I live in the south for a lot of reasons. Because I grew up here. It's what I know and love. Balmy days, huge oak trees dripping in Spanish moss, lightning bugs, fresh collards and watermelons grown by neighbors, flowers that bloom all year, baseball is also year round. The beach is easily accessible. Winters are calm with just a few days below freezing and the fall, spring and early summer are spectacular. But when the lazy days of summer turn into the dog days of August - I question why I love it so. Today is one of those days .. the air is still and thick. You can see it sitting oppressively on your chest. It is a struggle to take a deep breath just walking to the mailbox. When you do manage a deep breath the air is warm and suffocating in your lungs. The streets normally filled with kids on bicycles, scooters, skateboards and playing games are eerily silent. Everyone is hiding in the coolness of their homes. We have the blinds closed on the beauty of the day and haven't even turned on the lights inside. It's like sheltering in a dark cave, hiding from the intensity of the heat. Yes, I know it's hotter in other places. And yes, I am blessed with both a wonderful a/c unit and the ability to pay for it to run full blast piping my house full of manufactured coolness. The energy sucking wet heat of humidity is something to be experienced. It's currently 102 degrees with a heat index of 118. Temps are still climbing and projections are that we will still have a heat index close to 100 degrees after dark tonight. The wind is measuring in at a whopping "0" .. not a breath to stir the trees. Oh would rain be a welcome site here today!

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Here's a news flash for ya' more fun to come even though we did get a little short storm pass through!

ALERT 1 - Heat AdvisoryHEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ WEDNESDAYEvent Start: 1:53PM EDT, Tuesday Aug 7, 2007Event Heat Advisory In Effect Until 8 PM EDT /7 PM Cdt/ Wednesday... The National Weather Service In XXXXXXX Has Issued A Heat Advisory... Which Is In Effect Until 8 PM EDT /7 PM Cdt/ Wednesday. High Temperatures Will Reach The Upper 90s To Around 100 Degrees This Afternoon And Wednesday Afternoon. The Combination Of These High Temperatures And High Relative Humidity Will Cause Heat Indexes To Reach The 110 To 115 Degree Range Each Afternoon. A Heat Advisory Means That A Period Of Hot Temperatures Is Expected. The Combination Of Hot Temperatures And High Humidity Will Combine To Create A Situation In Which Heat Illnesses Are Possible. Drink Plenty Of Water... Stay In An Air-Conditioned Building... And Avoid Strenuous Outdoor Activity.Bulletin Issued: 1:53PM EDT, Tuesday Aug 7, 2007Bulletin Expired: 5:00AM EDT, Wednesday Aug 8, 2007