As I type these words it’s 106 degrees outside our home and not yet 1:00PM.
Dog Days, huh? Does that make any sense? Well, yes, now that you mention it. Having nothing more to do than busy my mind in front of a whirling fan blade I decided to look it up.
The Ancient Romans called it caniculares dies (days of the dogs.) It arose from the notion that Sirius, the dog star, was angry this time of year and caused the Earth to get very hot. To appease the star’s rage the Romans sacrificed a brown dog at the beginning of Dog Days.
No, I don’t know why it had to be a brown dog.
The Romans, of course, thought nothing of committing carnage upon any creature that moved if it might be even remotely possible that a good screeching, bloody sacrifice would serve some useful or noble purpose.
This is why the Ancient Greeks were considered the brains of the outfit.
I am sending you a heartfelt, sweat-induced poor baby about the heat, and (sigh) I’ll be enduring same very soon, since I’m due in Los Angeles. Last time I was in L.A. I believe a new heat record was set. Same is predicted for this trip. Okay, I get it. The Universe wants me to stay home.