack set the sprinkler and called Billy outside to play in the water.

“They got soaked, but it was the best game of catch ever for both of them. I hope it’s one of those memories Billy carries of his father for a long time.”

Cate Bartison, St. John: “I have a hard time forcing my kids to drink enough liquids, so I made gummy bear ice cubes. I poured low-sugar fruit juices into ice-cube trays, then popped a gummy bear into each. They thought it was really cool, if you pardon the pun.”

Karl Jukovich, Crown Point: “My grandmother would insist that if you drank hot liquids in the heat, it would make you sweat, and everything would feel cooler. I don’t think that really worked for her, but she was too stubborn to admit she was wrong.”