It’s almost unbelievable how memorably hot summer 2010 is. It almost reminds me of summer in AZ except that it’s more humid and sticky here. I recall how short summer was last year and how the rains came earlier than usual. I don’t mind the sun as long as it’s windy but when the temperature hits fever-grade and no matter how many fans you turn on or windows and doors you open without relief from the heat, it’s really really not cool (figuratively and not). As a result, the kids are now sick, and in our house, when one gets sick the rest get sick as well. Makes me wonder whether the vitamins I took while they were in my tummy were really the best prenatal vitamins for me. Although the kids are much stronger now and less prone to sickness, I wonder if I could have done it differently and taken other supplements instead. Oh well, I just wish that cooler days would come soon. Please summer, a few degrees off would be just fine!

Our hopes for a new maid this month were somewhat dashed today when our prospective candidate backed out. We were really expecting her to come in the next few days as our workload has been increasing. Had to work on 2 weeks worth of laundry to make up for last week. Perhaps its good to get wrinkle creams considering the exposure to detergent. In the Philippines it is common to have a helper at home. This is mainly due to the fact that a lot of the processes in maintaining a home in this part of the world is manual. Most people who get into this job are those seeking opportunities in the bigger cities. Some of them get a good deal by being apprenticed into their employers trade or sent to school. While it may appear a degrading line work, it has been a ladder for some to climb to higher stations of society.

Yesterday, I encountered an interesting show on Discover Travel and Living. It was a show on the 10 Greenest Homes. One home had radical idea of doing away with stone bathroom floors, bathtubs or walk in bathtubs. It simply had a wooden floor in a shower area! Wow! The owners said that the wood was specially treated so that it wouldn’t rot quickly. Aside from the environment al benefit of the design, they also enjoyed the safety it gives to their little children when they use the shower. I think it would be a good design for elderly folks as well.