Juliana Freihage, a stay-at-home mother of three in Fort Worth, is running out of ideas.
She has taken her children to story time at the public library, the indoor play area at McDonald's and the splash park in Crowley. More than once, she has loaded the kids into the car and roamed the aisles of Walmart."My kids have cabin fever," said Freihage, keeping an eye on her children at the Ridgmar mall play area. "I'm looking for anything that's cold and free."Across Tarrant County, people are seeking a respite from this summer's unrelenting heat in museums, libraries and bowling alleys.Early morning tee times -- the only time golf courses are bearable -- are booked days in advance. Movie theaters are packed.On Sunday, Dallas-Fort Worth surpassed 100 degrees for the 16th consecutive day.In June, the Fort Worth Public Library system recorded its highest circulation ever, with 435,906 items checked out. At the Wedgwood branch, a typical summer day draws about 450 visitors, but this year is bringing 500 to 600. And at the Keller Public Library, 1,915 children have signed up for the summer reading program, 400 more than all of last summer."We have 20 to 30 people standing at the door waiting in the morning, and then people spend the entire day here," said Sylvia Polk, Wedgwood library manager. "It seems more people are reading."Weekly story time at the Amon Carter Museum is attracting more families. This month, nearly 240 people attended the free Wednesday story time, compared with last July's average of 191. Attendance is up at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, too, where movie showings at the Omni Theater have been packed, museum spokeswoman Carol Murray said.Venturing outdoors is possible, but it requires planning. Even then, it might not work out.Freihage planned an early picnic lunch at a nearby park with covered tables and a decent breeze. But after just 30 minutes, her children were sweaty and restless."It was too hot to play," she said. "They were begging to go home."On golf courses, the 6 a.m. tee time has become by far the most coveted. At Iron Horse Golf Course in North Richland Hills, the early morning and evening tee times are busy, but the rest of the day it's deserted, said Chris Miles, head golf professional at Iron Horse."Those times are hot commodities," Miles said. "But we see virtually no one during the day."Mark Thornton and his wife, Kendyl, of North Richland Hills, have found the key to surviving the summer: They stay indoors. Trips to the dog park ended when it became so uncomfortable that their dogs looked miserable. Swimming at his parents' pool is rare because it feels more like taking a lukewarm bath than a refreshing dip.On Sunday afternoon, Harry Potter and a cold, dark theater lured them to Rave Motion Pictures 18 in Hurst, where a line for tickets wound around the lobby."We stay inside and enjoy air conditioning," Mark Thornton said. "It seems like we're not doing much these days."Some have found solace in the dark coolness of bowling alleys like Cowtown Bowling Palace in Fort Worth, which bills itself as the home of the $2 frozen margarita. Employees can hardly keep the margarita machines full, said Mike Velasco, who is in charge of the alley's marketing and promotions.The bowling alley, where the thermostat is set at a crisp 69 to 72 degrees, is busier this summer than usual, Velasco said. Day-care and church groups have called at the last minute to check on availability because the heat has forced them to cancel trips to parks or zoos.Velasco said he always makes sure to include words like cool or cold in the bowling alley's advertisements and fliers."You walk in from the outside, and that blast of cold air hits you," Velasco said. "It feels good."Sarah Bahari, 817-390-7056Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
