Editor’s Note: Staying Cool

While August and September may be the start of fall in some places, here in Louisiana, we’re still dealing with summer temps. It’s pretty hot here until maybe late October, so during these months, I still wear shorts and flip flops and spend time in pools whenever I can.

If you don’t have a pool, find one. Maybe it’s your friend, maybe it’s your long-lost cousin. There’s no better way to beat the heat than to go for a swim or if you’re not a swimmer, just dunk your body in some cool water somewhere.

One of the features in this issue by Melanie Warner Spencer explores pools and patios and reading it got me thinking about where I’ll be going swimming in these remaining summer months. Sadly, I don’t own a pool. And I don’t have any long-lost cousins with one. My gym has a pool, and while it’s mostly designed for doing laps and not floating around on some sort of fun inflatable with a tasty, icy drink, it might have to do.

The good news, though, is that there are other options these days. There are public pools throughout the state. The pools here were a lifesaver for me during the early days of the pandemic. They reopened pretty quickly, had reservations to avoid crowding in the lanes and I was able to cool off and get 45 minutes worth of laps whenever I wanted.

Another option is to find a hotel with a pool pass. There are a lot of them now that offer day passes, even if you’re not staying at the hotel. Some offer cabanas, snacks, drinks and towels, too. We did a feature on it last year — if you missed it, check it out! louisianalife.com/cool-off-this-summer

And look, I did this when my son was little but am not above doing it now. Get yourself an inflatable pool, set it up in your backyard — or your side yard or your front yard if you’re brave enough — fill it with cold water and submerge yourself in it. Nothing wrong with that. We have to do what we can, especially when it’s really hot.

However you do it, try to stay cool these last days of hot weather, and if you can do so while floating around in water, all the better.

Cheers!