I've related this story many times, but here only to make some kind of point that I'll forget about half-way through the story...

When I was a young, stupid, snotty little know-it-all and got sent to work in the fields to "pay for my sins," that summer was hotter (five consecutive days over 110 F, and 32 consecutive days over 100 F) than it is today, but we worked smart. We started hoeing weeds at first light, way before the sun was up. We drank a ration of water at the end of each row and chewed a chunk of salt. We kept track of our pee...(yes, I know, that sounds naughty, but it's important. Pee has to be monitored in the heat!) And we rested for two hours at lunchtime, sleeping in the shade.

I often worked stripped to my waist because white fur reflects more light and heat than a khaki or chambray shirt does. The afternoon breezes came up every day like clockwork and sometimes we got afternoon thunderstorms, but we were able to work until sundown and bathe in the creek before dinner.

I can't work in Healer's hall half-naked, I'm the Queen of my tribe and also Master Healer, nakedness is not part of my status or job description. My habit is heavy black cotton twill from head to toe. It's vital for protection for me from injury and sickness. This garb instills confidence in my patients, authority in my staff and giggles from my mate as I curse putting it on every day.

Thank the Maker that Healer's Hall is naturally cooled by its massive stone structure. Otherwise, I'd be a cooked little weasel-girl. I'm hoping that one day, the Master Weaver is able to weave a sheer cloth that the Master Dressmaker can fashion into a cool habit for me.

So, Healer Frieda's Advice (after much rabbit-trailing) is this: Drink water*! Lots of water**. You must be able to have a pee every hour minimum. Check your pee! If it's yellow, YOU AREN'T DRINKING ENOUGH WATER! Wear sensible clothing as much as possible for your job. If you have to work outside, wear light colored clothing, a hat, a scarf, sunglasses, sunscreen, parasol, or simply stay inside until the evening breezes kick in. NO BLACK CLOTHING IN THE SUN! Rest. Avoid going out on a whim, group your outside errands. (saves petrol too). Stay safe, your little Frieda loves you and is only thinking of you. You are smart.

*Water = that clear set stuff that comes out of your tap. Water is H20, dihydrogen monoxide. Yes, you can also get it from a bottle for 3 billion times the cost you pay for it from your tap. But bottled water produces waste plastic. Nuff said. Don't drink water from a stream unless you boil it, filter it and add iodine tabs to it (Iodine sublimates out of the water and leaves no residue after it kills germs and microbes.) I'm serious! Especially in California! No unfiltered Stream Water! There are just too many fecal coliform bacteria and protozoan parasites in stream water, you don't want to get Giardia lamblia, amoebic dysentary, or liver flukes. Get over the notion that tap water is bad for you. Your municipality spends most of its budget insuring the purity and potability of your water. You can't get crap from your tap. I can't say the same for bottled water.

**Water may also include "pink water" those little flavored packets that you add to get ADHD sufferers like me to drink plane water. Better living through chemistry. Do not fear them. I firmly believe in artificially-flavored imitation lemonade drink mix.

Water is NOT: Soda, beer, coffee, tea, scotch, vodka, milk, juice (horrors), absinth, jelly-shots, watermelon or kvass. There's nothing wrong with these things, they just don't count toward your water ration. Drink water! (I have a rant about juice being the biggest lie in American Nutrition, but I'll save that for another time.)

So, there you go. blah blah blah Frieda....

Oh, keep my Author in your prayers, his Dr is shooting laser beams and vein-killing micro-foam up and down his legs to cure his varicose veins so that he doesn't get leg ulcers, leg swelling and flatulence.