Thread: Let's Bitch About the Weather! Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.
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Posted by comet (# 10353) on
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so, if I have this straight...
the middle and eastern US are freezing solid (I assume same for Canada, but Canadians don't seem to complain quite so much about it. get with the program, neighbors!)
the UK and Ireland are under water.
Australia is hotter than Satan's crotch.
And here in my little corner of paradise, it's warmed up and is raining on top of our impressive snow accumulation, which means avalanche warnings and me chipping ice when I'd much rather be a lazy ass.
to spare people in other threads where I've been cranky about the weather, I thought it was time for a dedicated space. Plus, Wodders can pop in and gloat about his perfect conditions and we can all hate on him openly.
So, do tell, how much does it suck where you are?
Posted by churchgeek (# 5557) on
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It doesn't suck at all where I am, but we are in a state of drought. Which sucks because the rest of the country would probably be more than happy to lend us a bit of their various forms of precipitation. Some kind of balance would be nice.
Posted by Suze (# 5639) on
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It sucks here, high wind and heavy rain for longer than I care to think. I'm tired of listening to the roof tiles moving around because we can't get anyone up to fix he damn thing because its too windy.
Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on
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It sucks here because my husband is housebound and antsy and driving everybody else crazy. Where's the freakin' hammer?
Also, my everloving ... cancel that, I just got a phone call from working telling me not to come in tomorrow. It's a first in XXX history. Normally they make you wait to find out at 6 a.m. on the day in question.
Posted by Barefoot Friar (# 13100) on
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Doesn't suck here. Alabama is about to get the coldest weather since 1996, but I don't care. I'm going hunting in the morning. And maybe the morning after.
Posted by Rosa Winkel (# 11424) on
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Here in Poland it's usually cold now, somewhere in the minus figures, averaging -5 or going as far as -12 (in my experience).
Today not only did I only wear my standard jacket with no hat or gloves, but at times I had it open. It's bloody warm here, very unnaturally so. We've had no snow yet. It's freaking me out.
Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on
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Depends on the day. Yesterday was miserable! Cold, spitting rain all day, and gloomy. Today it was sunny, and about 80 degrees.
Tuesday morning we're to be prepared for frost.
My orchids have to come into the house I guess.
Why can't it just be low 55 and high 75 all Winter long? After suffering through August, we deserve it!!!!
Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on
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Okay, I will take up the challenge as a Canadian. We went out to our cabin for a week after Christmas. The idea was to ski. And we did on the warm days. Warm = higher than -30°C (-22°F). The lowest it got to was -42.4°C (same thing in °F). Thankfully it generally is still, clear and not windy -40 days.
Wind chill in the open was -40 to about -60°C depending on the day. Today it was -55°C wind chill.
We got about a foot of snow, which may not sound significant, except with the wind it piles into drifts. Had to dig out from about 6 or 7 feet after blizzard on Friday. Fun driving through them on the highway. Not.
Thankfully the cars started. If you don't know what plugging a car in is, and you don't have a block heater cord coming out the front of your car, you haven't a clue about real cold. And if you don't have booster cables, don't know about 5w30 and 0 weight motor oil, never used gasline antifreeze.
Hell, if you never spat up in the air and it froze before it hit the ground. And don't be peeing outside in this weather, pee before heading out, and do it inside. Because the cold freezes the pee coming out of you and then solidly freezes your heiny or tallywhacker, the later will then shatter if you shake it. Then you have to get a strapadictomy operation.
So I don't know, I hear about all these cold places, even saw a thing on buttbook which said Whinypeg, Manitoba was colder than the north pole, but so what, we were colder than them.
[ 05. January 2014, 21:34: Message edited by: no prophet ]
Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on
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I KNEW a Canadian would pop up to, er, take the piss out of me.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
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with all of our crazy storming and snow and ice and wind and general snot-like weather, I still remember my ten years in Fairbanks, and give thanks every day that I don't have to cope with conditions like no-proph.
and yes, I have cords sticking out of the front of my cars. in fact, when I first visited the L48 as an adult, I thought something was wrong because they didn't have block heater cords. I thought they were standard.
I have plugged the car in once this winter. and I probably didn't need to.
Posted by Net Spinster (# 16058) on
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I'm a bit south of Churchgeek (I think), as she said we are short of rain (and snow in the mountains) though otherwise I had a nice lunch outside in the sun. We also shipped our local football team off to play the Packers and hope they come back unfrozen (along with any devout local fans).
I have plenty of relatives back in England and Scotland though fairly ok so far (one set does farm in the former bog between the Teith and the Forth so their rain isn't helping them).
Posted by Charlie-in-the-box (# 17954) on
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The weather sucks enormous dick here in Michigan. I am between Flint and Lapeer and I think I'm going to die in my tiny apartment. I just started a game on Facebook, "How deep is your snow". I'm at 14 inches here. The only time I want to see a number that big is not when it's snow, if you get my "drift" (OK that was bad).
I have horrible arthritis so this is NOT my weather. And to bitch even more, my ass hat employer always posts, "Staff to report" like I'm going to drive through 14 inches of snow. Then there's a cold wind coming in that is supposed to freeze everything into a damn sheet of glass. I'm serious, they are saying that you could suffer severe frostbite and/or possible death. OK so my employer wants to suck what?! I can take a personal day but the fact that they hate us this much should say a lot.
They have closed I-69 --the freeway near me--due to too many accidents and the road crew had to shut down until morning. So....have I mentioned that I hate winter worse than a case of the shits? I hate snow, I hate winter, and I hate anyone who likes it. How's that for bitching? If you don't like my attitude, drive here and slap me. I dare ya. Oh, and two days ago, there was black ice and a semi driver went over the the guardrail on an overpass and the trailer snapped off and spilled crude oil all over the road underneath and it burst into a fireball. This is 3/4 mile from my apartment. This was an overpass that was less than 2 years old. It damaged it but they won't close it. The road under it is closed and the driver is fine. If I stand outside I can smell CRUDE OIL. So if the snow doesn't kill me the poisoned air will. Eat shit work, I'm calling in.
[ 05. January 2014, 23:11: Message edited by: Charlie-in-the-box ]
Posted by Anglican_Brat (# 12349) on
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How apropos. Tomorrow, I will leave the paradise of the Pacific Northwest, a 21st century Eden as long as it doesn't rain, and head to Toronto, which according to the weather will be -20 with the windchill on Tuesday.
Why am I doing it? Because God has a funny sense of humor, placing my dearly beloved seminary in the middle of a snow storm.
Posted by quetzalcoatl (# 16740) on
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I was chatting to a guy in Galway, who said they've had 11 storms, force 10 or 11 since mid-December, plus a small hurricane, and one day the sea came a km inland, into the small town.
Is this the Day after Tomorrow? Maybe it's the Global Ocean Conveyor just giving us a teeny warning.
Posted by Charlie-in-the-box (# 17954) on
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I was thinking about the Day After Tomorrow when they said all our snow would be hit with a freezing wind that was capable of frost bite and/or death.
Posted by art dunce (# 9258) on
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I spent the day on Manresa State beach. My son did some body surfing since it was sunny and 75 and he's impervious to the cold water and I read a book, collected sand dollars and made vitamin D.
ETA ; Then I took my daughter to buy a big down coat on sale since she's going to college on then east coast next fall
[ 06. January 2014, 00:46: Message edited by: art dunce ]
Posted by St Deird (# 7631) on
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Melbourne, in January. Should be 30 degrees and sunny.
Actually? 17 degrees and pissing down with rain. I am huddled in my cold house, wondering where the summer went.
Posted by The5thMary (# 12953) on
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"Hotter than Satan's crotch". Oh, I nearly spit my doctored Diet Coke all over my laptop. Thanks, comet! I see this in the quotes file.
Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on
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Here in central Arizona we're only supposed to go up to 68F on Thursday -- we've been reaching a little over 70F the past week or so. If that's not bad enough, we may face increasing clouds and a chance of rain Thursday and Friday. Life is pretty tough!
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
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quote:
Originally posted by comet:
...Plus, Wodders can pop in and gloat about his perfect conditions and we can all hate on him openly...
I needed a thin cotton blanket last night but no need for sweat shirt and trousers and no need to switch on the ceiling fan either. This morning dawned bright and fair - not a cloud in the sky, a slight zephyr of a breeze and temperatures in the high 20s Celsius - say around 80 and a bit more in old money.
Is that enough to make you all hate me?
Good.
I'll do another report later.
Posted by The5thMary (# 12953) on
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It's been pretty damn cold in the Atlanta, GA area this past week and it's supposed to be wretchedly cold for the next few days. We have had our furnace going full blast at night but trying to keep warm in other ways during the day. Tuesday's high is only supposed to be 8 degrees Fahrenheit! And the low... ohh, I don't even want to think about it. I truly hate cold weather but on the other hand, I've noticed my back, knees, and other bones aren't hurting as much and it's easier to walk around than the summer time. Weird. Shouldn't it be just the opposite for someone with Fibromyalsia and arthritis?
Posted by Net Spinster (# 16058) on
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Admittedly most of the people hardest hit are the homeless. At least five have died in my county in the last few weeks from the cold including one in my town. I know one homeless person who was glad it was dry since he had sufficient blankets but no roof (I believe he has since found a shed). On a particularly cold night in early December the bus I was on had an unplanned stop as the bus driver picked up someone running; someone the driver knew and I suspect someone homeless who was planning to ride an all night bus that night (or else ride the bus to one of the few shelters) judging by the conversation.
I can't imagine how the homeless are doing in places like Atlanta (Monday and Tuesday with a predicted high of 24F) which are getting far colder than normal weather.
Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on
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I'd back Wodders up, but I've got a winter cold because it was so cold yesterday morning when I went to church. It must have been 20C, and I forgot to slip on winter clothing (aka a teeshirt). Local kids were wearing hoodies and shivering.
Posted by Mamacita (# 3659) on
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We got another foot of snow dumped on us last night/this morning. To get to church this morning (my job), I had to blast the car through the two-foot berm of icy snow formed by the municipal plows that come down the alley. That fun exercise where you have to rock the car backwards and forwards until you can put it in reverse and floor it, all the while calling on the Almighty in unorthodox fashion. Then I got to come home and shovel the newest foot of snow from my sidewalk and attempt to shovel a path back into my parking spot, while the temps started to plummet.
I should add that all the while I'm kicking myself for giving my snow blower to my nephew last summer, because I was so certain I would have sold my house by now.
Tomorrow's high is predicted as -15F with wind chills of at least 30 below. The rural and outlying areas to the west of Chicago, as well as northern Indiana, have driving warnings -- basically, stay off the roads unless you're an emergency vehicle.
The high-twenties forecast for next weekend looks downright balmy.
Posted by Huia (# 3473) on
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It was around 25c here today and I went swimming in a river it was wonderful. As I sat on a rock in the middle of the river I thought of my brother, currently in New York - that will teach him not to leave home
Huia
[ 06. January 2014, 04:50: Message edited by: Huia ]
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
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Oooo.... I think Charlie-in-a-box is a keeper.
Welcome to Hell, sunshine. You're with Your People now.
PS- Weasel and Uncle Pete- kiss my ass. Scoot over and don't pay attention to the icy toes under your butts.
[ 06. January 2014, 05:10: Message edited by: comet ]
Posted by Charlie-in-the-box (# 17954) on
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I hate all of you who are enjoying sunshine Actually I'm toying with leaving this state, even if I have to quit my job and sell shells I pick up on the beach.
Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Charlie-in-the-box:
I hate all of you who are enjoying sunshine Actually I'm toying with leaving this state, even if I have to quit my job and sell shells I pick up on the beach.
Don't hate, sweetie, think of the dosh your saving on sunscreen. And driving with the top down all the time is murder on the car interior.
Posted by Charlie-in-the-box (# 17954) on
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Thanks Comet!! I have 6 foot drifts on my patio--they look like white ocean waves. I wish I could show them to you.
I wish they would MELT!
Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
I needed a thin cotton blanket last night but no need for sweat shirt and trousers and no need to switch on the ceiling fan either. This morning dawned bright and fair - not a cloud in the sky, a slight zephyr of a breeze and temperatures in the high 20s Celsius - say around 80 and a bit more in old money.
Is that enough to make you all hate me? [...]
Wait. Not even flies? Mozzies? Roaches? Snakes? Poison frogs? Canetoads? Tigers? Hyenas? Archaeopteryxes? Brachylophosauri canadensii?
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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quote:
Originally posted by comet:
Oooo.... I think Charlie-in-a-box is a keeper.
(after reading a bit of her blog) TOTALLY. AGREE.
Posted by Charlie-in-the-box (# 17954) on
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Thanks Kelly. Can I send Satan to scare the shit out of someone or is that outside of what we can do on here?
Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on
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quote:
Originally posted by comet:
Oooo.... I think Charlie-in-a-box is a keeper.
A what?? Is Charlie-in-the box another Alaskan?
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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Well, He'd have to read the 10'c and FAQ's like anyone else around here-- I don't give a shit what trans-dimensional vortex he's beamed down from-- but other than that, go crazy.
[For the joke impaired, this is not an official post.)
Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Charlie-in-the-box:
Thanks Kelly. Can I send Satan to scare the shit out of someone or is that outside of what we can do on here?
While there are board guidelines and the 10C's (two of which are suspended in Hell) one can say pretty much what one likes, subject to avoiding copyright violations and other risks of legal action (which I'm twitchy about).
You may find the TICTH (Today I Consign to Hell) thread useful for one-off rants and curses. Once they are there, who knows what Satan will do to them. Start at the Commination Against Sinners and work on from there.
ETA I see you've found it!
[ 06. January 2014, 07:28: Message edited by: Sioni Sais ]
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
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Hopefully in about an hour it will be cool enough for Pete and I to go for an evening walk - even in January it is too hot in the afternoon for us to do that.
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on
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I'm on one of the bits of Britain still above water - though the rain is making spirited efforts to fix that. But, by and large, cold, wet, windy and par for the course.
Posted by Meg the Red (# 11838) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
quote:
Originally posted by comet:
Oooo.... I think Charlie-in-a-box is a keeper.
(after reading a bit of her blog) TOTALLY. AGREE.
Seconded/thirded/fourthed
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on
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This morning (7.15) I was woken by a tremendous clattering, and a view from the window totally obscured by white. It lasted less than a minute. Investigation revealed that it WASN'T hail. At least there was none on the ground. The squall shows up on the Met Office records as a tasteful pink with white sparkles, which means it couldn't be worse.
The sun is now shining. I can put the dishwasher on.
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on
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Flood warnings in force and the water levels have been slowly rising throughout the county this morning with some roads filling up nicely. Hopefully it won't get onto the railway tracks like last time: if it does, it'll cause major disruption to the cross-country routes. Unfortunately the line is pretty much next to the canal in some places.
quote:
Originally posted by Penny S:
The sun is now shining. I can put the dishwasher on.
And then you can hang the plates out to dry afterwards.
Posted by Moo (# 107) on
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Here's something for those of you who want something to do while you wait for it to warm up.
Moo
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on
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Solar panels.
Posted by Charlie-in-the-box (# 17954) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
quote:
Originally posted by comet:
Oooo.... I think Charlie-in-a-box is a keeper.
A what?? Is Charlie-in-the box another Alaskan?
You'd think so right??? No I'm in imprisoned in Michigan by a sadistic employer who increases the suffering every time I adjust to their latest abuses.
Posted by Charlie-in-the-box (# 17954) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Meg the Red:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
quote:
Originally posted by comet:
Oooo.... I think Charlie-in-a-box is a keeper.
(after reading a bit of her blog) TOTALLY. AGREE.
Seconded/thirded/fourthed
Thanks so much everybody! I just found this site after being treated like garbage and kicked off two other sites by people who are (say this sarcastically) so much holier than I will ever be...well if that's holy then they can have it. Thanks for that welcome. It's so fitting that I would like hell the best.
Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on
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Sent a Happy New Years message to cousin in tropical parts telling her I hoped she wasn't too hot (and only being slightly sarcastic,) it being summer where she is . Turns out it's cyclone season. If it's not one thing, it's t'other
Posted by quetzalcoatl (# 16740) on
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But on Wednesday, oh happy day, the weather is supposed to be calming down in the UK, after weeks of storms, gales, floods, and other chastenings. I called a roofer the other day, after some slates went pinging off the roof, and we stood there in a howling gale, and he said, somewhat wryly, 'well, I'm not sure when I'll be able to climb up there'. I was well pleased with that example of stoic Norfolk wit.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Hopefully in about an hour it will be cool enough for Pete and I to go for an evening walk - even in January it is too hot in the afternoon for us to do that.
yeah, my 8-year old cousin and I were running around Sonoma in short sleeves yesterday, he barefoot and in shorts, and complaining that his teacher was forcing him to wear long pants to school. We walked the family dog along a sparking sunlit stream, and I actually had to drink iced coffee at Peet's to enjoy the al fresco dining fully.
I'll get back to you in August, when we are waiting to flush the toilet till the third use.
[ 06. January 2014, 20:37: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on
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Will be spending the evening thawing pipes that have frozen, hopefully not burst or cracked, that provide water to one of the bathrooms. Joy.
Posted by basso (# 4228) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
I'll get back to you in August, when we are waiting to flush the toilet till the third use.
If we don't get some rain soon, that's gonna be in about April.
Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on
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The weather here warmed up, but, I gather, only temporarily and the real cold will hit tomorrow. We had rain this morning that melted most of the snow, so hopefully even if we get the predicted subzero cold we won't be icebound.
Posted by Leaf (# 14169) on
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HOLY FUCKING SHIT IT IS COLD OUT
MINUS 51??? MINUS FUCKING 51??? WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?
AND HOW CAN IT BE SNOWING WHEN IT'S THIS FUCKING COLD
FUCK THIS
Time to start going south for the winter.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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Oh, quit whining and go blow bubbles.
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
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Cycled into and around town this morning but stopped on the way back to sit in the shade for a while and drink a cold bottle of soda water. It is not too bad in the morning but from about now [13.??] to about 16.30 it gets a bit too warm. I can do it and have done it but it is not much fun.
Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on
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It's still coolish in the morning too. It felt like only 25c at 7 am.
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on
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quote:
Originally posted by basso:
If we don't get some rain soon, that's gonna be in about April.
Have some of ours. We've got lots and can easily spare some.
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on
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The Beeb on the tv has just pointed out that it is currently less cold at the South Pole than in Montana.
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Penny S:
The Beeb on the tv has just pointed out that it is currently less cold at the South Pole than in Montana.
Gosh, how shocking. It's almost like that place had seasons.
Posted by PataLeBon (# 5452) on
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Really news people, really....
It's -45 in Montana, 7 in Atlanta, and 27 here, but you have to point out that it's FREEZING in Miami with a low of...51??
Seriously, we would love to have that as a low, and I'm sure many places would love to have that as a high.
Posted by Pyx_e (# 57) on
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I don't mind wind and I don't mind rain and I am not a fair weather biker but these unending storms are making me sad. When I do go out on my bike I feel like a leaf in the (wet) wind. I'm getting to old for this shit.
Fly Safe, Pyx_e
Posted by MSHB (# 9228) on
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Well, it's been pretty cold here in Sydney too - I had to change out of my shorts into longer trousers because it is only 18C (about 65F) when it was closer to 30C (about 85F) the other day. January should be a hot month - it can go over 40C in Sydney (about 105F) - so 18C is a bit nippy.
If it gets any colder, I'll have to put on something over my T-shirt.
No sign of Satan's crotch here.
Posted by Siegfried (# 29) on
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Here in NE Tallahassee, FLORIDA, it was 19.9F at 7:30 this morning. It is now up to a balmy 21.3F.
Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on
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An Aussie visiting Ohio... -21.c. Windchill -25.
Just a bit chillier than summer back in my home state of Australia.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
quote:
Originally posted by basso:
If we don't get some rain soon, that's gonna be in about April.
Have some of ours. We've got lots and can easily spare some.
Oh, if only.
I hate droughts. Hate them.Every time we have extreme rain or flooding around here, I tell myself, "Least it's not a drought."
Posted by Moo (# 107) on
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At least you're not stuck on a train.
Moo
Posted by Palimpsest (# 16772) on
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In other news, about 40 people have complained on Twitter. They saw a weather man do a "Throw the boiling water into the -15 air and see snow" trick but threw the boiling water upwind and got injured.
Kids don't try this at home.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
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heard about that.
Hil-LAR-ious!
Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on
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The BBC is reporting this morning that Hell (Michigan) has frozen over.
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
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The weather is definitely warming up here - the last two afternoon I have had to put the fan on when haing my post-prandial nap.
Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on
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At the moment its sunny.
We had some sun yesterday, although the wind was fierce.
But the sight of the mighty Severn was breathtaking: tide coming in against the flood coming downriver meant a mini-bore. And behind that the main channel full of white-capped wavelets.
Yes destructive but also beautiful.
Posted by Hebdom (# 14685) on
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quote:
Originally posted by St Deird:
Melbourne, in January. Should be 30 degrees and sunny.
Actually? 17 degrees and pissing down with rain. I am huddled in my cold house, wondering where the summer went.
Actually, maximum today in Melbourne was 42.8. Forecast for tomorrow, Thursday and Friday: 41, 41, 42 (degrees Celsius). As the old joke about the teacher arriving at the pearly gates goes, Hell? You've had hell on earth already.
Posted by Left at the Altar (# 5077) on
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42.8 And the fricking power has been off for 4 hours.
Posted by bib (# 13074) on
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Expecting 40C tomorrow which isn't much fun when you are running a temperature as a result of coming down with viral pneumonia- not supposed to happen in Summer in Australia and especially on my birthday! Can't even go for a swim to cool off as doctor has decreed no. Think I'd better take out the smallest violin in the world and play a sad song.
Posted by Meg the Red (# 11838) on
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Smallest violin? Are you kidding? bib, you have my deepest sympathy - I Could.Not.Endure. 40 degrees, let alone with a fever. Hell, at 35 degrees I'm actively homicidal.
Get well soon
Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on
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At around the age of eight I lived in North Africa and the recorded (shade) temperature peaked at around 111F, which is about 44C. Moving around was physically unpleasant, even for a eight year old, when it got over about 105F and school lessons were stopped when it got too hot (especially in our tin huts), but for my Dad, who occasionally had to fix Her Majesty's aeroplanes in that heat, it must have been a whole lot worse.
Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on
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It's around 40C/100F here, and it will rain at 3:30pm. The same as every day.
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
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It never gets much above 35C here - above 37/38even I begin to feel a little uncomfortable. We're now in the dry season and will be lucky to see rain before April or May.
Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on
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Here next to the Amazon it is always rainy season, though at some times it is heavier than others (the heavier rains started this week; I already got soaked yesterday).
In the morning, the water vapour starts to rise from the river and the forest, building up to a rain storm at 3:30pm (3 hours from now; clouds are already getting thick). It is so regular that people plan to meet eachother by saying: "I'll see you tomorrow, after the rain."
Posted by Hebdom (# 14685) on
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45 degrees forecast in Adelaide today.
For those of you snowbound:
Scorcher
Posted by Hebdom (# 14685) on
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Happy birthday, Bib!
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
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Oi! Get those fluffy sentiments and spinning smileys out of here!
Posted by Meg the Red (# 11838) on
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I wish the weather here would make up its tiny mind. It is the middle of January, when one might reasonably expect it to be rather coolish. It freaking rained last night, and the temp has risen overnight to +8. No prob; I can just haul out the light spring coat. Except it's going to cool down all day to -1 with high winds, so I don't know which temperature to dress for. Thank God for layers (outside) and pit zips (on overheated buses). And a great big middle digit to dumbass drivers who speed through slush puddles as they pass pedestrians: may ravenous potholes eat your axles.
Oh, and Orfeo,
Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on
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The weather in Japan was perfect. An average -2C during the day with lots of powdery snowfall made for skiing.
The weather in Indonesia was even better. An average of 30C give or take a few with lovely humid rainstorms.
Now I'm back home from holidays. Thankfully Satan's crotch is no longer so hot. Perhaps she got laid.
Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on
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Chinook has struck. Melty temps with howling wind. To give way over night to a forecast 25° drop and everyone falling down an busting hips and cars.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
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similar here, NP, only it's pretty standard for our neck of the north. our impressive snowberms are down to subpressive and everything is drippy and slick and howly. on the plus side, I've put up the shoepacks for now and am back to wearing hikers.
the rain and snow dumps on the roof are likely to drive me insane.
Posted by RuthW (# 13) on
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What's weather?
(Today the high in La La Land was 85F. )
Posted by Left at the Altar (# 5077) on
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Well, it's 44ºC here now, which is effing hot (111.2ºF). The gardener at my daughter's (former) school collapsed and died of heatstroke yesterday.
They've postponed matches on the outside courts at the Australian Open, which they pretty well never do. I suspect it would be well over 50 on court.
Expected minimum tonight is 26ºC. I suspect it will still be in the high thirties at 3am.
In short, it is bloody awful.
Posted by Patdys (# 9397) on
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Preach it sister. And rolling friggin power blackouts.
It is a parboiled bitch.
Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by RuthW:
What's weather?
(Today the high in La La Land was 85F. )
Seems legit.
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
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I look forward to this thread dying around the next equinox.
Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on
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/tangent
Odd word equinox.
I mean really, what does a horsey cow have to do with astrology?
/end tangent
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
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Evensong, leave before I drop a lyre on your head with terminal velocity as a means of increasing the world's average pun-making ability.
Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on
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Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Left at the Altar:
Well, it's 44ºC here now, which is effing hot (111.2ºF).
Hmm, considers the 88° difference between our recent temp extremes, and wonders about the frozen fish that will be baked from frozen for supper. Hits head on frozen wall, considers resuming sniffing glue, but has a cup of tea (hot) instead.
Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on
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Rain is lashing down here: can't get across the garden and a preliminary testing of the route to church doesn't look good...
But I've a roof over my head, food in the freezer and store cupboard andan efficient heating system.
I just wish it didn't look like 5pm at noon...
Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on
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......all this water.....all this bloody water......
Ian J.
Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on
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Just paid out nearly £40 to have a wheel rim bashed back into shape and small puncture fixed.
Potholes are so bad in this area that my independent tyre service have got an old chap out of retirement and all he does all day is sort out wheel rims and re-balance tyres - so much call for it they've even reduced the price!
Meanwhile, local council says that unless you can "prove" which pothole it was that caused your problem they won't accept liability - they want photos and witness statement(s)
Posted by piglet (# 11803) on
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This morning it was +12°C here, and socks were temporarily discarded. Now it's +1°C.
Posted by quetzalcoatl (# 16740) on
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We have just got used to rain every day now. We are worried about the water table, as if it keeps rising, all the septic tanks will start backing up. Not nice. My neighbour has a pump inside his, and at a moment's notice, pumps excess water into the hedge. No doubt this is illegal.
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on
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Had to pass through a puddle which had swelled to a floodlet this evening. The RAC man who had come to the woman who had driven through the deep side advised me to turn round, but it was a lane, with a line of non-reversers behind me and no turning spots, and a car coming through towards me. And dark. Managed OK having seen that that car did so.
And it was a pointless journey - to John Lewis, the only local supplier of Anchor Stranded embroidery yarn, as my embroidery kit had run out of one colour. Which was the only colour missing on the stand.
Posted by Taliesin (# 14017) on
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Driving to London tomorrow, so I hope they've managed to reopen some roads. Sussex was basically sub-aqua today.
Posted by Socratic-enigma (# 12074) on
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quote:
Originally posted by comet:
Australia is hotter than Satan's crotch.
...and the chafing is a bitch!
S-E
Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on
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Halifax is expecting a NE blizzard, with snow between 20-30 cm. Wind gusts up to 110 km/h. Business as usual with some caution.
Washington DC is expecting a light dusting of snow and has already shut itself down.
Posted by Palimpsest (# 16772) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Socratic-enigma:
quote:
Originally posted by comet:
Australia is hotter than Satan's crotch.
...and the chafing is a bitch!
S-E
The current situation in Australia reminds me of a General Sherman saying about Texas;
quote:
If I owned Hell and Texas, I'd live in Hell and rent out Texas.
Posted by Sober Preacher's Kid (# 12699) on
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It was -20C here today. It will be the same tomorrow. That's just a tad nippy. I'd push Pete into the Rideau Canal for his smug comments from India but the canal's frozen so he'd just roll across the ice.
My car is plugged in at least.
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
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Recharging the battery?
Posted by Arabella Purity Winterbottom (# 3434) on
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Supposed to be summer here and instead we've had a pattern of rain, rain, rain, gale force wind, beautiful sunshine, rain, wind, beautiful sunshine, rain and gale force wind, earthquake, rain, overcast and muggy, rain.....
Admittedly, Wellington is a bit unreliable all year round, but this is ridiculous.
Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Recharging the battery?
Keeping it warm so that it does not freeze.
Posted by cheesymarzipan (# 9442) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Arabella Purity Winterbottom:
Supposed to be summer here and instead we've had a pattern of rain, rain, rain, gale force wind, beautiful sunshine, rain, wind, beautiful sunshine, rain and gale force wind, earthquake, rain, overcast and muggy, rain.....
Admittedly, Wellington is a bit unreliable all year round, but this is ridiculous.
Sounds like summer in UK/Ireland but with more sunshine and earthquakes
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on
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This has been the shittest Winter I've known. Wind, rain, rain, wind and neither hide nor hair of snow. Utter crap. Like a 4 month November.
[ 22. January 2014, 11:51: Message edited by: Karl: Liberal Backslider ]
Posted by Siegfried (# 29) on
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And down we go again! We had a low of 28F this morning. High today will be 48F. Low tonight, 24F. and it'll be like this through the weekend.
This is Florida!
Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on
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Sissies. -30°C this morning. No big deal. Grow-up. Be real women and men. Being a weirdo Canadian, the dog and I sang "I am Woman Hear Me Roar" (youtube is your friend, and you win if you can name the singer without looking it up) into the howling wind at 5:30 a.m. this morning on our walky.
She peed, I didn't.
Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on
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In all the long history of the VW diesel Golf, they only ever made one model that you couldn't fit an engine block heater to. I have one. It was -25ºC again this morning. #@$!*^%@$# it! It's a nice day, though; bright and sunny - hardly any wind. The cat even went out for a stroll, but he's already been neutered, and no harm was done.
Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Stercus Tauri:
In all the long history of the VW diesel Golf, they only ever made one model that you couldn't fit an engine block heater to. I have one. It was -25ºC again this morning. #@$!*^%@$# it! It's a nice day, though; bright and sunny - hardly any wind. The cat even went out for a stroll, but he's already been neutered, and no harm was done.
Must be a specific model. We had one with a block heater in the past, 1999 model if memory serves.
Look for an inline coolant or antifreeze heater. It circulates the antifreeze through a heating element. If you decide to self-install, do it somewhere warm, and engine must be cold, not warm at all for fear of burning you with hot coolant. These go usually out of the radiator before the block. example, from ebay
Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by no prophet:
quote:
Originally posted by Stercus Tauri:
In all the long history of the VW diesel Golf, they only ever made one model that you couldn't fit an engine block heater to. I have one. It was -25ºC again this morning. #@$!*^%@$# it! It's a nice day, though; bright and sunny - hardly any wind. The cat even went out for a stroll, but he's already been neutered, and no harm was done.
Must be a specific model. We had one with a block heater in the past, 1999 model if memory serves.
Look for an inline coolant or antifreeze heater. It circulates the antifreeze through a heating element. If you decide to self-install, do it somewhere warm, and engine must be cold, not warm at all for fear of burning you with hot coolant. These go usually out of the radiator before the block. example, from ebay
It's a 2004 TDI - not the finest they ever made. The FrostHeater and similar in-line heaters are good, so I've heard, but you have to install them in a part of the coolant circuit that isn't isolated by the thermostat when cold - definitely not a radiator hose, as some of them specify.
Now for an item that is more genuinely Hellish. The whole windscreen washer system, back and front, froze solid last time it was -25ºC. Some s**t brained idiot had filled it from a container of fluid that said in small - but not all that small - print, "Summer". Made worse by the fact that the idiot was me.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
:
it's not as good as a block heater, but if you (like me) have an engine with no room for the heater, combining an oil pan heater and battery blanket works just as well.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Stercus Tauri:
Some s**t brained idiot had filled it from a container of fluid that said in small - but not all that small - print, "Summer". Made worse by the fact that the idiot was me.
so you'll be sorting that out in the spring, then.
Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
This has been the shittest Winter I've known. Wind, rain, rain, wind and neither hide nor hair of snow. Utter crap. Like a 4 month November.
And there was me thinking it's been a brilliant winter so far. No snow and not too cold - perfect . I've barely even had to wear my gloves .
Posted by Taliesin (# 14017) on
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The whole sodding country is pretty much aquatic. Not so much wellies and raincoat as aqua lung or boat. The dogs have forgotten what running on grass is supposed to be like, and having mud rubbed off them is the natural end to every walk.
I know old people hate snow, but come on .Marvin.
Posted by quetzalcoatl (# 16740) on
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Today was like a spring day. Birds a-singing, buds a-budding, magnolias about to ignite, cherry trees a-bloom, I even saw a black-headed gull with a black head, the saucy devil. Tra la, tra la. Sumer is icumen in. And mods, that translates as, 'my gusset is twisted something rotten'.
Posted by Sober Preacher's Kid (# 12699) on
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Now listen here you little pillock (aka quetzquoatl), I live a good deal south of you in terms of latitude, and it's -15C here. The only birds chirpin' are the chickadees who don't migrate, all the other birds with a lick of sense have gone South, and dammit I'm not one of them.
I hope you and your blooming spring freeze to death in the snow.
Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on
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In a deep freeze here with quite a few inches of snow from yesterday. I stayed home from work.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
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So I KNOW that I moved to the boreal rainforest. It says so in big letters all over the tin. I knew there would be a lot of precip. I knew the precip would be subject to change without notice. i knew it would be windy. I've even come to terms (okay, a little bit) with all the fucking ice.*
But! We have had approximately 11.5 HOURS of sun since November 15. I know, because I did the math. Because what the fuck else are you going to do when the act of going outside for firewood requires snowgear, raingear, cleats, ski poles and a shovel?
Dear universe: I'd like some sun. It's okay if that means cold. I'm good with cold. I like cold. Bring on the motherfucking cold.
Further, how does the natural system know how to just sit at the freezing point ex-fucking-zactly for THREE GODDAMN WEEKS?!? This means the precip is liquid but turns into concrete the minute it touches down and turns everything into snot. And and and...! Did you know that certain kinds of ice are actually sort of STICKY?!?
It's nice to have a break from shoveling, really. I'm happy to no longer be carving a tunnel to the front door. But I am over the chipping, and the scraping, and the post-holing, and going down hills in the car sideways, and wearing cleats/creepers EVERYWHERE**, and having so much moisture in the air that I now resemble that new disney character with the bow and the mane. (it's not Simba. But, you know, him, too)
So dear environment- either warm up enough that I can start running again or cool off enough so I can get some vitamin D and not risk my life going to the post office. Please and thank you.
*meaning I only have myself to blame.
**a visit to the grocery store has so many people in cleats it sounds like a tap dance recital.
PS- before any of you smug cold-weather assholes even start (looking at you, NP!) I spent a year on the Arctic coast and ten years in Fairbanks and another ten in rural interior AK and I have paid my dues. Shutthefuckup.
[ 22. January 2014, 20:06: Message edited by: comet ]
Posted by RuthW (# 13) on
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It's gorgeous here today (again) and I ate lunch at the diner next door out on their patio.
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
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quote:
Originally posted by no prophet:
(youtube is your friend, and you win if you can name the singer without looking it up) \
What do I win? A break from people bitching about things they have no control over (well, apart from the whole 'stop dumping your gaseous waste into the atmosphere' bit)?
Posted by Taliesin (# 14017) on
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How can Canada be south of the UK? Is my geography really that fucked up??
Posted by ken (# 2460) on
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Most of Canada is on the same latitude as
Britain, and some of its a lot further north. But the bit where everyone lives is south of here.
Posted by Sober Preacher's Kid (# 12699) on
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I live at 44 degrees north latitude. London, England is at 51 degrees north. Most Canadians live in the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Basin between the 41st and 49th Parallels or along a 200 km strip hugging the 49th Parallel.
The most southern point in Canada, Middle Island, Lake Erie, is at 41.7 degrees north, which is the same latitude as Rome, Italy. Windsor, ON and Detroit, MI are on the same latitude, more or less, as Florence.
London is on the same latitude as St. John's, Newfoundland and Calgary, Alberta.
Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on
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I've heard Britain described as 'a country on the latitude of Moscow whose inhabitants complain that they don't have the climate of Madrid'.
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
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I have to go to town now before it gets too hot for cycling to be comfortable.
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
This has been the shittest Winter I've known. Wind, rain, rain, wind and neither hide nor hair of snow. Utter crap. Like a 4 month November.
And there was me thinking it's been a brilliant winter so far. No snow and not too cold - perfect . I've barely even had to wear my gloves .
You like pissing rain and gales then?
Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
You like pissing rain and gales then?
More than I like homicidal ice patches and frostbite, yes.
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
You like pissing rain and gales then?
More than I like homicidal ice patches and frostbite, yes.
When I can make a rainman with coal eyes and a carrot nose, have a windball fight with the kids, and sledge on fog, then I'll agree.
Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
When I can make a rainman with coal eyes and a carrot nose, have a windball fight with the kids, and sledge on fog, then I'll agree.
Yeah, I have no particular desire to do any of those things with snow. Certainly not to the extent that they come anywhere near outweighing all the negative aspects of the bloody stuff.
To be honest, if weather was the only thing under consideration I'd have moved to Southern California years ago. Warm summer days all year round sounds like absolute bliss.
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
When I can make a rainman with coal eyes and a carrot nose, have a windball fight with the kids, and sledge on fog, then I'll agree.
Yeah, I have no particular desire to do any of those things with snow. Certainly not to the extent that they come anywhere near outweighing all the negative aspects of the bloody stuff.
To be honest, if weather was the only thing under consideration I'd have moved to Southern California years ago. Warm summer days all year round sounds like absolute bliss.
Rain and wind have the same negative aspects - can't get out on the bike, not much fun on the hills. Indeed, the hills are more fun under snow. And with a small degree of luck I get snowed in and can work from home.
California isn't "warm". In summer it's "far too fucking hot."
[ 23. January 2014, 10:28: Message edited by: Karl: Liberal Backslider ]
Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on
:
I don't ride a bike either. And I like hot weather.
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:
I don't ride a bike either. And I like hot weather.
Weird on two counts
Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on
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Only two? Cleaqrly I'm not trying hard enough...
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
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he was leaving out that whole "personality" part.
Posted by balaam (# 4543) on
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The weather is terrible here. The roads were all snarled up and nothing moving because we have had snow, not just a covering but a whole half inch. How will we ever survive?
Hopefully comet will be here to sympathise shortly.
[ 23. January 2014, 18:49: Message edited by: balaam ]
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
:
oh for fucks sake.
get out of your car and throw snowballs.
Posted by balaam (# 4543) on
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But it's too deep, it was a WHOLE HALF INCH!
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
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OMG WHERE'RE MY SNOWSHOES WHEN I NEED THEM?!?
Posted by RuthW (# 13) on
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The heavy morning fog burned off early and it looks perfectly lovely out, all sunny and nice, but it's not going to break 70F today. However will I survive?
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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Now you're doing it on purpose, Ruth.
Just remember, y'all get our water supply. we are getting winter brushfire warming up here. Brushfire warnings. In January. Yeah, lovely days at the beach, but we are in for deep shit.
And guess where So Cal gets its water!
Least y'all have cacti you can cut open down there. We'll probably have to start making dew collectors.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Now you're doing it on purpose, Ruth.
oh please. She has been all along. her and Woderick.
and no shame in that, somebody start a traffic thread and watch me smug the fuck out.
Posted by Deputy Verger (# 15876) on
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Point to Comet.
Posted by Deputy Verger (# 15876) on
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I'm refusing to gloat, resting on the side of gratitude that it has been amazingly mild so far and the magnolia is getting uppity for the time of year. I know all too well it can still take a massive turn for the worse before the whole show's over. Also, that this appears to be a little flood-free island, though some days only just.The river has been unusually high - they've deployed the Thames Barrier several times this winter, when some years it never gets any exercise.
So I am trying not to envy the tropicals while not gloating about the Arctics. The best thing about rain: two things, actually - you don't have to shovel it and it cuts down the number of tourists taking selfies outside Westminster station!
Posted by RuthW (# 13) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by comet:
somebody start a traffic thread and watch me smug the fuck out.
I'll be right there with you -- my commute is a whopping 1.8 miles and since the weather is so good, I can walk if I want.
Kelly, are you on water rationing yet? So far they're just talking about it down here.
Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on
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As an Aussie, travelling across the USA, on vacation, I am missing our summer, thankfully... And getting your winter.
And boy, am I getting it!
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by RuthW:
quote:
Originally posted by comet:
somebody start a traffic thread and watch me smug the fuck out.
I'll be right there with you -- my commute is a whopping 1.8 miles and since the weather is so good, I can walk if I want.
Kelly, are you on water rationing yet? So far they're just talking about it down here.
Not. Yet. But they keep evoking the drought of '76, which scares the piss out of me. Hygiene standards just disappeared up here.
Oh, And I will confirm that, having see it, RuthW's walk to work is gorgeous bordering idyllic. Think: a stroll along Main Street in Pleasantville. Wouldn't be surprised if she is currently twirling a lacy parasol on her way in the mornings.
[ 24. January 2014, 00:54: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
Posted by PataLeBon (# 5452) on
:
To add to the OMG the WORLD IS ENDING!!
Houston got maybe a 1/4 of an inch of ice. The city shut it self down....
(To be fair (HA!) we do live in a city of bridges and overpasses and the temp wasn't going to be over freezing until the PM)
It's been so warm the last few days nothing stuck to the surface roads, they are fine. It's just the normal idiots who can't drive in the rain. And HELL people, you live on the Gulf Coast, if you can't drive in the rain move to the desert!
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
I saw a great cartoon about that this morning. It showed a single snowflake hitting the street in downtown Houston and the people around it pretty much re- enacting The Rape of the Sabine Women.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
:
today, as I was having my second cuppa, I looked up at the mountains and a GIANT BALL OF FIRE rose above them into the sky! all us pale squinty creatures shrieked and ran outdoors and generally behaved like a dog who's found a dead salmon on the riverbank.
all is right with the world! I love you all!
(stay tuned. I'm sure the attitude will readjust to normal parameters, soon.)
[ 25. January 2014, 01:24: Message edited by: comet ]
Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on
:
I would appreciate a little rain to break the monotony of all this 35C sunshine.
Posted by Sober Preacher's Kid (# 12699) on
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I hope your motor scooter overheats.
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on
:
That was just round the block to get milk and the paper, and it's a complete change of the lower half, jacket over the radiator, and umbrella pretty much a write off. And the electric light on at 11am.
That is me INDOORS until such time as I see certifiable sunshine.
Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
And the electric light on at 11am.
Erm . . . in lieu of the gas lamp?
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
:
In lieu of the Sun, I would think.
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on
:
Sun, what is this sun? This afternoon we suddenly had a thunderstorm with torrential rain sending waves of water across the car park. Trees came down across railway lines, lightning struck in various places, and a flooding alert was issued. A second instalment is due tomorrow, apparently.
[ 25. January 2014, 21:01: Message edited by: Ariel ]
Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on
:
More snow today, enough to make everything slippery and dangerous. Feh.
Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Sun, what is this sun? This afternoon we suddenly had a thunderstorm with torrential rain sending waves of water across the car park. Trees came down across railway lines, lightning struck in various places, and a flooding alert was issued. A second instalment is due tomorrow, apparently.
I have read of the Sun in the legends of my people. How of old many went in search for it, and came at last to the land of Costadelsol wherein lies the fortress of the great king Ben Idorm. There the Sun blessed them, in token of which they returned to these shores, their faces stricken a shade of orange never afore seen, nor since.
'Tis said that the Sun but sleeps and one day will return, when England lies in direst need before the Deficiency of Vitamin D.
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
:
You can either move to a sensible latitude, or you can ensure the future of Neighbours and/or Home and Away for a couple more decades. Your choice.
EDIT: I mean, even Hobart would get you almost 10 degrees closer to the equator than London is. HOBART!
[ 26. January 2014, 02:56: Message edited by: orfeo ]
Posted by Sober Preacher's Kid (# 12699) on
:
What's wrong with Hobart?
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on
:
Who is Hobart and how quickly will he arrive?
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Sober Preacher's Kid:
What's wrong with Hobart?
Nothing, particularly. It's just the southernmost city in this particular Southern Hemisphere country. And it's still closer to the equator than half of Europe.
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
:
These are those who would say that the almost endless succession of bright, sunny days with nary a cloud in the sky is boring - I, however, am not one of them...
...though I think we would all welcome a little rain.
Posted by Lucia (# 15201) on
:
It's rather windy here today, however the sun is still shining. Can't complain, after all it's been a nice mild winter, I don't think that the temperature has been much below 10 deg C, and mostly more like the mid-teens. There hasn't been much rain which is nice for us although I daresay the farmers here would welcome a bit more.
All in all a pretty decent winter. I just thought I'd post here to keep Wodders company, in case he was feeling lonely...
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on
:
I currently have a surplus of rain to offer which would be of great benefit to those without, or anyone looking to quickly fill lakes, transform their local deserts, start a rice paddy in their back garden, etc. Also on offer this week is quite a lot of grey mist which could be very handy for concealing unattractive buildings, landscapes, people etc that you don't want to see.
We may be able to do a deal if you have something different to offer in exchange.
Posted by Lucia (# 15201) on
:
We can normally spare a little sunshine in return.
Posted by Net Spinster (# 16058) on
:
We could do with the rain as long as you can ensure delivery. However we don't need the mist. In exchange we can offer some warm weather (we have been breaking records here though since this is the middle of winter that means highs about 20C/70F). Half Moon Bay might also throw in some waves though they normally like keeping them (Mavericks competition was last Friday, 40 foot waves sure to impress the neighbors).
Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on
:
The weather here is just plain stupid.
Yesterday is went to a bloody hell death stundo +3°C and today we started at -27°C. And it did this last week as well, with a high of +4° and then plummeted to -33. Which is 1/2 of -66 which is Satan.
Ice covered by snow. God likes broken hips and FOOSH injuries*.
(*fall on outstretched hands, a real™ medical term ©)
Posted by Kyzyl (# 374) on
:
Effin' hell!?! For only the second time in my fifteen years here, Winona State University has cancelled classes due to weather. The first time was in 2000, and that was to allow students to help fill sand bags across the river in Fountain City, WI due to Mississippi River flooding.
We have snow covered roads, drifts, -10F temp and a wind chill of -40F. It was 29F above zero yesterday.
What have I learned from this winter? That an 86lb golden retriever can poop in under a minute if he has the incentive of blowing snow and wind chill.
Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on
:
It was actually above freezing for most of the day today! But that was just a teaser and tomorrow the cold comes back.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
Good news, LADWP! A storm is coming tomorrow!
Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on
:
Another bright sunny day. Nary a cloud in the sky.
Life here is so difficult. Just this morning we were complaining that the call to prayer happened before the temple chants started up, and confused our internal clocks no end!
And so cold that when we had a warming bowl of porridge, each, on the verandah, we kept our shirts on
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
:
MORE blue sky, MORE bright sunshine, MORE gentle zephyr of a breeze!
Will it never end?
Posted by RuthW (# 13) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Good news, LADWP! A storm is coming tomorrow!
They keep saying on the radio here that "there is talk of rain on Friday." What this means is that there will be at most enough water to make people think they need to wash their cars, which will use more water than we actually get in the storm.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
(grump) AccuWeather is telling me "Some showers" for Thursday. "Some showers." Kiss my ass, AccuWeather.
The Ghost of KenWritez has spoken to me, Ruth, and he says,"It's up to you California gals. You have to go out tomorrow at dawn and do a nekkid interpretative liturgical rain dance, or all is lost."
[ 28. January 2014, 03:46: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
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PLEASE do not put the video on Youtube™!
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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I listen to Ken, not you, buster.
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
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Okay then DO put the video on Youtube™!
eta: your Personal Penguin one was pretty darned good.
[ 28. January 2014, 05:47: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
Posted by piglet (# 11803) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
MORE blue sky, MORE bright sunshine, MORE gentle zephyr of a breeze!
Will it never end?
Not until the Rainy Season, no.
Posted by Barefoot Friar (# 13100) on
:
I can tell you from personal experience that the very best way to break a drought is to peel a roof off, particularly if there is underlying damage that will have to be repaired before the new roof can go on.
70% of the time, it works all the time. Much better than liturgical nude rain dances.
Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on
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But less entertaining.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Barefoot Friar:
70% of the time, it works all the time. Much better than liturgical nude rain dances.
I wanna see some data on that one. Where's the goddamn data?
Posted by basso (# 4228) on
:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
quote:
I wanna see some data on that one. Where's the goddamn data?
Give a bunny a little college education and she's got an attitude all of a sudden.
(More of an attitude, I mean.)
[the code! the code!]
[ 29. January 2014, 01:03: Message edited by: basso ]
Posted by Barefoot Friar (# 13100) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
quote:
Originally posted by Barefoot Friar:
70% of the time, it works all the time. Much better than liturgical nude rain dances.
I wanna see some data on that one. Where's the goddamn data?
If you can't find it, I'm certainly not going to spoon feed it to you.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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omigod, you just did a mousethief imitation. That's gotta earn you a Webby or something.
Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Barefoot Friar:
Much better than liturgical nude rain dances.
I am going to call you on this as well. Regardless of the percentage of success, peeling clothes will nearly always beat peeling a roof.
Posted by Barefoot Friar (# 13100) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
omigod, you just did a mousethief imitation. That's gotta earn you a Webby or something.
Meh. Accidental, I'm sure.
Posted by Barefoot Friar (# 13100) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by lilBuddha:
quote:
Originally posted by Barefoot Friar:
Much better than liturgical nude rain dances.
I am going to call you on this as well. Regardless of the percentage of success, peeling clothes will nearly always beat peeling a roof.
Certainly more entertaining, and often more educational.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
...
Either you took your roof off or Ruth did some nekkid dancing on her own, because the rain came earlier than expected.
Not much, but every little bit helps!
Posted by RuthW (# 13) on
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The LA Times: More than quarter inch of rain falls in San Gabriel Mountains.
Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on
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quote:
Originally posted by RuthW:
They keep saying on the radio here that "there is talk of rain on Friday." What this means is that there will be at most enough water to make people think they need to wash their cars, which will use more water than we actually get in the storm.
OTOH, washing your car is considered to be a sure-fire rain bringer. Perhaps we could get all Californian car owners to wash their cars on the same day? (Using low-water methods.)
Not that I would interfere with anyone called to perform a rain dance in their birthday suit--unless it caused a traffic jam.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
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...
is that a lot...?
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Golden Key:
Perhaps we could get all Californian car owners to wash their cars on the same day? (Using low-water methods.)
Like 35 cans of Wet Ones?
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
Comet, what I think Ruth is trying to convey, via sarcasm, is that God thumbed His nose at us with one hand and shook his dick dry over us with the other. In other words-- a pissing little trickle.
Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on
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This is Hell and y'all are pretty tolerant, but I think I will refrain from completing the slightly offensive, most probably blasphemous, jokes which skittered about the edges of my brain.
Thank you anyway, Kelly.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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Wasn't that a lovely image? I am so proud of myself.
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
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I spent Friday after work with some work friends in a bar/restaurant area of the city, in a leafy courtyard, as the summer sun lingered behind the building so that we were both warm and well shaded, sipping a fine Verdelho.
Just so you know.
Posted by The5thMary (# 12953) on
:
2 to 3 inches of snow in the Atlanta metro area and the whole damn area comes to a screeching halt. What a joke! People already think the South is backwards. This debacle isn't likely to change their minds. Hey, and what the hell is with us 'mericans that we are now naming every single little snow "event" or rainstorm with a name? Yes, folks, continue to marvel at the ridiculous coverage of Snowstorm Leon!
Leon? This is so stupid and tiring... Jesus wept.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
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panic is good for business! Terrified people are easy to control! if we give every storm a name, people will think it's going to kill them, and they'll panic, and do what we tell them, and buy useless shit! We'll name the storms, and we'll have special coverage, and we'll tell them over and over about how cold and snow can kill them!
and we'll laugh all the way to the fucking bank.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Comet, what I think Ruth is trying to convey, via sarcasm, is that God thumbed His nose at us with one hand and shook his dick dry over us with the other. In other words-- a pissing little trickle.
ah, good. I wasn't sure if I was meant to celebrate something that I'd consider a delicate moistening rather than rain.
Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by comet:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Comet, what I think Ruth is trying to convey, via sarcasm, is that God thumbed His nose at us with one hand and shook his dick dry over us with the other. In other words-- a pissing little trickle.
ah, good. I wasn't sure if I was meant to celebrate something that I'd consider a delicate moistening rather than rain.
Exactly the opposite of the weather today in South Wales. Rain to the bus stop, rain at the bus stop, rain from the bus stop to the office, rain from the office to the appointed place for Mrs Sioni to pick me up and take us to the Cardiff Park and Ride* where it was raining. Rained all day all round Cardiff.
*We think a "Park and Sail" might be in order.
Posted by balaam (# 4543) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by The5thMary:
Hey, and what the hell is with us 'mericans that we are now naming every single little snow "event" or rainstorm with a name?
We should do that with rain in Britain for rainstorms. Have we got to Z yet? (Except in Sioni land where they are still on A. It has to stop raining before you can move on to the next letter for the next storm.)
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Rain to the bus stop, rain at the bus stop, rain from the bus stop to the office, rain from the office to the appointed place for Mrs Sioni to pick me up and take us to the Cardiff Park and Ride* where it was raining. Rained all day all round Cardiff.
Heh.
Posted by RuthW (# 13) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by comet:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Comet, what I think Ruth is trying to convey, via sarcasm, is that God thumbed His nose at us with one hand and shook his dick dry over us with the other. In other words-- a pissing little trickle.
ah, good. I wasn't sure if I was meant to celebrate something that I'd consider a delicate moistening rather than rain.
I was amused that this mere moistening of the nearby mountains rated a headline.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
:
it's all relative. our headlines are about our RECORD BREAKING HEAT WAVE!
it reached SIXTY-ONE in Port Alsworth two days ago. OMG WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!
(seriously, it really does suck)
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by comet:
it reached SIXTY-ONE in Port Alsworth two days ago. OMG WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!
Well, clearly it's a serious situation. It's wiped out all the penguins already.
Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on
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Penguins. Good one.
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on
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Been looking at floods today - our little local river is spilling out of its bounds into the old water meadows, and covering the road on the approach to the bridge by the ford. And the approaches to nice new houses in "The Meadow". The water is rushing downstream towards the town which was last flooded in the late 60s, down the bed which was so dry a few years ago that the water company had to plumb in a new supply from a perched aquifer a few miles away, in the process nearly wiping out a colony of glow-worms.
On one lane, a van had tried to get through what he must have thought to be a large puddle, apparently thigh deep, and the driver had to abandon it.
Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on
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Groundhog day and Punxatawny Phil says six more weeks of winter.
[ 02. February 2014, 17:02: Message edited by: Nicolemr ]
Posted by Net Spinster (# 16058) on
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We (San Francisco area) could do with winter showing up in the first place (or at least the rain, we did get some cold earlier this season). It has been drizzling on and off all day and my nearest weather station has recorded 2/10 inch which is no where near enough.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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The problem with celestial machinations is that there are too many chiefs and not enough braves. We got Jesus and Mohammed and Krishna and who-all beating their chests and demanding "WORSHIP Me!" when what we really need is a bunch of middle management drones to roll up their sleeves and freaking re-route the infrastructure.
To whom it may concern: send us Penny's flood!
Posted by Net Spinster (# 16058) on
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Well we could try week by week a different deity.
Demeter seems good for a first try; unfortunately the details of the mysteries have been lost.
The beginning of a Homeric hymn to Demeter (495 lines in all):
I begin to sing of Demeter, the holy goddess with the beautiful hair. And her daughter [Persephone] too. The one with the delicate ankles, whom Hadês seized. She was given away by Zeus, the loud-thunderer, the one who sees far and wide. Demeter did not take part in this, she of the golden double-axe, she who glories in the harvest.
http://www.uh.edu/~cldue/texts/demeter.html
Given the last line, Kelly should play Demeter herself, axe in hand, looking for her lost daughter. Not sure who would play the other parts. However, this is probably more heavenly than is allowed on this board.
BTW the rain has now stopped and none predicted for several more days.
Posted by Carex (# 9643) on
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Saw an interesting article in the paper the other day plotting the average rainfall in California back 2000 years based on tree rings and sediment deposits. It looks like things have been wetter than average in the last 200+ years of record keeping, and back around 800AD there were droughts similar to this one that lasted for 150+ years. So even with this drought being the worst in recordedhistory, it is still pretty mild by comparison.
Can't find the article online, but will keep looking.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Net Spinster:
BTW the rain has now stopped and none predicted for several more days.
GAAAAAHHH!!!!!
(swings double-headed golden axe around)
How can there be so many smutty clouds on the horizon and no rain!
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Net Spinster:
However, this is probably more heavenly than is allowed on this board.
This is the most entertaining post I've read all day. It's allowed.
Posted by cheesymarzipan (# 9442) on
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Dear California and all other places experiencing drought
We have lots of rain here in ireland. Could we do a swap?
it's bloody wet
(actually the rain's stopped but if it starts again we'll have more flooding at high tide tomorrow morning I dare say)
Posted by quetzalcoatl (# 16740) on
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There was a farmer on TV saying that his farm is 95% under water now - in Somerset. He also made the point that his septic tank is flooded, and this worries me, as the water table must be at record levels now. For those who don't know, septic tanks exist in rural areas to collect pee and shit, so if it floods, it ain't pretty. Normally it drains away into surrounding land, but a very high water table prevents this. Oh mighty Cthulhu, come to our aid, and send the pee and shit to central government.
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on
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Try singing "Our God rains" over and over.
Today, being my birthday, and the sum of the numbers, repeated until one digit remains, having risen to 5, I put on my wellies and splashed around on a sports field into which had spilled water from the river above the weir as it made its very long way round back. I was clean water, as a child imagines floods. There was a two year old being walked through by its Dad. Fun floods, not the desolating Somerset sort. They were talking cess pits in Somerset, as well as septic tanks. Worse, I would think.
Nobody's mentioned how they are getting the cows milked down there.
[ 03. February 2014, 18:59: Message edited by: Penny S ]
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
How can there be so many smutty clouds on the horizon and no rain!
... I can't tell you how galling today has been. Cloud cover from north to south, these big, gloomy, sullen looking clouds just hovering there, like they are saying, "Yeah we could rain, if we wanted."
Posted by BessHiggs (# 15176) on
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We've been having fun with freezing rain here. Yesterday, the roads were slicker than owl shit, although the trees all looked rather pretty. It's been raining here all day, with temps hovering right around freezing, so that every now and then there's a tremendous crash as yet another chunk of ice falls off the roof, or another limb breaks off the trees in the front yard.
Sigh!
Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on
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To those suffering from an excess of rain: yes, please do send it to California--throughout the state.
Kelly--Re the clouds: maybe they're like the ones in "Close Encounters"? They hung around Devil's Tower, looking ominous and doing nothing. Finally, the scientists started playing the musical code--and the mother ship appeared out of the clouds, and roared the last notes.
Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Golden Key:
To those suffering from an excess of rain: yes, please do send it to California--throughout the state.
If I could, I would. I wasn't in the best of moods on my walk from the hospital to the office this morning anyway, and my brolly dying a spectacular death in the wind and leaving me to get drenched didn't do much to improve it.
Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on
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It this carries on much longer my wellies will have to be removed by a surgeon.
Thank God for sailing foul weather gear.
Posted by Sandemaniac (# 12829) on
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On the bright side, the Scottish parliament has passed the Gay Marriage bill up there, so they should get the shitty weather for a bit instead of us.
AG
Posted by cheesymarzipan (# 9442) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Golden Key:
To those suffering from an excess of rain: yes, please do send it to California--throughout the state.
Could you come and pick it up? You may need several buckets.
(I'm just glad I live on the second floor on a slightly higher piece of ground)
Posted by cheesymarzipan (# 9442) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Golden Key:
To those suffering from an excess of rain: yes, please do send it to California--throughout the state.
Could you come and pick it up? You may need several buckets.
(I'm just glad I live on the second floor on a slightly higher piece of ground)
Posted by Jane R (# 331) on
:
Kelly: quote:
... I can't tell you how galling today has been. Cloud cover from north to south, these big, gloomy, sullen looking clouds just hovering there, like they are saying, "Yeah we could rain, if we wanted."
"Dance, puny mortals! Dance!"
ETA: you can have some of our rain if you like. The water table is so high here we now have a pond at the bottom of the garden...
[ 05. February 2014, 12:34: Message edited by: Jane R ]
Posted by The5thMary (# 12953) on
:
I was caught out yesterday in a bloody #$%@#!*&@!! flood in Atlanta. When I left the house at the crack of dawn, the weather was cloudy but "warmish"--50 degrees Fahrenheit. However, as the day progressed, the temperature dropped and dropped and then the heavens opened and the wind blew all the damn rain sideways...into my face and everyone else's... yuck, what a cold, shivering, miserable mess I was in my soaked parka (gotta waterproof this really soon!) with a soaked backpack...ugh.
So, all you drought-stricken folks, I have a present for you. I shall squeeze out all my sodden clothing and backpack and the water accumulated will be enough to save California! Sure, it's dirty water with lots of lint and cat hair but hey, beggars can't be choosers, right?
Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on
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Promises, promises.
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
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I'm supposed to be at a dance party on Saturday night.
The maximum temperature on Saturday is set to be 40 degrees C. The minimum on Saturday night is forecast to be 30 degrees C.
It's going to be hot just standing around, never mind dancing. Yikes!
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by orfeo:
I'm supposed to be at a dance party on Saturday night.
The maximum temperature on Saturday is set to be 40 degrees C. The minimum on Saturday night is forecast to be 30 degrees C.
It's going to be hot just standing around, never mind dancing. Yikes!
It'll just have to be in the nude again.
Posted by Uriel (# 2248) on
:
Shipmate from Somerset here. It has rained and rained today, with more promised tomorrow, a pause on Friday and then another massive storm promised for Saturday with unsettled weather into next week. The River Tone in Taunton is not far off breaking its banks (although holding so far). Unfortunately all the muddy swollen river water speeding through town is heading straight for the Somerset Levels where the police have evacuated three villages. OK, this situation isn't of tsunami proportions, mostly it is fields and very small settlements rather than towns and cities getting affected, but this has been going on for weeks now. And when villages get evacuated it is getting serious.
Met a person today who had spent 3 hours getting to work (driving from Devon to Taunton, which should take about 40 minutes) because of the number of road closures. The Uriel family won't get flooded (we live far enough away and high enough above the river to be safe), but there is an awful lot of disruption down here.
And any Shipmates living in drought areas, come and get some water from us. You can take it for free, just turn up with a tanker and take as much as you want.
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on
:
We have enough water in Oxfordshire, thanks.
It's stopped raining for now but I'm getting a bit sick of what used to be fields and are now lakes with ducks sailing on them. I'm just dreading any more - it took me nearly 3 hours to get home tonight because of disruption on the south coast railway lines and I don't want to see any more underwater railway lines.
And the wind is strong enough tonight to snatch the breath from your mouth and the hat from your head, push you off balance on the pavement, shower it with branches, and send some advertising signs flying down the road.
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
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in the teens (F) and we've had sunshine and bluebird skies for a MOTHERFUCKINGWEEK!
I'll just be over here feeling smug. don't worry, this can't last.
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on
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Where I live, the Christmas storms blew a branch down on a car, the owner of which is now claiming money from the responsible neighbourhood society, because the Chair told him we had had it surveyed and it had been assessed as not needing anything done until later in the year - we had arranged for it to be dealt with this week. He thus believes we knew it would be a hazard at Christmas, and the severity of the storms is irrelevant. He parked his car under a tree under those circumstances! (We do have insurance, and should be covered because of said expensive survey, but even so.)
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by The5thMary:
However, as the day progressed, the temperature dropped and dropped and then the heavens opened and the wind blew all the damn rain sideways...into my face and everyone else's... yuck, what a cold, shivering, miserable mess I was in my soaked parka (gotta waterproof this really soon!) with a soaked backpack...ugh.
No kidding, this is exactly the kind of situation that would have me murmuring, "Least it's not a drought."
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on
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Whereas, in Caledonia Stern and Wild it's just been a bit dreich.
I remember when my FiL visited (very much a southern Englishman, and born before the 1st WW) even in summer, he would point at any cloud bank on the horizon and ask 'Is that snow?'
But I fear Fimbulvetr is upon us and Ragnarok not far off.
Posted by kingsfold (# 1726) on
:
quote:
posted by Sandemaniac:
On the bright side, the Scottish parliament has passed the Gay Marriage bill up there, so they should get the shitty weather for a bit instead of us.
You'll like this then, which came up on the twitter feed of one of our clerical equal marriage activists....
Posted by QuietMBR (# 8845) on
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Fucking ice. Fucking, fucking, FUCKING ice.
Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on
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Slush and sleet and slop and slogging through it in boots that weren't waterproof enough. I spent the whole day at work with wet feet. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.
Posted by IngoB (# 8700) on
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quote:
Originally posted by QuietMBR:
Fucking ice. Fucking, fucking, FUCKING ice.
I would find that physiologically challenging. It would be more "FUCKING ice. Fucking, sort of rubbing, touching ice." But then I'm male...
Anyway. Rain. That's all. I mean, literally. Just rain...
Posted by W Hyatt (# 14250) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Nicolemr:
Slush and sleet and slop and slogging through it in boots that weren't waterproof enough. I spent the whole day at work with wet feet. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.
Don't worry, it will all freeze solid soon and then you won't be able to walk anywhere except where it was untouched. Ahh, the joys of winter in a place that floats up and down around the freezing point the whole season and turns every kind of weather into a mess.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by IngoB:
quote:
Originally posted by QuietMBR:
Fucking ice. Fucking, fucking, FUCKING ice.
I would find that physiologically challenging. It would be more "FUCKING ice. Fucking, sort of rubbing, touching ice." But then I'm male...
Anyway. Rain. That's all. I mean, literally. Just rain...
There is not enough "OW!" in the world for that one. And I don't even have one.
What has gotten into you lately?
Posted by Arethosemyfeet (# 17047) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
There is not enough "OW!" in the world for that one. And I don't even have one.
What has gotten into you lately?
One hopes it isn't ice. Because that would probably be even more painful.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
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EVEN MORE OW!
Posted by MrsBeaky (# 17663) on
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Ah,good old climate change.....
Here in Eldoret we've already had heavy rains which are not due for another month. The people are still preparing their fields and planting.This does not bode well for this year's harvest.
This weekend we will go to Turkana where the ***** stupid weather has meant no rain at all and once again they face famine.
I'm fuming with helplessness
Posted by IngoB (# 8700) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
EVEN MORE OW!
Not really... Read closely. "I would find that physiologically challenging. ... But then I'm male."
More rain today. Maddening.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
....
OK Bingo, you're right. Savor that, because you'll never hear me say it again
Posted by Celtic Knotweed (# 13008) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by kingsfold:
quote:
posted by Sandemaniac:
On the bright side, the Scottish parliament has passed the Gay Marriage bill up there, so they should get the shitty weather for a bit instead of us.
You'll like this then, which came up on the twitter feed of one of our clerical equal marriage activists....
Cue me laughing and Sandemaniac grinning like an eedjit as he looks over my shoulder.
I'm just wondering how much of our area will be above water by the end of the weekend - it's not so much the rain all day around Oxford, it's the rain for several days upstream of us that's worrying me. Especially as most of the flood plain has already flooded... At least we live on the first floor rather than the ground floor
Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on
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We've had landslides locally, and trees down across the roads.
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Celtic Knotweed:
I'm just wondering how much of our area will be above water by the end of the weekend - it's not so much the rain all day around Oxford, it's the rain for several days upstream of us that's worrying me. Especially as most of the flood plain has already flooded... At least we live on the first floor rather than the ground floor
If it's any consolation, in my part of the world, the waters are higher than usual but they'd need to rise quite a bit to be a menace. But who knows what this weekend holds.
Posted by The5thMary (# 12953) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Nicolemr:
Slush and sleet and slop and slogging through it in boots that weren't waterproof enough. I spent the whole day at work with wet feet. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.
Boy, oh, boy. You never forget the first time you step into a freezing cold puddle in what are supposed to be waterproof boots/shoes, do you? I had that happen the other day and just kept having to step in icy puddles until my feet were so numb... sigh. And, somehow, I STILL want to move back to the Pacific Northwest! Hell, I should be thinking about Florida!
Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on
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Heart-felt thanks to all who shipped their excess rain and snow to California.
Please keep it coming! (Though in moderate amounts at a time, spread around the state. The ground is so parched that it can't soak up the water very well, and some places have floods.)
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on
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You're welcome, but don't get too picky mind!
[ 08. February 2014, 19:03: Message edited by: Chocoholic ]
Posted by Carex (# 9643) on
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Just had to shovel my car out of the snow - that is quite rare for this part of Oregon. (But at least we no longer have 150' of driveway that also has to be cleared.) Later this afternoon we're supposed to get ice and freezing rain instead - right about the time I have to head across town to pick up my wife at the airport. This may be an adventure...
Posted by comet (# 10353) on
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bring chains, pack the shovel, throw a sandbag or cat litter in the back just in case. you got this!
Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on
:
And don't forget K-rations, chocolate biscuits and drink,together with blankets, fleeces, sleeping bags and GIN (tho in fact I would prefer whisky) just in case it turns into an all night delay.
I used to have the fantasy of spending Christmas with my best beloved in a tent in Glencoe, together with afore mentioned supplies and a lot of roast chicken. It never happened, but on the plus side I'm still living and have never suffered frostbite. You have to take the rough with the smooth in this life...
Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Golden Key:
Heart-felt thanks to all who shipped their excess rain and snow to California.
Please keep it coming! (Though in moderate amounts at a time, spread around the state. The ground is so parched that it can't soak up the water very well, and some places have floods.)
-Well l think that was overflow rather than excess, there is plenty more here that we could do without. l think the problem is shipping. We have not found a shipping company who can handle the volume we want to ship especially from the Somerset Levels.
Jengie
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
So, Friday, I left my house and had to jump a gutter stream that had widened to about a foot and a half to get to the passenger side of my car. My wheel was damming the gutter.
I then went to a doctor's appointment at 1, getting there early of course--but the office was closed for lunch till one, so I stood shivering in the rain for 15 minutes. I then returned to my street parked car to find that the blockage in the sewer grate had created a four foot wide pond around my car. I waded to get to my car door and a good half pint of water wound up seeping in through the zipper of my boots.
I squished through my daily routine, fought off crappy drivers and fogged out windows on the way home, and just to put the cherry on the double scoop cone of my day, the second I stepped out of the car, lightning flashed right over the hood if my car as I climbed out. Twice. I have never hauled ass so fast to get inside in my life.
...
...
Least it's not a drought.
Posted by Net Spinster (# 16058) on
:
Obviously Demeter decided to show her power.
The creeks down here on the peninsula seem to be nicely filling.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
Today I cultivated an attitude of gratitude and went up and down the coast filming swollen creeks and angry surf.
Hail Demeter!
[ 10. February 2014, 04:28: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
Posted by The Phantom Flan Flinger (# 8891) on
:
don't know about anywhere else, but here in the UK, the policitians, Environment Agency etc are fare more interested in arguing about who caused what to flood etc (apparently it's the last Labour government's fault - didn't know Gordon Brown is a rain god, but anyway...) than actually doing anything to help.
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Least it's not a drought.
No, but we'll still have a hosepipe ban come the summer.
[ 10. February 2014, 10:20: Message edited by: The Phantom Flan Flinger ]
Posted by Taliesin (# 14017) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Today I cultivated an attitude of gratitude and went up and down the coast filming swollen creeks and angry surf.
Hail Demeter!
What was wrong with it?? It looked like it was trying to avoid stepping on the opposite bank, despite really wanting to go there.
Reminded me of the carnivorous island on life of Pi...
Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on
:
It's all OK now, the Prime Minister has announced that all resources will be employed to prevent and relieve flooding.
But it's got a lot closer to London, so we shouldn't be surprised.
Posted by Carex (# 9643) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by comet:
bring chains, pack the shovel, throw a sandbag or cat litter in the back just in case. you got this!
I had chains, two shovels (a trenching shovel with a narrow blade on a long handle is handy when you get high centered on a pile of snow), blankets, etc.
But a simpler solution was to leave the driving to someone else - the MAX train BLUE line runs nearby, then a transfer to the RED line which pulls right into the airport.
So I got to the local BLUE line station and bought a ticket. There was a train there heading the opposite direction which wasn't going anywhere. Turns out that the snow plow was stuck on the tracks, blocking the line.
Back in the car, headed up the freeway (driving wasn't too bad, with little traffic) to the transit center where I could catch the RED line directly. Sure, the elevators down to the station were out of order due to ice and snow, but we'd manage the luggage up the stairs on the return trip. Got on the train, settled in with a good book, and the train couldn't make it up the first hill due to ice on the electrical contacts to the power wire overhead. The train finally backed back into the station, dropped us off, and tried it again empty with the same result - stuck just were we could see the tail lights down the track.
So I offered rides to a couple folks trying to get home, put on the tire chains, and chugged up and over the hills and through downtown Portland on surface streets. At the airport I found that I had lost one of my tire chains along the way.
So heading home I removed the remaining chain and took the freeway at about 30 MPH through light freezing rain. Home safe but exhausted.
Posted by quetzalcoatl (# 16740) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
It's all OK now, the Prime Minister has announced that all resources will be employed to prevent and relieve flooding.
But it's got a lot closer to London, so we shouldn't be surprised.
Yes, when I saw that some of the millionaires' houses were being flooded in the Thames valley, I thought, hello, action stations. It's one thing for a few scrubby villages to be flooded in Bogfordshire, but Caroline and Hugh have their place in Berkshire, we can't allow that!
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on
:
To give him his due, Cameron has actually been to visit the flooded areas in his constituency (Witney, West Oxon) during the earlier floods in January and to talk to some locals. Also, he put on boots and waded in which is more than some other politicians have done.
[ 10. February 2014, 19:12: Message edited by: Ariel ]
Posted by quetzalcoatl (# 16740) on
:
Yes, I know, but I was just watching the news, and there is an extra degree of hysteria, as the Thames starts to bulge, and the floods get nearer to - gasp, London itself, fount of all pleasures and secret license!
A very impressive map actually then appeared, showing in an angry red colour the swollen Thames monstering all before it. As Eliot said, 'the river is a strong brown god, sullen, untamed, untractable'.
Well, I live about 400 metres from it, so here's hoping. My wife wears wellies to work now.
Posted by Twilight (# 2832) on
:
Here we sit at the front window, my dog and I, waiting for the orange, feral cat to walk by on the white, frozen wasteland, because we think he's kind of cool looking.
We're that bored.
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
:
Thank you for allowing the rest of us to share the boredom.
Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on
:
Slipped and fell on the ice for a second time. My leg hurts now.
I hate ice.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
That's so...Kyoto.
(Oops, that was toTwilight, I hadn't refreshed.)
[ 10. February 2014, 23:49: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Taliesin:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Today I cultivated an attitude of gratitude and went up and down the coast filming swollen creeks and angry surf.
Hail Demeter!
What was wrong with it?? It looked like it was trying to avoid stepping on the opposite bank, despite really wanting to go there.
Reminded me of the carnivorous island on life of Pi...
. Someone cut the audio in this version, but in the original it was pretty clear the little elk was going out of its way to make loud splashy sounds. It's playing.
[ 11. February 2014, 00:38: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
:
So wait, you're basically admitting that you brought playful little animals into a Hell thread?
To think I looked up to you.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
The elk is helping me say fuck you, drought. Listen close.
Sorry, I forgot, the audio is cut, but watch its lips.
Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on
:
I am officially done with temps below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. For the winter. Thank you. Also I am officially done with shelling out vast quantities of moolah for the dubious privilege of keeping the thermostat at a point where the pipes don't freeze, but I do. I only own four sets of long johns, and at some point they're going to have to get washed, so WARM UP A LITTLE, DAMMIT.
Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on
:
...elk have lips?
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
:
Phoned a friend in UK last night for a chat, another good solid Party member, and we were fantasising about The Thames washing away the Palace of Westminster with all MPs of all parties still in it.
Sadly dreams rarely come true.
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by orfeo:
...elk have lips?
How else to they give such fantastic head?
Posted by Timothy the Obscure (# 292) on
:
Portland is now defrosting, after a long weekend of snow. It wasn't so bad, it mostly meant that for three days nobody had to do anything, because we were told not to go anywhere. The city said they weren't going to send the snowplows (I'm not sure if the plural is justified in Portland's case) out because more snow was expected, which is every slacker's excuse. Apropos of which, you can walk down the street and tell where the transplanted Midwesterners live, because they shoveled their goddamn sidewalk. Unlike the native Oregonians, who probably don't even own a snow shovel ("Hey, it's going to melt in three or four days anyway...")
Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Phoned a friend in UK last night for a chat, another good solid Party member, and we were fantasising about The Thames washing away the Palace of Westminster with all MPs of all parties still in it.
Sadly dreams rarely come true.
Eric Pickles is the flood supremo and if he could lie down in the way most of London would be protected from flooding.
Posted by Jane R (# 331) on
:
Ariel: quote:
Also, he put on boots and waded in which is more than some other politicians have done.
And this miraculously made the waters recede, did it?
Plus he's not the only politician who's been photographed in wellies recently - they're all at it. There was a picture of Nick Clegg in boots on the BBC website today.
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on
:
I see a whole new fetish: politicians in wellies and fig leaves.
Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on
:
Shudder. No - Eric Pickles in a fig leaf is the stuff of nightmares.
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Jane R:
And this miraculously made the waters recede, did it?
I never claimed it did. It was Owen Patterson, currently the Environment Secretary, who was criticized recently for turning up at the flooded Somerset Levels, looking at it from a safe distance, making a speech to the TV cameras, not speaking to any of the flood victims, and going away again. Cameron at least got his boots on and spoke to people directly affected by the water.
Incidentally, Eric Pickles has a fan club of two students who take a life-size cardboard cut-out of him on their travels.
[ 11. February 2014, 11:37: Message edited by: Ariel ]
Posted by Jane R (# 331) on
:
Ariel: quote:
Incidentally, Eric Pickles has a fan club of two students who take a life-size cardboard cut-out of him on their travels.
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on
:
I think he must have been reading this thread. He's just turned up to inspect the floods (and speak to people) locally this afternoon.
Posted by Sleepwalker (# 15343) on
:
I've heard (on TV) and seen on a few forums a fair bit of bitching about the government and the ever increasing flooding crisis here in the UK but I'd like to know exactly what any government of whatever political shade can do to stop water bubbling up through your kitchen floor, especially when you aren't actually living on a riverbank?
I think Cameron did the right thing today and cut through all the political infighting and point scoring by making the simple statement that there is no limit on the resources available to the flood stricken areas, and he has backed that up by taking control of the situation as well as getting into his waders in the worst hit areas and communicating with the people whose properties and livelihoods are under water.
I watched the BBC news tonight when a worker took the top off a bore hole. To see the gallons of water pouring over the top was scary. If there is that much water in the acquifers with many more storms yet to come then this situation is going to get very much worse before it has a chance to start improving. And there is bound to be a public health risk at some point with all the raw sewage that is bound to be mixed in with the flood waters.
I do wish we'd had another snowy winter. They may have been risky on the bones and probably not so good for the national economy but at least with the misery of rutted ice came the fun of lobbing snowballs and making snowmen, and a deep fresh snowfall has a truly transforming affect even on this former industrial northern town.
Posted by Jane R (# 331) on
:
Sleepwalker: quote:
I think Cameron did the right thing today and cut through all the political infighting and point scoring by making the simple statement that there is no limit on the resources available to the flood stricken areas...
Yes, I saw he'd said that as well. I don't believe him. This government has spent the last four years telling us they don't have any money and suddenly they've found a bottomless purse to dip into? Puhleeze.
I applaud the sentiments (especially the bit about no more political infighting) but if he really is planning to throw unlimited amounts of money at the problem, what else are they going to have to cut to pay for it?
Snow may look pretty, but when all is said and done it is still frozen water and someday it will melt, so you might get your flood a month later than the precipitation but you will get it eventually.
[ 11. February 2014, 19:48: Message edited by: Jane R ]
Posted by Sleepwalker (# 15343) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Jane R:
Sleepwalker: quote:
I think Cameron did the right thing today and cut through all the political infighting and point scoring by making the simple statement that there is no limit on the resources available to the flood stricken areas...
Yes, I saw he'd said that as well. I don't believe him. This government has spent the last four years telling us they don't have any money and suddenly they've found a bottomless purse to dip into? Puhleeze.
Either that or the savings they have made over the last three years or so means they have a bit of flexibility? Or they are planning to make savings elsewhere once the flood damage has been sorted? I'm sure just dropping that dumb idea for a railway line to save 15 minutes off a trip to Manchester would do. I don't really care just now because what is important is that practical help is provided. Surely that is the priority?
quote:
Snow may look pretty, but when all is said and done it is still frozen water and someday it will melt, so you might get your flood a month later than the precipitation but you will get it eventually.
I don't remember that being the experience after the last three winters. What I do remember was endless refreezing of snow until it had been worn away. That was the experience in my neck of the woods anyway. Our greatest fall was a foot deep in 2009/2010.
Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Sleepwalker:
I do wish we'd had another snowy winter. They may have been risky on the bones and probably not so good for the national economy but at least with the misery of rutted ice came the fun of lobbing snowballs and making snowmen, and a deep fresh snowfall has a truly transforming affect even on this former industrial northern town.
We're expecting 12+ inches Thursday (on top of the 12" we had last Wednesday, and the 4" we had Sunday), with high winds. You're welcome to stop by and collect as much as you wish.
It's going to 7 below zero Fahrenheit again tonight. I am swilling down so much tea I might as well sleep in the lavatory tonight. Tea's the only thing that keeps my hands warm any more.
Posted by Jane R (# 331) on
:
Sleepwalker: quote:
Either that or the savings they have made over the last three years or so means they have a bit of flexibility? Or they are planning to make savings elsewhere once the flood damage has been sorted? I'm sure just dropping that dumb idea for a railway line to save 15 minutes off a trip to Manchester would do. I don't really care just now because what is important is that practical help is provided. Surely that is the priority?
Well, they claimed they were making savings to reduce the national deficit. Mind you they also got us involved in Libya and have just announced they're going to spend £2.5 billion on some F-35s. Personally I'd cut that before HS-2, but I suppose it depends how much the "special relationship" is valued - backing out of the F-35 project would certainly piss off the Americans.
Totally agree that providing practical help to flood victims should be the priority. It is refreshing to have something that the Prime Minister and I agree about; the last occasion was the gay marriage bill.
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day...
Posted by Jane R (# 331) on
:
(missed the edit window) We had floods after snow, but then we usually do get floods in winter here. You could be right about the effect of the snow melting gradually - we had a foot of snow in 2009-10 too and I don't remember the floods being as bad as expected when it eventually melted.
We've got off fairly lightly this winter - so far.
Posted by Jane R (# 331) on
:
... actually, now I come to think of it the Big Snow was in 2010-11... (and I missed the edit window again)
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Jane R:
... actually, now I come to think of it the Big Snow was in 2010-11... (and I missed the edit window again)
I think it was both. I remember 2010 as being snowy at both ends. But the period from late November through Christmas was when I would go to the window each morning and see the car buried that bit deeper, until eventually even the aerial disappeared...
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on
:
It isn't at all hellish, but I actually thought I was seeing an intelligent sapient being in Cameron viewing the floods and talking with victims yesterday, which is not my usual impression of the man.
He needs to get out more.
Posted by quetzalcoatl (# 16740) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Penny S:
It isn't at all hellish, but I actually thought I was seeing an intelligent sapient being in Cameron viewing the floods and talking with victims yesterday, which is not my usual impression of the man.
He needs to get out more.
Don't forget though, there's an election looming. Man of the people, and so on, never hurts. But I think they are all out in their wellies at the moment. Vote for me, I got really really wet in Somerset/Thames Valley.
Posted by quetzalcoatl (# 16740) on
:
Storm force 11 or 12 in the Irish Sea today. Batten down the hatches.
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by quetzalcoatl:
Don't forget though, there's an election looming. Man of the people, and so on, never hurts. But I think they are all out in their wellies at the moment. Vote for me, I got really really wet in Somerset/Thames Valley.
You know it's serious when the politicians turn up. There's a page in today's Metro with four pictures of Cameron, Miliband, Boris and Nigel Farage all out in their wellies in Floodland, so you can compare their different approaches. Enjoy.
Posted by Stejjie (# 13941) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
quote:
Originally posted by quetzalcoatl:
Don't forget though, there's an election looming. Man of the people, and so on, never hurts. But I think they are all out in their wellies at the moment. Vote for me, I got really really wet in Somerset/Thames Valley.
You know it's serious when the politicians turn up. There's a page in today's Metro with four pictures of Cameron, Miliband, Boris and Nigel Farage all out in their wellies in Floodland, so you can compare their different approaches. Enjoy.
Can't help thinking that if my house/village/town got flooded and I was trying to deal with it, the last thing I'd want is some politician plus assorted camera crews, reporters, photographers, hangers-on etc. walking around sticking their noses in - they'd just get in the way (some might say as per usual - I couldn't possibly comment about that... )
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on
:
Reading the experiences of people from the Somerset Levels on FLAG (Flooding on the Levels Action Group), it's practical and financial aid they need from these politicians rather than talk (and photo opportunities).
Posted by Barefoot Friar (# 13100) on
:
According to local news, South Carolina, north Georgia, and north Alabama are closed. I was supposed to go to a conference in Atlanta this weekend, but it was postponed to the end of April. So I'm home, waiting for the cold rain to turn to ice and then snow. None of that particularly bothers me, except that ice usually means loss of power.
Posted by Sleepwalker (# 15343) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Jane R:
(missed the edit window) We had floods after snow, but then we usually do get floods in winter here. You could be right about the effect of the snow melting gradually - we had a foot of snow in 2009-10 too and I don't remember the floods being as bad as expected when it eventually melted.
We've got off fairly lightly this winter - so far.
Same here, although we've just been living through a Red Warning windy evening which hasn't been at all pleasant. North Wales got it worst by the sounds of it with 108mph gusts recorded on a few occasions within a four hour spell. I think our highest gusts were around the 70mph mark but I thought the roof was coming off. The room shuddered, which was a bit concerning. Still, we have retained power unlike some houses in my town and indeed around 8000 other people in the region. Rain wasn't the issue and so there have been no floods inland and thankfully for the coastal towns the tide was out. Had it been a high tide then there would have been coastal flooding with the wind speeds recorded. Absolute chaos on the motorway and rail networks though.
I think the next storm is due in on Friday/Saturday.
Deep joy.
[ 12. February 2014, 20:43: Message edited by: Sleepwalker ]
Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on
:
The usual gales/rain here today, but a quiet, mild, and moonlit night at the moment.
for all those affected by the floods in other parts of the UK.
A new (and stout) wooden gate recently installed across a path along the south side of the church has now been blown down three times (back to the drawing-board, I think!). The (almost) incessant south-westerly wind and driving rain has, at last, penetrated the church building, and the interior wall of the south aisle will need re-whitewashing when (if?) the weather ever improves for more than a day or so. So what? you may ask - but it's taken 105 years for this to happen.....
Oh, and a massive hole (50' deep or 15' deep, depending on which newspaper you read) has appeared in the middle of our local motorway. According to one report, it might be a dene-hole, ostensibly caused in times past by those bloody Danes digging in our English chalk - but what can you expect from People Not Like Us? Maybe the bad weather is down to those awful Bulgarians or even the egregious Romanians? Stealing our fine old English winter weather from under our noses.....
.......I'll get me coat.
However -
CallmeDave is here to save!
Never fear! Dave is here!
Has your house been washed away?
Fret ye not! Our Dave will pay!
Ian J.
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on
:
I think the reports that it is a sinkhole rather than a denehole are likely to be more correct. Looking at the pictures, it seems that that stretch of the road is in a slight cutting, which would mean that any denehole would have shown up during the building process and been dealt with (and they weren't dug by Danes - most are in areas where the Danes weren't active, and some were being dug as recently as the 19th century). Looking down the hole, it looks like sand above the chalk, though if the map is right, the BGS geology map shows Clay-with-Flints. Sinkholes can form under either, where water gets through to dissolve the chalk, and the road formation could have directed water from the surface into one spot - Iain Stewart, last week on the TV showed how a clay capping to a void can give way suddenly. (I've been taking an interest in this subject because of a curious depression near my back door - I think it's OK, but the water does drain away after filling it rather quicker than I would expect through clay.)
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on
:
It looks, from yesterday's local news, that the hole has been positively identified as a denehole. This is good, because it has a defined structure with a known depth and lobes opening out from the bottom. On the other hand - how the dickens did the road builders miss it? The road is in a slight cutting there, so the machinery should have cut across the shaft (the top usually widens out, presumably because after it is left, the overburden drops in). All I can think is that they decided to leave it because it was in the centre reservation.
Meanwhile, another hole has opened up in a garden nearer London, and the householder is frantic because the insurance doesn't cover it as it doesn't threaten the house. Two holes have appeared in school grounds in the Medway towns, and another in a rugby ground. That one is odd - the TV showed a groundsman pouring sand into a hole about a metre across from a wheelbarrow. He had already filled it to within a turf's depth of the top, and it was bordered by a fringe of lifted turfs. Can't have been very big.
[ 15. February 2014, 07:36: Message edited by: Penny S ]
Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on
:
*sigh* More snow here. Someone please make itgo away.
Posted by The5thMary (# 12953) on
:
I know it's not very Hellish but I'm sitting here in shorts with two open windows in our office, feeling the cool breeze waft in, the cool, coolness of 45 degrees Fahrenheit in Atlanta, GA. Today it got up to 62. Last week we were under a "catastrophic" weather "event" with snow/ice/more snow. Now I just have to brace myself for the upcoming tornado season... sigh...
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on
:
And in Hemel Hempstead. Watford (actually a place called Dugdales, which might mean something) and Ripon, other holes have opened. In Hemel it is huge, under homes recently built on a brownfield site. (I suspect inadequate preparation of the site to remove voids.) Some people have been allowed in for a half hour to grab what they can, others not at all. Some homes are expected to be demolished. Heartbreaking.
Ripon is over deposits of gypsum which regularly dissolves and forms sinkholes. One is believed to be the source of Lewis Carroll's idea of the shaft Alice falls down, since he lived there for a while.
It makes me start thinking about what I might grab if I had only half an hour. There's a lot of family stuff which I feel responsible for.
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