Happy Sunday all UK folks and Hi to those in the Eastern US and Down Under and, of course, Auntie in Finland. Don't forget to check out the last posts from last week; I'll be back later to check on them myself!
Hi everyone! In her last post on the previous week's blog, AQ asked me if I got the extreme temperatures that she is currently experiencing. The answer is no, not usually. AQ, in South Australia, generally gets the full brunt of the hot northerlies blowing down from central Australia. While these weather systems usually move east through New South Wales and Victoria, they have usually lost the worst of their sting by the time they reach me in central NSW. We usually get AQ's weather about 2 days after her, and usually at least 2-3 degrees cooler. For anyone interested in Australian weather, here is a link that will give you comprehensive weather details and forecasts for anywhere in Australia. http://www.weatherzone.com.au While I was collecting this link for you, I checked Adelaide's current temperature, and at 12.00 noon her time the temp was already 40 degrees C. She probably will get the forecast top of 43 degrees later today,
Tiger: thanks for that link to the Western Australia birdwatching forum. I've had a brief wander aroud the site, and there are some wonderful photos of the local ospreys. I'll explore more deeply when I have time. ;-)
Smiles, Jan.
Thanks Wattle. All I can say is "Not fair". Why do we have to have those extra few degrees! I start feeling the heat at about 28, so I don't feel so great lately. My back room (computer room) is getting rather warm, no wonder, it has gone 41.7 in the city and a mere 40.8 here by the beach. We have shut off all unnecessary rooms. Alas if one wants to go to the bathroom - it's like walking into a furnace.
Annette - Further to me closing down Xmas - I think that really happened last week when Coles & Woolworths started selling hot cross buns. They claim by public demand. Huh!
jsb: Operation Snowclear appears to have been completed with military precision!
AQ: Wattle says you'll probably reach 104F!! Aaaack! We do have some dead zones for various media equipment. One thing that bothers me about Santa Barbara is that we're surrounded by hills and have to have cable to receive any TV reception, where in Long Beach I got by happily with rabbit ears.
OG: Oh no, poor Daughter#2 - losing a pet of 17 years! What a noble undertaking - Ms Access is quite tricky. I think I studied it for about one day before running away. My OH is doing a similar project for a local nonprofit, Direct Relief international, which is updating its data base to better track donations of medical equipment/supplies; he's also attending a lot of meetings aimed at increasing donations from drug companies, etc.
Daughter had a bit of a bumpy day today, made worse by good-intentions-gone-wrong event when I brought Oro, her doggie currently on vacation at humane society facility, home for a visit, only to have him more interested in napping on the patio than paying attention to her! She, already feeling down, took it personally until I found something on the 'net which said that behavior wasn't too unusual under the circumstances. Reminded me of AQ's story about her daughter's lost dog who rushed to greet strangers when she went to pick him up at the rescue place! Honestly!
Take care all.
Oh, aquilareen and Wattle: I feel so sorry for you. I don't mind the cold here, but I would not be able to function in the heat that you are experiencing. Seriously, is there anything that I can do to help? For example, are you able to find and buy room fans that might help cool your homes? Is there anything that I could send you? Please keep track of your water intake to make sure that you are staying hydrated. I know that we do a lot of light-hearted joking and banter on this site, but I do want to acknowledge that your situation is very dangerous. Please take care.
AQ: Hot cross buns!?!?!?! Positively indecent! We've got Valentine's bearing down on us (my OH is under strict orders not to spend money on force fed/bred/non-fragrant and grossly overpriced red roses); then St. Patrick's Day, when everyone in the U.S. and his brother claims Irish heritage, then it's a hop, skip, and a jump to Easter bunnies and eggs. That's followed by Memorial Day - the unofficial start of summer - then July 4 with lots of flag waving and firewords. Then Labor Day - the unofficial end of summer, and close on its heels Hallowe'en, Txgiving, and - oh no - Christmas. In between, we have ospreys and other pleasant distractions. Speaking of which, my first whale counting shift is on Monday, February 8.
Hi, Annette. Sorry that your daughter had a rough day. Oro probably felt more secure than he had felt at the humane society, so he let himself get some rest. Your poor rejected daughter, though! Your daughter may go through some emotional ups and downs as a result of the surgery. To be expected, I would think. Hope you are getting enough rest and taking care of yourself. Your husband's mission is a noble one.
We are in a dead zone for cell/mobile phones here at the house. So I don't even own one. We have a satellite dish to receive TV, because we don't have cable available. How backward is that? Sheesh. I had magic rabbit ears that picked up every station when I lived in Indianapolis -- until I moved into a high-rise apartment. That was like living in a big tall glass and steel box, and I was forced to get cable because the rabbit ears finally failed to work. I loved living way up high up in the air, though. I felt like a big bird roosting in a nest!
OG: So sorry about your daughter's doggie. Good luck with your database project.
Ooooh Diane: I don't think I could live in a highrise - got a bit queasy while visiting the Hancock building in Chicago with its floor-to-ceiling glass windows. I think it's the same building that now has an extended platform with a glass floor. Then there's that glass-bottomed viewing platform out over the Grand Canyon on - I think - Havasupai land . Of course, in LA, there's the added consideration of being in a highrise during an earthquake, which would be quite exciting. I like to be able to walk out my door and putter in the dirt. Lots of people here have satellite too. Cable or satellite, seems like way too many channels.
Hi, everyone.
For the second day in a row, I walked outside with my morning tea and spent a few moments swearing at the snow that had once again drifted over my driveway lane. :-) I looked up to see two HUGE ravens sitting in my apple tree, looking as if they were in full agreement with my tirade. So I came inside and cleaned out the refrigerator. I took all of the still-fresh leftovers outside for the ravens. The two called all of their raven buddies, and they enjoyed a very noisy feast. I didn't see any other birds this morning. I think they have all wisely migrated to warmer places. It's bitterly cold here, but we had beautiful sunshine and blue sky today. Yay!
Diane: These are ravens and not crows, right? (Or did I already ask that question?)
Lindybird: Except for my driveway battle -- LOL -- I haven't minded the winter weather. Like you, though, I do worry about the elderly and the poor, who don't have the resources to cope with the demands of this extreme weather. A lot of the old houses here aren't sealed or insulated well. In unprecedented numbers, people have been filing for help with heating bills. A lot of people in the US have to choose whether to buy heat, medicine, or food, and the failing economy is causing great hardship. More and more people -- especially folks with children -- are sinking into poverty. So much injustice in such a rich country.