Today I saw a weather specialist ( I don't know how to spell metereologist...is this it?) on tv, and he was talking about solstices and equinoxes and how the official dates for the beginning of seasons like summer and winter are actually the peak of that season. He didn't explain why calendars lie to us though.

Since I moved to the Arabian Gulf, I know one thing for certain: I know Summer is here because no matter what water tap I open at home, the water will come out hot hot hot. I know that the swimming pool in my building will be hot hot hot after 10am. So what if I get home all sweaty, longing for a cold shower?

This is what you do when you want to have a cold shower during Summer: keep the water heating system switched off. Then when you want a cold shower, or cold water from the tap, open the hot water faucet. Cold water will come out of it . ( Alternatively, if you wish for hot water, open the cold water faucet. )

But be quick. Once you empty the "hot" water container, hot water will flow out, this time, real hot water, water that is supposed to be cold but has been heat up by the sun. So enjoy those 10 minutes of cold water while they last. Things should go back to normal by November.