blamebrampton: 15th century woodcut of a hound (Default)
blamebrampton ([personal profile] blamebrampton) wrote2013-01-08 10:46 pm
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Bloody hell, it's hot …

Lots of fires around, but still no loss of life, and outside Tasmania, little loss of property, which is nothing short of brilliance on the part of the fire services and of individuals who have all been hugely sensible about evacuating in good order.

It was 43C outside here today, officially 42.5, so my thermometer may have been exaggerating. We kept cool inside by not opening up the house at all and keeping all the blinds drawn. A quick walk up the hill to Newtown, conducted at a sedate pace and with a break for iced beverages, was more than sufficient in the way of exercise. The air was so hot and dry, it was enough to pause for a moment and your sweat would evaporate, though it was hot enough that I had sweated my sunblock into a white film by the time we reached home.

On the way back, we paused at the bottle shop, 'The high church of Erskineville' as they styled themselves today. At the rear of the shop, there is a cold room where they keep slabs of beer. Some people were actually buying the beer, most were just standing in front of the fans, with blissful expressions on their faces. On the counter, a sign: Yes, it is tremendously hot, but we don't need to talk about it.

Turning off all the power we didn't need helped: chargers and halogens only add a tiny bit of warmth to the house, but every fraction of a degree is to be avoided on days like this. The cats had ice in their bowls and food from the fridge, which was welcomed by the corner cat – Moushka is back, and mostly holed up in her spot behind the sofa. She and Cookie hate each other and hiss wildly but do not commit acts of violence. I am hoping this passes, or it is going to be a Very Long Year.

There is ironing to be done, and another recs list to write, but they can both wait as it is 10.30pm and still 35C. I'll keep reading through hols, I've found another one for the rec list, I think!

Meanwhile, the reality of climate change has led the Bureau of Meteorology to add two new levels of temperature to our national forecast charts: they used to top out at 50°C, now 54. They've already had to use the 50-52 level.

Some like it hot (but not me!)

[identity profile] astardanced77.livejournal.com 2013-01-08 12:09 pm (UTC)(link)
I spent the day obsessively checking the ABC live blog for information. Now I'm not sure if I am well informed or overly paranoid (probably both).

It's still 28 degrees here at 11pm. I do not approve.
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[identity profile] meredyth-13.livejournal.com 2013-01-08 12:58 pm (UTC)(link)
I hope someone is looking into dragging the whole country further south? *clings to uk weather like a cold-loving limpet *

[identity profile] maevemist.livejournal.com 2013-01-08 01:27 pm (UTC)(link)
I think we managed to miss the 40 degree mark by about .1 today and the Internet informs me that it only felt like 35 at worst so I must have been imagining those extra 5 degrees. It is now 30 degrees at 20 past midnight, so I would like to tell the weather man to go jump right now. :(

As to your local bottlo's sign. I can just imagine that by the 57th customer doing the typical Australian thing of stating the bloody obvious they were about ready to do Very Unpleasant Things to the 58th, hence the sign. LOL

[identity profile] sevenwindows.livejournal.com 2013-01-08 01:45 pm (UTC)(link)
I wonder if the High Church lets dogs in to inspect the beer... Though, my new house is much cooler than the townhouse of building defects and terror! I've just made a jug of iced tea, to use the rest of ice I made for the pets this morning, but I spent all day worrying about the critters and the house was not that hot when I got home.

I did indulge in a taxi home from work today because the thought of trains was too dismaying and when I turned up at the station again at quarter to nine to go to the Spiegeltent, it was still 38 degrees. :( Of course, the train was unairconditioned, but I had my fan.

The Spiegeltent performers were excellent (Cantina the vaudeville/cabaret/circus/burlesque thingy), the Tent was cooler than the train and the performers did lots of disrobing (in the script, but it makes one want to invest in 1930s silk underthings and a cannily velcro-ed dress, to be deployed in emergencies like 43 degrees. )

I so approve of your putting off of things. I'm kind of delighted I don't have to work tomorrow, because how is anyone meant to sleep?

[identity profile] fiwen1010.livejournal.com 2013-01-08 04:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Holy cow, that's hot. WTF is the climate these days?

[identity profile] pionie.livejournal.com 2013-01-08 09:42 pm (UTC)(link)
But.. that's literally half way to boiling!! That seems a little end of days to me.

[identity profile] auntpurl.livejournal.com 2013-01-08 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Bloody hell! That's 109 for any Americans reading. I had to look it up, and visibly flinched when Google told me what the Fahrenheit equivalent was. I'm so sorry for you, I absolutely loathe the heat and it's only getting worse as I get older! I hope it cools down very very soon! Xoxo

(My icon is directed at the weather, not you!)

[identity profile] spirillen.livejournal.com 2013-01-08 09:53 pm (UTC)(link)
As someone who hasn't seen the sun in weeks I can't help but feel at least a little jealous.
I meant to comment on an incredibly mystery author and an associated incredibly mystery artist over at HD - I was reading it in bed on the 1st Jan, nearly missed my flight to Denmark but I just couldn't put it down. Fortunately I am a speed packer (packing the day is a concept I've heard off but can't say I'm familiar with)

Oh, this really made me laugh,thought you might enjoy:
http://blog.bigjigstoys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/WestCoastMainline_Response-Letter.jpg
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[identity profile] janey-p.livejournal.com 2013-01-09 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
Just looking at the image, I sense a conspiracy...
I mean, with the temperature dropping significantly and rather accurately along the coast, it kinda seems like someone turned the Australian ground into a stove top... XD
Is a difference of about 10 degrees between land and sea at the coast normal?

Gotta hope the purple spot is not inhabited.

I keep my fingers crossed for cooler weather in the very near future.

[identity profile] phoenixacid.livejournal.com 2013-01-09 02:09 am (UTC)(link)
I hope the fires will die down soon! :(

Holy 42.5 degrees. That's too hot!

[identity profile] alethiaxx.livejournal.com 2013-01-09 04:19 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you for the updates. I'm glad you seem to be managing all right, though it sounds miserable (I shuddered when you mentioned the iron, and that temperature map is slightly terrifying). Hope you stay hydrated and as comfortable as possible.

[identity profile] sirius-luva.livejournal.com 2013-01-09 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
D: I'm in Singapore for the holidays, where it's 30 degrees but humidity is at 89%; I am dreading returning to Perth for the upcoming semester because of the weather. D:

*hugs and sends you lots of iced lemonade* Hang in there!

[identity profile] mrsquizzical.livejournal.com 2013-01-09 10:42 am (UTC)(link)
i thought that bureau of meteorology thing was a hoax when i first saw it today on fb. but then discovered, no, it really is that bloody hot omggg! glad to only be living in a reddish orangeish place. not purple dear god.

so glad we managed to move house on monday and not the end of the week. that would have been frightful! D:

[identity profile] romaine24.livejournal.com 2013-01-11 05:53 am (UTC)(link)
Purple has always been a cool colour, this is so wrong that they have to use it this way. I hope you're cooler today and enjoying hols!

[identity profile] nenne.livejournal.com 2013-01-13 09:34 pm (UTC)(link)
That is so hot it hurts! It's a good thing it has cooled down now. :)