Unending Heat

Anything goes! Use this forum to get to know each other.
tix
Posts: 385
Joined: 07 Jan 2005, 12:56

Unending Heat

Post by tix »

"The five children lay on their backs in the grass with sun pouring down on them. They all wore as little as possible, but even so they were hot."

The picture conjured up might be a pleasant one, especially to those who are looking forward to summer, but the Find-Outers didn't seem too happy with their lot; especially when Buster moved a little closer. They couldn't bear him to be within a stone's throw because he simply - "... radiated heat!" Also, it was apparent that one or the other had to keep getting up for the replenishment of iced drinks, and the question arises: Why didn't they simply lie down in the shade somewhere, or perhaps indoors?

Unfortunately this doesn't work when it's really hot because the air warms up, meaning there's no refuge for anyone save those lucky enough to have walk-in refrigerator access. A swimming pool works only whilst a person is immersed because once the swimmer climbs out, it takes a minute at most to heat up again. Electric fans are all right, until they begin blowing warm air.

I've now changed into a snow and ice lover - the more the better. So bring it on.

On Friday the next door neighbour was informed that never again will I ever, ever, ever, protest if it's cold and he agreed he wouldn't either, so now there are at least two people on the planet who'll be complaint-less come mid winter. Later, a lady telephoned radio talkback and during the course of conversation declared something, the likes of which I've never heard before. This is what she said:

"I'm really looking forward to winter!"

After no more than a second's thought about this somewhat unusual desire, I seconded her remark with zeal.
snugglepot
Posts: 1447
Joined: 03 Apr 2014, 06:40
Favourite book/series: Five Find Outers, Faraway Tree, Barney Books
Favourite character: Fatty
Location: Australia

Re: Unending Heat

Post by snugglepot »

You and your neighbour and the lady on the radio agree with me.
I really love Winter and I hate Summer!
Summer is only just bearable because we have efficient air conditioning at home.
We are in the middle of Summer at the moment and I am so over the heat. I am longing for Winter, though last year it did not get cold enough for me till June and then by the end of September we had a weekend of 34oC temps. My husband and I went swimming with our daughter and grandsons for the very first time in September, ever!
This morning we went to visit our same daughter and family who were camping about 40 mins away near a lake. The camping ground was so hot. We were only cool when in the park pool.
I am glad that there are fellow human beings who feel the same as I do about Summer.
User avatar
Rob Houghton
Posts: 16029
Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham

Re: Unending Heat

Post by Rob Houghton »

Send some of your summer over here! I get so fed up of winter by the end of January, after having four long dark months of it, and knowing there could be another two or three months of gloomy weather to come. :-(
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



Society Member
User avatar
Courtenay
Posts: 19274
Joined: 07 Feb 2014, 01:22
Favourite book/series: The Adventure Series, Galliano's Circus
Favourite character: Lotta
Location: Both Aussie and British; living in Cheshire

Re: Unending Heat

Post by Courtenay »

I have to admit, even after having spent the first 3 decades of my life in Australia, the heat there these past couple of weeks was a bit too much for me at times... I'm actually relieved to be back in Britain in the cold!! :lol: (Actually, it wasn't that bad in southern Victoria — the REALLY hot period only lasted a few days while I was there — but I don't think I could have coped without the air conditioning at my parents' house.)
Society Member

It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
User avatar
Rob Houghton
Posts: 16029
Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham

Re: Unending Heat

Post by Rob Houghton »

Sounds like you're quickly becoming a Limey. ;-) :lol:
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



Society Member
User avatar
Courtenay
Posts: 19274
Joined: 07 Feb 2014, 01:22
Favourite book/series: The Adventure Series, Galliano's Circus
Favourite character: Lotta
Location: Both Aussie and British; living in Cheshire

Re: Unending Heat

Post by Courtenay »

You wouldn't think that if you heard my accent, mate. :wink: (Actually, most Aussies now think I talk "posh" in comparison to them, but most Brits still figure out my origins pretty quickly — or else mistake me for a Kiwi.)
Society Member

It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
User avatar
Moonraker
Posts: 22387
Joined: 31 Jan 2005, 19:15
Location: Wiltshire, England
Contact:

Re: Unending Heat

Post by Moonraker »

Having had the pleasure of welcoming Courtenay into our home, I wasn't irritated by her accent!

As for lousy weather, I love it. I have no feelings of guilt sitting down and watching television all day!
Society Member
snugglepot
Posts: 1447
Joined: 03 Apr 2014, 06:40
Favourite book/series: Five Find Outers, Faraway Tree, Barney Books
Favourite character: Fatty
Location: Australia

Re: Unending Heat

Post by snugglepot »

I guess I cannot comprehend the never ending months of extreme cold as our Winters are relatively short and the sun still shines most of the time. Our nights get down to about 5oC when it is really cold and if it does not get above about 15oC we say that it is "freezing cold".
That is why I love Winter so much. It is so cool and refreshing.
Summer on the other hand just goes on and on. We have not had a cool change since the first week in January. It has just been one hot day after another with hot nights in between. I would gladly pass some heat to you Northern Hemisphere people who are freezing, if in return, you send some cold air to us.
User avatar
Aurélien
Posts: 3205
Joined: 21 Oct 2008, 22:10
Favourite book/series: Book: The Boy Next Door / Series: Famous Five
Favourite character: Noddy
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Re: Unending Heat

Post by Aurélien »

Here in Auckland, New Zealand it is 25 to 28 degrees Celsius these January afternoons. It can be even more uncomfortable here than in many places in Australia because of our much higher humidity - Nowhere in Kiwiland, a long but narrow country, is all that far from the sea.

Outside business is best completed before 11.00 am, and retreating into the home rooms cooled by a heat-pump on cool-cycle, and dried by a dehumidifier, is the best option for the rest of the day. Fortunately, heat-pumps are not costly to run!

I don't like cold weather, either, but Auckland is not :D in one of the colder parts of NZ.

'Aurélien Arkadiusz' :roll:
tix
Posts: 385
Joined: 07 Jan 2005, 12:56

Re: Unending Heat

Post by tix »

'You’re making me feel quite scared!’ said Anne with a laugh. ‘Oh Ju, it’s so hot in this room. Do, do let’s have the blind up for a few minutes and let some air in. I shall begin to sizzle if we don’t.'

It was a terribly hot day. Too hot to do anything — even to walk down to the lake and bathe!

'Oh, Miss Roberts, must we have an oral test on a hot day like this?' said Alison, whose brains worked slowly in the hot weather. 'This hot sun does make me feel so sleepy at the end of the morning.'

*********************

'twas thirty-three degrees in the kitchen at 19.50 last evening.

Interesting to see that Blytoneers such as 'snugglepot' and 'Moonraker' welcome colder weather (join the club).

The person trapped in a freezing environment has the best of both worlds - he can remain cold, or make himself warm. Rob prefers a sweltering environment, but if you're feeling chilly a hot bath can be taken and this will keep the body flushed for an hour or two afterwards. One can also don skivvies and jumpers and coats and mufflers and beanies if necessary, or even get into bed. No problem; but when you're hot there's little that can be done. Once the clothing's off, that's it!

Survival in an Australian environment can be difficult. Tramping down the gangplank of an air-conditioned ship moored in Sydney Harbour is akin to entering an enormous oven that's only recently been switched off. Luckily for the citizens most buildings contain air-conditioning facilities ...... and just as well, because my temperature of choice is seventeen degrees.

Observing the dilemma in a lateral sense, 'four long dark months' can provide excellent opportunities for the creative picture-maker because every season supplies artists and photographers with numerous opportunities to practise their interests.

People residing in even hotter countries where forty degree-plus heat is the norm must have something in their bodies that enables them to endure such temperatures.

I'd evaporate!
User avatar
Courtenay
Posts: 19274
Joined: 07 Feb 2014, 01:22
Favourite book/series: The Adventure Series, Galliano's Circus
Favourite character: Lotta
Location: Both Aussie and British; living in Cheshire

Re: Unending Heat

Post by Courtenay »

snugglepot wrote:I guess I cannot comprehend the never ending months of extreme cold as our Winters are relatively short and the sun still shines most of the time. Our nights get down to about 5oC when it is really cold and if it does not get above about 15oC we say that it is "freezing cold".
Too right — and by contrast, over here in Britain, I've seen tabloid newspapers call it a "heatwave" and "extreme weather" once it goes over 27°C. I also once considered a day "freezing" if it didn't go over 15°; now I think that's really quite nice mild weather. 8) It's all relative, really.
Society Member

It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
snugglepot
Posts: 1447
Joined: 03 Apr 2014, 06:40
Favourite book/series: Five Find Outers, Faraway Tree, Barney Books
Favourite character: Fatty
Location: Australia

Re: Unending Heat

Post by snugglepot »

I always tell people that it is easier to get warm and stay warm than it is to get cool and stay cool unless you are in air conditioning. If anyone comes to my house on a hot day and complain about how cold they are in my air con, I offer them a warm jacket and a blanket.
We have had two days since just before Christmas when the temp where I live was 47oC. I was at work for the first one and our pre school room's air con is not very efficient. It could not get the inside area to drop below 31o. Needless to say there were quite a few hot children and teachers.
Looking at the long range weather forecast, they are finally predicting a cool change of about 22o this Friday and throughout next weekend. Sounds great except for the fact that next Friday at 8am my husband and I are flying to Brisbane for the birthday of one of our grandsons. I just hope Brisbane has the same cool change as the heat and humidity up there can be stifling.

I agree with Courtenay that it is all relative. It is what you are used to. Our Winters are lovely and pleasant with very few really cold days, usually caused by Westerly winds. Our Summers on the other hand I find oppressive with 30+ days most of the season plus the ones over 35 and into the 40s.
User avatar
Rob Houghton
Posts: 16029
Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham

Re: Unending Heat

Post by Rob Houghton »

I also welcome the cold weather - don't mind it at all - in fact I think cold weather is healthy, and kills germs. Anything down to about -10c is okay by me. Its the gloomy wet weather I hate, when its not pleasant to go outside etc. I prefer it to be cold with snow.

In the summer I'd rather it didn't go any higher than 30c really, although occasionally it has done. About 25c - 30c is my preferred temperature in summer. :-D

The heat abroad is totally different though - usually more bearable than our heat - especially as we don't get any chance to acclimatise to it before it goes cooler again. I remember when I was in florida it was regularly 98 F and it didn't seem half so hot as 85F would have felt over here!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



Society Member
User avatar
IceMaiden
Posts: 2290
Joined: 07 Jan 2016, 18:49
Favourite book/series: Too many to mention! All of them!
Favourite character: George
Location: North Wales

Re: Unending Heat

Post by IceMaiden »

I don't like it too hot or too cold. Too hot and you don't want to do anything it's a real struggle when you do. It's uncomfortable when it's muggy and close. On the other hand if it's too cold it can be just as difficult to make yourself move about to get warm. I feel the cold terribly, I seem to hold less heat than a freezer and the colder I am the less it is I want to move. Out of the two I'd rather be too hot as I can cool down easily but I can't warm up as quickly!

I do think a lot of it is down to the fact the weather swings from one extreme to the other but they don't stay so you can't acclimatise to it. The cold snaps and heatwaves last long enough to shock your system but are over just as you're getting used to them making it impossible to adjust to any of them, and then you feel it all the more when it suddenly changes again.
Society Member

I'm just an old fashioned girl with an old fashioned mind
Not sophisticated, I'm the sweet and simple kind
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And A̶n̶ ̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶s̶h̶i̶o̶n̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶i̶l̶l̶i̶o̶n̶a̶i̶r̶e̶
Image
User avatar
floragord
Posts: 2322
Joined: 31 Jul 2013, 14:41
Favourite book/series: THE FARAWAY TREE SERIES
Favourite character: Silky
Location: Pembrokeshire "Little England Beyond Wales"

Re: Unending Heat

Post by floragord »

A friend in Australia rang this morning, whilst we were watching the thick snowflakes lashed by the wind she was still steaming hot in an airconditioned room, apparently there's quite a heatwave over and above the already high temperatures at this time of year - a real study in contrasts!
"Its a magic wood!" said Fanny suddenly.
Post Reply