Stormy Weather

[eighthobstruction]

I just cannot face the idea of going down into my cellar studio/workshop and putting my hands into buckets clay slurry/slip and glaze. If I put hot water in the tray of the wheel I may get started....but it is just so cold down there, and the floor is yorkshire stone flags, guaranteed to suck the warmth[coldth] out my feet....What's the betting on me doing some work today....??....

....having said that Xmas cards have been done....in the most good tempered way for years....done and posted....

[sigolene euphemia]

May need these today :cool2: ! Freezing [of course] but we have sun beams ! Here and there. Now and then.

Sometime back salymap I did a cake for my daughter using our abundant gutter ice-cycles as her "candles". By the way we went to an adorable Holiday skating program with itty bitties on skates. One selection of music they skated to came from Felix Mendelssohn' - A Midsummer's Night Dream Op.61 ".

best wishes,
Sigolene

[Uncle Monty]

Freezing fog here in the Mendips today. We were feeling smug yesterday, as we had brilliant sunshine, while the rest of the county down in the Levels was cloaked in thick, freezing murk. Here is a picture taken from a nearby hill-top, looking south. It hasn't come out as well as I hoped, but the upper third is all fog, with just Glastonbury Tor sticking spookily up from it on the right. And now we've got it too

[sigolene euphemia]

Uncle Monty and French Frank and johnb,

Photos such as this by Uncle Monty is a spectacular feature of the FoR3 forum.

sigolene

[Eudaimonia]

Hello all! Want to know why "Stormy Weather" is #1 here? Here's the science!

Why Brits always talk about the weather

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/6214281/Why-Brits-always-talk-about-the-weather.html

The weather is still Britain's favourite topic of conversation with three quarters of us discussing it more than anything else, according to research.

[...] Dr David Lewis, a psychologist and Director of Research at Mindlab International, said we cling to traditions because they are comforting.He said: "These cultural symbols serve as the unshakeable foundation on which the British way of life is built."Social and technological change makes many of us feel anxious and stressed because, by challenging accustomed ways of thinking and doing things, it undermines our sense of competence and self-belief."Traditions offer a psychological 'comfort blanket' by appearing permanent and unchanging."By providing this sense of stability and predictability they help reassure us everything will turn out for the best, so encouraging a more positive and optimistic view of the future."Traditions are also a source of tremendous pride."By differentiating us from other nations they help create a unique identity, reinforcing our confidence in the attitudes and beliefs that make us typically British. "

[mangerton]

"Why Brits always talk about the weather"

How I detest the word "Brits". I would have hoped the Torygraph would have known better. The correct word is "Britons".

[Flosshilde]

"Why Brits always talk about the weather"

How I detest the word "Brits". I would have hoped the Torygraph would have known better. The correct word is "Britons".

I would have thought 'British', myself. 'Britons' sounds like something the Romans would have called us - & I'm sure we were complaining about the weather even

[Flosshilde]

But the quote is an awful lot of tosh - prime candidate for a prize in the 'bleding obvious' awards.

."By differentiating us from other nations [traditions] help create a unique identity, reinforcing our confidence in the attitudes and beliefs that make us typically British. " - you could replace 'British' with 'Italian', 'Australian' or 'Venusian' - a belief in traditions isn't uiniquely British

"By providing this sense of stability and predictability they help reassure us everything will turn out for the best, so encouraging a more positive and optimistic view of the future." well, I think a too strong adherence to 'traditions' by 'Brits' could make me rather pessimistic about the future - it would suggest that there isn't much chance of anything new or original developing.

[scottycelt]

How I detest the word "Brits".

Me too, mangerton ... just like when I wake up, smell the coffee, and hear there is a b****y elephant in the room. Then I'm hit with the latest growth prediction numbers from the UK lawmakers' economic team. Though I'd never envisioned these guys as being anyways fit for purpose , I've kinda gotten used to it all by now ... :cool2:

[salymap]

Just read an overnight email from a cousin in Adelaide. Full of weather news, floods or too much rain there, last year there was a drought. Not a word about the cricket, or was it rained off. Of course,although he has been an Aussie for some years he started out as a Brit so maybe took the habit with him. Personally I am English first, next British, then European [I suppose].

[Eudaimonia]

Morning Sal!

I just saw the first snowflakes of the season as I was on my daily walk...nothing stuck, but there they were.

Did you ever find yourself a warm winter hat? I've mislaid my Russian hat, and have made do with an insulated yacht club cap and a dopey-looking Peru hat like this one:



So embarrassing... I only wear that one at night when I'm not going to be seeing anyone. It's certainly warm, though!

[salymap]

Morning Euda, No I haven't been out for about a week and no useful shops for clothes near me. Still too icy and have been told by family to stay put. Nevertheless, Christmas gets nearer and I've hardly started on pressies and cards. Worrying.

[Mary Chambers]

Morning Euda, No I haven't been out for about a week and no useful shops for clothes near me. Still too icy and have been told by family to stay put. Nevertheless, Christmas gets nearer and I've hardly started on pressies and cards. Worrying.

I never go out shopping except for food (and I have most of that delivered). I buy household things, clothes, presents, cards and everything else online. Very useful! Perhaps you could try it, saly.

[antongould]

was the cricket rained off salymap - NO!!!!!!

[Chris Newman]

Morning Euda, Mary and Saly,

Chilly this morning but dry.

My own experience of buying on the net is mostly positive but I will never again buy a computer programme through Amazon from any unknown Tom, Dick or Harry. I regularly buy CDs and books but two years ago I bought Microsoft Works and Norton Antivirus from separate "companies". The boxes, paperwork and discs were beautifully produced with authentic looking plastic "watermarks" and worked. After a few months Microsoft and Norton both contacted me to inform me that these were illegal copies. They kindly offered me replacements.

I am one minute from the nearest shops so I do most of my shopping myself, particularly at "little shops". This can often be a real blessing. As you know I paint pictures. The boards or canvases I use cost about £5 each at discount shops. I mostly use MDF boards so I go to a wonderful small DIY shop. He sells single screws. He cuts up an 8 foot by 4 foot MDF board for me and gets 14 boards from a sheet and charges £7. OK, I have to prime them which takes little more than an hour on a sunny day but the saving is phenomenal.

I also like to paint with a daylight lamp in winter (supposed to prevent SAD as well). The Sunday colour supplements and Art Shops sell these for about £100. Twenty stops from my front door is a strange little electrical shop. The nice lady there sold me a faux Anglepoise lamp for £15 and a daylight bulb for £4.99

Keep warm.

bws
Chris