How To Know When It's Really Hot

Just how hot is hot anyway? Well, apparently we found out today! After driving to a nearby city and returning, I stopped by the ESC (Employment Security Commission) office. There were a few things I needed to do, ask about transferring amounts, conduct a job search, pick up referrals, complete & submit a state application, and check my email. All in all, I was in the office for about two hours.

As I left the office it was sweltering hot! If I'm not mistaken, the weather reported the temperature at 101 degrees and that was without adding in a heat index! I cooled the van down before getting in to drive away. As I drove down the road I reached for my tea from lunch. I knew it would probably be warm at best, but what I found was far more shocking. A quick glance the McDonald's cup as I grabbed it caused an immediate drawback of the hand. My cup was covered with ants! Sugar ants! Not just a few ants, but what looked to be about 100 or more!

What amazes me is that my van is not dirty, there was a bag on the floor next to the cup holder with a single french fry in it and there wasn't a single ant in that bag! To top that off the tea was UNSWEET tea! These were sugar ants and they were so HOT & THIRSTY that they were all over that unsweet tea, locked in my van in over what seemed like 160 degree heat! Now that is when you know it's REALLY HOT!



Here is a picture of some of the deceased ants (they were in a 2.5" wide roll of tape I use on my floor between the driver and passenger seat; it hold cups better than the flimsy plastic holder provided by ... cough ... the manufacturer).