Stormy Weather

[greenilex]

it's a hot armagnac toddy, as it turns out

pace the purists

[marthe]

I hope all, from the extreme north (Sigolene) to the south (Salymap) to NYC (Euda) and points in between, are warm and well (or on the mend) and able to enjoy Christmas festivities. In our little outpost in Rhode Island, the snow has melted (only a dusting) and the temps have risen a bit. Cloudy last night so no glimpses of the lunar eclipse. May I add my best wishes and thanks to French Frank for bringing us all together in time for the Christmas season.

marthe

[salymap]

Thanks marthe and a lovely Christmas to you and yours. It would be quiet indeed without our new MBs so a Very Happy Christmas to French Frank.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

er don't panic, snow in the middle kingdom ....... i have turned all heating off and opened all windows, it gets so stale living like a mole in curtains drawn darkness! consequently it is very brrrrr about the house .... at least from today the days lengthen ... marthe i have chums in arizona, when this is all over i am going to pour a bucket of iced gatorade over them all. the smug emails about the temperatures in the South West are getting to me ....

[Mahlerei]

Afternoon all

Surprisingly mild here, and much of the snow has disappeared. Hope that's the last of it for a while.

[salymap]

Afternoon mahlerei and all. Still a mainly white scene as I look out on a park/green between me and some shops in the distance. Slushy I suppose, rther than hard snow.
Once again F/C promised so we shall see if intrepid visitor gets here by bus and walking.Wish they would stay safe at home really.

[sigolene euphemia]

Oh dear! ... You're no good to them unless sat at your desk. Scrooge and Marley have nothing on my lot! Here we go again then...

I had a friend who made neon signs. He placed one on my balcony in RED and it READ ~

BAH HUMBUG

[Serial_Apologist]

Shouldn't that be Bar Hamburg?

[sigolene euphemia]

Shouldn't that be Bar Hamburg?

AH OUI!

:p

[marthe]

Calum,

Smug emails from Arizona would bother me too. Save up that Gatorade! So far winter has been business as usual here in SE New England. We don't really get the full blast until January which is when my husband is due to fly across the pond to visit family. He's looking at all the traveler's tales with a bit of apprehension. We've had enough winter travel experiences to know that being stuck in an airport or on a plane is not a jolly way to spend a holiday.

marthe

[marthe]

Salymap,

Many thanks for your good wishes. I hope you're staying warm.

marthe

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

marthe hi, being stuck at Heathrow is a) more likely [they spend a lot less on snow equipment and b) much less pleasant

Gatwick and Manchester seem to be coping much better with the weather and are not owned by BAA which has debt servicing issues ... so bear that in mind when booking flights to UK ....

but it isn't just the weather it is the peak volumes of xmas too ....

actually hot weather is just about all any Arizonan can be smug about except i see they are having floods!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12058240

[marthe]

Thanks calum. Flying into Manchester from Providence, RI via Philadelphia. Winter travel is always iffy. Keeping my fingers crossed. I do recall spending 6 hrs in a BA plane stuck on the snowy tarmac at Heathrow while the runway was being cleared and the plane de-iced. The captain and crew ran out of flying time and we were all put up in an airport hotel until we could get flights back home.This was a long time ago. Not much has changed.

[salymap]

I'm afraid a lot of pensioners will start having serious thoughts about their heating bills. People on benefits get a special allowance but the vast majority, like myself, are above those levels but still have to budget. My new boiler, installed in October,never switches off, it gives good background heat, set at 20c, but I have calculated that it is costing about a third of my pension a week to run. My over 80 heating allowance, forwhich I am suitably grateful, will be swallowed up in one quarter. How many people are cold in this terrible weather? Prices of gas and other heating fuels should be reduced, not increased.

[antongould]

Morning salymap
It is a worry and having worked in the electricity/gas supply industry for many years I feel sad that control over prices has gone. When the industry
was nationalised the government of the day could and did "control" prices - now all the government can do is feign outrage and set up enquiries whilst the prices just keep on rising. It is indeed going to be a long hard winter in terms of fuel bills!