“Like a lid on a boiling pot,” explained the New York Times the other day, “the heat dome traps the air beneath it, pushing toward the ground hot air that, as it sinks, compresses and becomes even hotter.”
That was just how it felt. The heat dome embraced much of the eastern half of the continent over the holiday weekend. It did not let us escape just because we are way out here, surrounded by the nippy North Atlantic. The official daytime temperatures at the airport over the long weekend reached the mid-90s, not counting humidity.
Then there is the humidity. There is plenty of advice telling us how to evade summer heat. Tips on escaping humidity are harder to find. But here are a couple for those who are determined to avoid it. Humidity is highest in the early morning, lowest in the afternoon. It is highest at the ceiling, lowest at floor level. To avoid humidity, head to the desert southwest. Humidity is good for one thing — putting waves in some women’s hair. For others, however, it whips up a frightful frizz, not often what the lady desires.
My heart goes out to those who had to work outdoors in the holiday’s cauldron: the construction crews, farmers, road crews, landscapers, entertainers and paraders whose job was to the jump around joyfully (for the Fourth) and smile, sometimes in a woolly, sticky costume.
The heat dome was followed by a good shower to rinse away nature’s perspiration. This wave may be over, but summer has barely begun.
We are hearing woeful stories of airline travel these days. My sister-in-law Sandra Caruso and her friend Mandy Muenzer were scheduled to leave the Vineyard early last Tuesday, in that soupy fog, en route home to Los Angeles. That flight was eventually cancelled. The two scrambled to the noon ferry, took an Uber to Logan and on to a shorter flight that went part-way home. From there, another hop or two and they eventually got home in the middle of the night.
Nicole Alley, her husband Arsen Hambardzumian, and their four boys flew to Armenia to meet and visit with Arsen’s family, whom he hasn’t seen since he came to this country at age 11. Their flight first took them to Paris, where they had a long layover. Then, after boarding a connecting flight to Armenia, the plane suffered mechanical troubles. Repairs were made but it was so late when they arrived in Yerevca, the city was shut down. No food, no hotels. No place to sleep except the hard floor of the terminal, and so they did.
Meanwhile, Nicole’s mother, Anna Alley, has gone to her daughter’s home in Attleboro so she can greet them when they arrive home. From there Anna will go to Connecticut to visit her old friend, Denise Mount, and they two will celebrate their joint birthday on Sunday, July 12. Then it’s on to Providence to visit with Anna’s sister Nina and other family members, before heading home.
The week is a busy one for birthday celebrations. Sandra Fisher will enjoy her day on Friday, July 10. If you see Michael Colaneri volunteering at the dumptique on Saturday, wish him a happy birthday. Cake and candles go out on Sunday, July 12 for Martina Mastromonaco, Ed Lapienne and Anna Alley. Monday, July 13, is the birthday of Paul Karasik and Cathlin Baker. Tina Miller celebrates on Tuesday, July 14. Then, on Thursday, July 16 it is happy birthday for Bruce Stone, Karen English and Beth Healy.
Happy wedding anniversary and congratulations to Bill and Betty Haynes on Saturday, July 11.
This article appears in July 10, 2026.