“Nothing is glummer than a cold in the summer,” writes Ogden Nash in his poem, “Fahrenheit Gesundheit.” I can think of more glum things: hotter-than-hell temperatures; what seems like daily thunderstorms; an emergency root canal; and the potential “vacating” by the present administration of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) which has been my sanctuary for decades.

First the heat. Like the rest of the world, the DC area is experiencing hotter temperatures this year compared to last. So far, this area has endured the third-hottest heatwave in its history. The temperature is predicted to reach its all-time record high of 106 degrees this week. The increased humidity thanks to above average rainfall (which admittedly has ended a year-long drought) has made the heat feel even more intense.

And then the emergency root canal. “One thing I like less than most things is sitting in a dentist chair with my mouth wide open, and that I will never have to do it again is a hope that I am against hope hopen.” Once again, Ogden Nash says it better than I can.

On May 31st, my dentist of nearly 40 years attempted a “Big Fill” in my back left lower molar during which he unfortunately nicked the top of a nerve. For weeks, I assumed the nagging pain was from expected tooth sensitivity after a large fill. I flossed more often, rinsed with hydrogen peroxide, and purchased a water pick. When the pain became really intense because the roots in that tooth had become infected, making me grumpier than usual, my dentist diagnosed pulpitis. Pulpitis is an inflammation of the dental pulp, the soft inner tissue of the tooth containing nerves and blood vessels, and it will make any breathing person question her reason for living. Because Adrienne and I were leaving for a beach weekend to celebrate her birthday later that day, my dentist scheduled an emergency root canal with an endodontist.

Four Novocaine shots, 1.5 hours and $2,000 later, the roots were disinfected and filled.

As an interesting aside, the endodontics took a 3-D x-ray of the infected tooth. Ever have one? This is one of the 3-D images:

I spent Adrienne’s birthday beach weekend with a throbbing and swollen left jaw that made me look like a chipmunk. And no, not Alvin or his cartoon brothers, Simon and Theodore.

Then, when I thought I could NOT get more down in the mouth, the present administration announced last week the “vacating” of BARC where I have biked, hiked and photographed sunrises for decades. The word, “vacate” comes from the Latin vacare which means, “to be empty.” TO. BE. EMPTY.

This past Saturday afternoon, I attended an emergency meeting in my town’s municipal center to share ideas and strategies for saving BARC. In the photo below, I am seated near the back window to the right and behind Glenn Ivey, the U.S. congressional representative (with the mic in the center) for my district (4th District of MD). Ivy is letting us know that the only way to win in this present administration is through the courts, “so pony up the bucks for a legal defense fund.” So much for contributing anything aesthetically like sunrise photos of the area. This explains the glum expression on my face under my “Limited Edition, 1953” baseball cap.

The heat, the humidity, the root canal and the present administration — these are more than enough reasons to consider July a bummer in this particularly glummer summer. The good news of the month is that Adrienne had a happy birthday, my front and back gardens are flourishing, QVC celebrated “Christmas in July,” and I started another jigsaw puzzle so I would feel like I’m getting somewhere. As you can see, it won’t be anywhere fast.