Back-to-back scorchers Sunday and Monday inspired me to start with a reminder to just drink water. Without calories, sugar, or caffeine, it keeps us hydrated, which helps us feel good and not get sick in the heat. Water may pale in taste to other options, but your body would always vote for it.

Ever been dehydrated due to illness or not taking the time to replenish with water? It’s quite unpleasant, as is the IV you may need at the ER to get hydrated.

Keeping cool with water is a summertime must, like sunscreen, tick checks and one more thing – helmets – on the road or on the trail.

Helmets are the other kind of cool, the kind that shows you care about your brain and your family who depends on it.

Horseback riding, cycling. four-wheeling and motorcycling are all activities people get so experienced at and comfortable with, they may feel they don’t need a helmet. Or it could be they value their freedom and don’t want to be told they should wear one. If that’s you, I support you. I just wouldn’t want to be you if the unexpected happens, as it does every year in Maine, sometimes even in Lincoln County, as our pages and websites have reported over the years.

Helmets can be hot. They also make the worst hairdressers. But I’ll take silly-looking and sweaty anytime over the increased likelihood I won’t know who I am or anyone else is as people try to keep me alive and bring me back to being me.

Some accidents are so bad, they may kill you with or without a helmet. But a helmet can help, a lot. Consider wearing one, for those who want you to always be you.