Ah, a steamy Saturday in the height of summer. It’s 7 a.m., and I’m already sweating like I’ve run a marathon. The windows are fogged up, my eyeglasses are mistier than a Sherlock Holmes mystery, and the air conditioning is fighting a losing battle.

The dogs, bless their contradictory little hearts, are in a tizzy. They’re scared of the thunder rumbling ominously in the distance, yet they’re itching to go outside. But heaven forbid they actually get wet! Instead, they’re orchestrating a barking symphony at the deer that seem to revel in their torment. To top it off, they’re hungry but too stubborn to eat. It’s a classic case of “dog logic”—a phenomenon I’m convinced deserves its own research study. According to a recent New York Times article there are an increasing number of dog research studies that take place in the homes. Observational ones.

Meanwhile, I’m staring at the yard work that mocks me from the window. The grass needs mowing, the flowerbeds need weeding, and I swear the weeds have developed a taunting personality. Inside, the couch is buried under a mountain of blankets that need folding, a domestic Everest that seems insurmountable before my morning coffee. And the refrigerator? It’s full yet frustratingly empty. How is it possible to have so much food and nothing to eat?

The day stretches out before me, promising to be long and humid. The air conditioning can only do so much, and I’m left pondering the mysteries of life, like why dogs hate thunder but love to bark at deer. As I brace myself for the day ahead, I realize that sometimes, all you can do is laugh at the absurdity and embrace the chaos.

So, here’s to a hot, steamy Saturday. May your air conditioning be strong, your patience stronger, and may you find the humor in the foggy, thunderous madness of it all.