When the heat starts to get to me as it has for the past few days I try to remind myself of how much I hate winter.

When I got up the other morning and it was already 80 degrees at 6:30 a.m. and sweat was beading on my forehead I reminded myself that I didn’t have to go outside and shovel the snow out of the driveway or the walkway.

I reminded myself that I didn’t have to clean the snow off of my mini van or scrape the windshield. I reminded myself that I didn’t have to start the mini van 20 minuets before I went anywhere to warm it up. I reminded myself that I didn’t have to worry if the mini van would start at all because of sub-zero temperatures.

These reminders were of minimal comfort and I knew that as the red line on the thermometer went higher I would need more reminders.

So, I settled down to read the morning paper and watch my sweat pool on Dear Abby’s picture and reminded myself that newspaper delivery is never a problem in the heat. During snow or ice storms of winter the carrier may or may not be able to make the deliveries.

The fact that during those times I’m too busy shoveling and carping to read the morning paper is beside the point. The point is that during the summer, no matter what the temperature is, I always get my paper. The fact that my legs and back stick to the genuine virgin Naugahyde chair while I read it is also beside the point.

When I went to shower and dress and had to peel my flimsy pajamas from my sweaty body I reminded myself that at least I didn’t have to put on a heavy sweater, wool slacks or thick socks in an effort to keep warm. I reminded myself that I didn’t have to turn the thermostat way up so I wouldn’t freeze when I got out of the shower.

I did, however, have to turn the volume of the television way up to be heard over the constant whirring and hum of fans and the air conditioner. This is a droning sound that really annoys me, but I reminded myself that it’s better than hearing the furnace kick in every five minutes as it does in the winter.

Though the electric bill does go up a little higher, it is nothing compared to the expense of the oil-addicted furnace in the basement.

Later in the day I put some burgers on the grill, wiped sweat from my brow so it wouldn’t land on the meat and whined about standing over a hot grill. Then I reminded myself how much simpler this was compared to cooking big meals.

In the winter I feel compelled to roast meats, make stews and soups and spend a lot of time cleaning up from all the cooking. I reminded myself that a few minutes turning food on a hot grill, food that can be eaten on paper plates is down right wonderful.

When I went to the store with the air conditioner set on high and feeling comfortable for the first time all day, a cat ran across the road right in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and called the cat a few names I didn’t even know I knew. The heat was definitely making me irritable and I had to remind myself that if it had been winter and the road was snow-covered, either the cat or my mini van would have become a statistic.

I know that we are probably in for many more hot days this summer, but I’m a little more accepting of them now. Unfortunately I’m now even less accepting of winter than I was to begin with, but the way I see it when the sweat trickles down my back and my clothing sticks to my body thinking of the miseries of winter is a pretty good reminder that things could be a lot worse and a few months from now probably will be.