August in Las Vegas

Kamál (Perfection), 18 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Monday, August 18, 2008 about 5:14 AM PDT

The humidity this August seems worse then usually, but it could be that I am noticing it more. We have humidity and clouds without much rain. I always notice humidity more when it does not rain. I think I remember it raining twice since monsoon season began in July. I rained enough to rearrange the dirt on my car; not even enough rain for a decent spit bath.

Even as a child growing up in Oklahoma, I noticed the humidity more when it did not rain. I always enjoyed the rain. I liked sitting in my Grandma Newland's living room and watching it rain. I liked walking through the puddles of water on my way to school and on my way home. I especially liked to jump into the puddles and let the water splash onto my legs.

When I got home from school, my mother and grandmother would always scold me about getting my feet wet. However, the scolding I got to take a hot shower and have either hot chocolate or tea. I loved the way my grandmother fixed hot chocolate.

Grandma made hot chocolate with real cows milk and Heresies chocolate syrup. She would heat the milk on the stove and then put the chocolate syrup in, stirring the hot milk as she added the chocolate. I miss the way Grandma made hot chocolate; I use instant mix and water.

I used to be able to make hot chocolate the way Grandma did, but it has been so long since I made it that way. When I heat milk on the stove, I have to be careful and not burn the milk. I do not like the way milk tastes when it burns, but I usually drink it anyway.