Homemade currant jelly
13. July 2019You don’t need incense sticks to clean sustainably
18. July 2019And again, this year’s summer has been very hot. Not just under the rooftop.
Somehow it’s the same every year: the whole world longs for a really beautiful summer. But when the mercury rises above 30 degrees and hardly seems to cool down at night, it simply gets incredibly hot. One temperature record breaks another in recent years. And 16 out of 17 above average hot summers, since we have a weather recording, we had in the years after 2000 . Not only the inhabitants of penthouses consider a bed in the basement to be a really attractive alternative at some point, even if the view leaves much to be desired.
These very hot days, actually also exist in our Lower Rhine latitudes: incredibly hot summer days, on which the heat actually “stands” like a wall, to cut thick. And in this year, there is a lot more than just a couple of „hot summer days“, temperatures definitely go beyond „hot“. There seems to be a lack of proper adjectives, as to properly describe such incredible heat which reminds of the desert.
For a pleasant summer climate – even without air conditioning
Also in our house, a room directly under the roof on the second floor, is not the first choice. We know that, but we have decided against air conditioning with a “cool head”, because this is ultimately the better choice for the indoor climate and above all, for health. The difference between outside and inside temperature, which is often far too extreme, is almost a guarantee for the stubborn summer cold and the feeling of discomfort that does not want to fit in with a radiantly beautiful summer day. So that even our guests can keep a cool head in the midsummer temperatures and not suffer from the heat, we not only have a sack full of good advice, but – as a summer task in room service & room check – we also take care of the room climate, with good advice and action.
Open the window, close the window. It all depends on the rhythm
Overnight: Open windows. If you don’t like to sleep overnight with the window open, you should at least ventilate in the morning (from 6:30 a.m., if you can agree on it), but not as long as you can. Because in the morning it is very warm again very early and the hot outside air heats up the room again. 8:30 at the latest. During the day the curtains should be closed to keep out the sun. We take care of this consistently.
Drink a lot. Eat light.
Drink a lot! In summer, the body loses even more fluid than usual. Regardless of external conditions, you lose about 2.5 litres of liquid per day. And when you really get into a sweat, it can get a lot more. To compensate for the loss of nutrients, you should drink a lot. Preferably mineral-rich drinks such as water, juice spritzers or tea. And not too cold. Because the body first has to bring very cold drinks back up to „body temperature”. And warm them up in the stomach. That means work, and that means heat. From our side, there is one large bottle of mineral water per room and night. And if that’s not enough in the summer, there’s more to come.
Eat light. Yes, we are only responsible for breakfast here, but not only in summer do homemade yoghurts, fresh fruit and crunchy vegetables always ensure a healthy and good start before the heat of the day sets in. How about a fruit, herbal or mint tea, or an apple juice spritzer for breakfast?
Very “Old School”: The Fan
Oh, we have all Old School room fans on request and if necessary. Especially overnight such a fan can take on an important task. If fresh air enters through the window, the fan ensures that it is well distributed in the room. At the same time, especially in summer, people have the feeling that the air in the fan is cool. To be honest, it actually only accelerates it. This is due to the moisture on the skin, which is dried by the air flow of the fan. But here it is very important for well-being and health: never sit or lie in the draught!