Impress Yourself (and Others) by Always Having This With You During the Heat
I once took a botany class that literally involved a field trip: walking for hours in a flowery meadow in the heat of the summer. There was no shade, no breeze, only suffocating poverty. But when my carpool buddy and I got back to the car, I was in for a surprise: I had packed an insulated lunch box with an ice pack and several bottles of water. Even after a day in a hot car, the water was still ice cold. It was probably the most refreshing drink of my life and my partner was just as delighted. I felt very, very smart.
The recipe is simple: You put bottles of water (or soft drinks of your choice) in a lunchbox and surround them with ice packs. One small ice pack is enough for a short walk, but don’t be afraid to double or triple it if you’re away for a long time.
I have found this hack to be much more effective when it comes to enjoying and refreshing myself and others. I would pack cold drinks for myself on solo outings, completely forgetting about them as the heat exhausted my brain, and then rediscover chilled snacks on my return.
I’m sure I won the Mom of the Year award for introducing my sons to this idea this summer. They took fencing lessons, and as it got warmer, each time they left the classroom more sweaty and thirsty. On the first hot day, they were grateful for sharing a few sips of lukewarm water from my own water bottle after finishing theirs. I knew what to do. On the second grueling day of school of the year, I surreptitiously packed ice water. And when they got into the car, I gave them cold drinks, much to their delight.