So maybe you’re not the sort of person who notices this, but it has been rather warm lately. Or maybe you’re one of those people who enjoys the warmth that allows you to broil steaks on the hoods of the cars in the parking lot. But comedy is not made from people who are comfortable with the heat (excepting that poem about Sam McGee.) So the postcard cartoonists offered various escapes from the unpleasant effects of the season.
The people who could afford air conditioning, of course, could enjoy the dog days.
Some houses, of course, do not provide mechanical cooling, so the answer was to go find it.
Travel was promoted as a way to find cooler climes. Or at least a breeze.
And although you COULD sleep outdoors at home, doing it on the road seemed more elegant and adventurous.
Part of the adventure was finding just the right sleeping spot, of course, which afforded maximum ventilation and access to breezes.
If you picked the right destination, you could cool yourself by divesting yourself of as many garments as was locally permissible.
Postcard cartoonists pointed out that this could, of course, prove counterproductive.
While places filled with vacationers could make finding a nice, cool spot difficult.
Many people recommended a bath or shower for cooling purposes. In some vacation spots, this could prove complex as well.
So some cartoonists eschewed travel in summer, preferring repose and a cold beverage.
As this method requires much less financial outlay than a trip to cooler regions, it has been popular throughout the ages.
Whatever method you choose, do your very best to keep put of the heat, maintain your precious bodily fluids, and recite to yourself the Midwest Sumer Mantra: “Come January, you’ll wish you had some of this back.”
Blogsy Babbles 