It’s been too darn hot, as the song goes! Something is definitely going haywire with the weather when it reaches 90 degrees at the beach, and over 100 just a few miles up the road in the canyon. Mother Nature’s hot flashes have made it challenging to stay cool in a 104-year-old cottage with no air conditioner. Open windows haven’t offered much relief as the ocean’s breezes had even stopped blowing. We’ve relied on the ceiling fan and a small desk fan for relief, but the high humidity left me feeling damp most days. One evening as I was getting ready to attempt sleep, my weather app indicated that it was 83 degrees at 10:00 p.m. The quiet desk fan next to my bed saved me.
Samantha spent most of her late-summer days stretched out on the hardwood floor, ditching her usual cozy spots on the rugs. I’d get up in the mornings to find Samantha sleeping on the floor under the wafting air of the ceiling fan, her demanding cries for breakfast silenced as she slept in. Clearly, the heat was wearing on her energy.
So, what better way to spend hot summer evenings than at an outdoor concert by the sea? John and I recently attended a couple of the Friday night Sunset Serenade concerts in Heisler Park, sponsored by the city of Laguna Beach. We were dazzled by the clear skies and blue ocean (the marine layer often settles in at dusk, even this time of year), and the soulful melodies of our amazing local musicians. At the first concert we attended, while settling into our lawn chairs and pouring wine (allowed only at these concerts), I scanned the lively crowd, taking in the range of music lovers, from toddlers bouncing to the beat to folks singing along and swaying to the melodies when my gaze froze upon a music lover of a furry kind.
The couple in front of us had a cat in a harness and leash who was lounging on their blanket. I’ve never seen a cat so chill in a crowd. I thought he (I assumed boy and was right) might be on gabapentin. After I spied the kitty, he looked at us then sauntered over to our blanket and reclined next to John. Perhaps it was the Turkish Van breed, or that the cat just digs great music, he was naturally relaxed and comfortable in a crowd. The cat’s mom shared with us that she adopted Jasper from the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter. He’d been hit by a car, had hip replacement surgery then recovered at the shelter until she adopted him about a year ago. Incredible! I shared that Samantha came to me from the same shelter recovering from bladder stone surgery. The beauty of community.
The following Friday at another Sunset Serenade concert, we sat next to Jasper who was just hanging out, taking in the vibes of scene. Get to know cool cat Jasper on Instagram: @hipcatjasper.
On another note, my passion for cottage living is being chronicled in my new blog, “Cottage Memoirs,” which can be read on my author website: pamelakknudsen.com. Discover the challenges and enchantments of living in a century-plus old cottage in a historical subdivision by the sea.