What meteorological phenomenon (phenomena) affects you this day ?

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by YGG-

No luck in this: looked for a flat w/ fireplaces & eventually found it -- want to know the real treat there? Had to build a bathroom in a former bedroom -- & we kept the fireplace so you can have a bath by the fireside... how luxurious is that?

Our next house is having a real fire. We live in a modern shoebox - it has a pipe for a gas fire, however, we never had one fitted as it would have taken up valuable wall space! But it has no chimney, so no real fire (not to mention all the sodding regulations about real fires in some urban areas)

This house, when we get round to finishing clearing the garden, will probably have a brick bread/pizza oven in the back garden though

[Patricia]

In Swansea the old people have taken to buying very cheap hardback books from the local charity shops and burning them. Apparently, it's cheaper than coal.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010...ng-books-wales
You can't do that with ebooks. On the other hand, it's a good use of Dan Brown's oeuvre.

[LazyScot]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

Cold.

It's always cold.

Why can't we get just a little bit of "unseasonably warm" or "freakishly hot, who knew that the Icebox could even get to 90 F in January?"

Wisconsin: proof ghod not only dislikes Pshrynk and has a sense of humour....

Originally Posted by HarryT

The estate I live on is just like a skating rink at present; the roads are sheet ice. There's a T-junction onto the main road at one end, which is on a slight slope. If you have to stop at that junction, you're sunk; it's impossible to move again.

Ditto here: we have two right angle turns and two T junctions; and three of these combined four are on gradients which gradually get steeper...

Originally Posted by Patricia

In Swansea the old people have taken to buying very cheap hardback books from the local charity shops and burning them. Apparently, it's cheaper than coal.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010...ng-books-wales
You can't do that with ebooks. On the other hand, it's a good use of Dan Brown's oeuvre.

And several political and celebrity "biographies" and "memoirs"....

[YGG-]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

Our next house is having a real fire. We live in a modern shoebox - it has a pipe for a gas fire, however, we never had one fitted as it would have taken up valuable wall space! But it has no chimney, so no real fire (not to mention all the sodding regulations about real fires in some urban areas)

This house, when we get round to finishing clearing the garden, will probably have a brick bread/pizza oven in the back garden though

Hah ! That I can't dream of installing on my balcony (& don't believe what I told VR: we don't roast or fry anything in the fireplace )

[hnoto]

I don't want a hailstone of snowballs tossed at me....which is why I've been avoiding this thread. But I just have to brag. 72° F here and sunny, blue skies.

I've got my laptop outside, watching the kids play. The 4 months of nice weather justifies living here the rest of the year.

I also have a fireplace...that we never use. Too much pollution and its never cold enough.

Don't be too mad, SnowPeople. In May when you are having nice weather and it's a hundredfiftybazillion degrees of hot here, it will be your turn to feel smug.

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by hnoto

I don't want a hailstone of snowballs tossed at me....which is why I've been avoiding this thread. But I just have to brag. 72° F here and sunny, blue skies.

You're really winning no friends here

Originally Posted by hnoto

Don't be too mad, SnowPeople. In May when you are having nice weather and it's a hundredfiftybazillion degrees of hot here, it will be your turn to feel smug.

For those of us in the UK, the idea of 'nice weather' in May is not something we would recognise.

[pshrynk]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

:sooo jealous: i wish i had a fireplace !

Chop up a chair and put the pieces in a sink. Pour some gasoline over them and toss a match at them from a safe distance. Voila! Fireplace.

(Did I mention to open the window above the sink first?)

[hnoto]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

For those of us in the UK, the idea of 'nice weather' in May is not something we would recognise.

Ok, UK friends. When DO you have good weather there? Let me know and I can just about guarantee that the weather here will be like sticking your head in a 350F/180C oven.

[omk3]

Umm, define "good weather" please. There were some days in June that were okay if I remember correctly

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by hnoto

Ok, UK friends. When DO you have good weather there? Let me know and I can just about guarantee that the weather here will be like sticking your head in a 350F/180C oven.

Well, we don't really have good weather at all here (unless you are a big fan of gray skies).

But, I know what you're saying - we also don't really have the extremes of weather either. I was in Las Vegas last year and the heat there was too much for me - I guess it might be similar, or even hotter, where you are.

[lilac_jive]

I've never heard the term "gritters" before, and several of you just mentioned it. I'm guessing they are the equivalent of salt trucks?

I'm curled up in bed with my cat and my heating pad (soooo nice on my sore back). It was snowing on my way home but I think it stopped. I'd look, but the window is all the way over there...

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

I've never heard the term "gritters" before, and several of you just mentioned it. I'm guessing they are the equivalent of salt trucks?

I would guess so - they're lorries that spread "grit" (actually, it's rock salt) on the roads.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by hnoto

I don't want a hailstone of snowballs tossed at me....which is why I've been avoiding this thread. But I just have to brag. 72° F here and sunny, blue skies.

I've got my laptop outside, watching the kids play. The 4 months of nice weather justifies living here the rest of the year.

I also have a fireplace...that we never use. Too much pollution and its never cold enough.

Don't be too mad, SnowPeople. In May when you are having nice weather and it's a hundredfiftybazillion degrees of hot here, it will be your turn to feel smug.

Come to Texas, my little pretty (cackle, cackle). It's going to get down to 10F tonight, and hasn't cracked freezing in 48 hours...and in July/August, it sits around 105 F (plus humidity).....

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

I would guess so - they're lorries that spread "grit" (actually, it's rock salt) on the roads.

So, in summary:
-Grit = Rock Salt
-Lorry = Truck

Yup, same thing

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

So, in summary:
-Grit = Rock Salt
-Lorry = Truck

Yup, same thing

And Texas = (cackle, cackle)