How Do You Cope With Heat?

How did you cope with the 95-degree heat of the last couple of days?

Laura Pippitt, of Barrington, and her sister, Wendy North, of Dallas, Tex., and her friend, Kristie Roper, also of Dallas, were resting in the shade of an umbrella at Barrington Beach Thursday afternoon.

Meanwhile, their six children were diving for hermit crabs in the 64-degree water, building sandcastles in the wet sand, and wading in the almost-flat water. No one seemed to be minding the heat.

“We probably brought it with us,” said North.

“I think the last time we were here about two years ago it was the same temperature,” said Roper.

At least they found a shady spot to ride out the heat, which is supposed to relent a bit today.

The beach actually had very few visitors Thursday afternoon. Jake Leroux, the guard at the beach entrance, blamed it on the humidity. There was a cooling breeze.

A short drive from the beach, Michaela Hurley and Dawn St. Angelo, juniors at Barrington High School, were enjoying ice cream at The Daily Scoop on County Road.

“It’s something to do on a day like this,” said Dawn, who was enjoying the air conditioning as much as her chocolate cone. Michaela’s dish was already empty; only a few sprinkles littered the bottom of the dish.

“The only place in the school with air conditioning is the auditorium, said Michaela. “There were fans in the windows, but they didn’t seem to help much.”

Chad Smith, of Seekonk, and Emily Baniukiewicz, of Bristol, also were enjoying ice cream in The Daily Scoop. But they both said air conditioning is the best way to cope with the heat.

Kiley Quinn, who was scooping ice cream at The Daily Scoop, said business definitely went up on Wednesday. She was expecting another surge of business late Thurday afternoon and evening.

"It will get busy when all the kids are out of school," she said.

Don Pimental, of East Providence, was basking in the sun on a bench on the edge of Narragansett Bay at Latham Park Thursday afternoon. How was he coping?

“A few beers and just sitting,” said the shirtless Pimental, who docked his boat at the former Lavin’s Marina next to the park for more than 20 years.

He sold the boat a few years ago, but he still remembers the park as a great place to relax and enjoy summer.

On the next bench at Latham Park, two women from Seekonk also were hanging out.

“I like the heat,” said the younger woman. “It’s too warm for me,” said her older friend.

Over in the parking lot, a couple from Riverside was sitting in a Lexus SUV with the engine running.  The air conditioning was cranking.

“We’ve been coming to Latham Park for years,” she said. “Ever since our children were little, and they’re 43 and 36 now.”

How do they cope at home? They don’t. No air conditioner, he said.

That’s why they were sitting in the air-conditioned vehicle in the parking lot. Take my word for it, it was very cool inside.

So, how did you cope with the heat? Use the comment box below to make some suggestions for your friends and neighbors. Patch will print them during the next spate of heat.