If the broken air conditioner is getting you down during the hot weather consider cooling your butt and core body temperature with a gel cooling pad. I first came across them on display in a home health care store. I thought the concept was cool (pun intended) but a bit pricey. After a bit of research I purchased mine on ebay for about $15 plus shipping but you can find them on Amazon
I purchased one last summer and it is one of my favorite items in the summer. I sit on it while I am at my desk and while I might not be as cool as a duck in water I am definitely more comfortable with than without it and no one would be the wiser. The coolness lasts for about four hours. No refrigeration or anything required. I let it get back up to room temperature, about thirty minutes, and it is ready to use again.
I usually end up taking it to bed with me too. I will sit it on the night stand in case a night sweat comes on. I then reach over and tuck it behind my back and am able to fall back to sleep within minutes. If I wake up again during the night it has usually conformed to my body temp and I will slide it aside until morning. When not in use I simply fold it and tuck it in the closet.
The cooling pads are quite a strange phenomena. The one I have started out as a firm gel but is almost rock hard now (I think it is probably near the end of its lifespan) when not in use but once it comes into contact with the heat of my body the crystals liquefy and it becomes soft and very cool — like an ice pack but with out the moisture and without the possibility of freezer burn or a water leak.
If you have tried another kind of cooling pad I would love to hear about it!
About Maureen Wood