What’s on your mind?

[Scepticalscribe]

It’s about a degree warmer today. The rooms in our house range from 16-18.

Barometer (which has been falling - actually, plummeting - since last night) is now down to 980 (ugh). A bad sign.

Thermometer currently reads 15, but will doubtless rise, and - later this evening, yes, I shall put on some heat.

Outside, it is cold, (lashing rain, fairly chucking down until a few minutes ago, now, it is drizzling and spitting rain) and wet and dreary, and overcast.

Meanwhile, the oven is on (for dinner, I plan to prepare ham hocks.....)

Mrs AFB is already looking forward to summer!

A heartfelt and passionate and profound amen to that.

As am I.

I love heat, and warmth, and the quality of light that come with spring and summer....

My Dad however can’t wait so is off to Tanzania on Monday. Lucky chap!

Lucky chap indeed.

That was one of the advantages of working abroad; the winters were glorious, never too cold, or dark or dreary.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Not much of an electric, blanket fan myself. Although I do love burying myself under a ton of mismatch blankets, and a cold winter night. Takes a while to warm up but then it’s just so comfy.

Electric blanket, and blankets and duvets, for me, in deepest darkest winter.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

My electric blanket has been on the last two days.

Yes, exactly that: The last two days, for me, as well.

 

[decafjava]

Ahh well I called my landlord, actually the "regie", the company that wons and manages my apartment building and as I suspected while the heating was supposed to be turned on there is a technical problem and they sent out a technician. I am at my office which is warmer though we still have fans in the classroom from just 3 weeks ago when ti was still warm and sunny. It's cool and rainy now.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Barometer (which has been falling - actually, plummeting - since last night) is now down to 980 (ugh). A bad sign.

Thermometer currently reads 15, but will doubtless rise, and - later this evening, yes, I shall put on some heat.

Outside, it is cold, (lashing rain, fairly chucking down until a few minutes ago, now, it is drizzling and spitting rain) and wet and dreary, and overcast.

Meanwhile, the oven is on (for dinner, I plan to prepare ham hocks.....)


A heartfelt and passionate and profound amen to that.

As am I.

I love heat, and warmth, and the quality of light that come with spring and summer....

Lucky chap indeed.

That was one of the advantages of working abroad; the winters were glorious, never too cold, or dark or dreary.

It’s warmer in the office than at home, but I’d rather be at home. No commuting for one. They’ll be journeys in the dark soon enough.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It’s warmer in the office than at home, but I’d rather be at home. No commuting for one. They’ll be journeys in the dark soon enough.

Yes, Decent Brother was commenting on (while anticipating) the horror of journeys (mornings and evenings) in the dark.

Ugh.

He has just headed off to Dubrovnik for a week, with aview to savouring a last lingering (pre-winter) break.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Now, ham hocks are on the stove, in stock, with vegetables, - they'll head into the oven in an hour or so for a couple of hours - and I am trying to defer, postpone, re-schedule, a meeting (coffee/glass of wine) with an academic friend of mine which had been planned for this evening.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

(The) Barometer is still falling, nay, plummeting, plunging, tumbling; now, it is hovering just above 970.

Ominous, and ugh.

I managed to postpone the planned coffee (and/or wine) with my academic friend/colleague.

Meanwhile, the ham hocks are in the oven.

 

[Apple fanboy]

(The) Barometer is still falling, nay, plummeting, plunging, tumbling; now, it is hovering just above 970.

Ominous, and ugh.

I managed to postpone the planned coffee (and/or wine) with my academic friend/colleague.

Meanwhile, the ham hocks are in the oven.

Pouring with rain here. I just had to go out and lock the garage etc.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Pouring with rain here. I just had to go out and lock the garage etc.

Lashing rain here, also.

I'm glad that I cancelled coffee.

Worse, one of the three bins wasn't collected today; actually, I received a text offering apologies ("unforeseen circumstances" - in fairness, this hasn't happened before), and stating that it will be collected tomorrow instead and asking me to leave it out overnight.

I did phone the cheesemonger, and my organic cream awaits me (it arrived today), and, as I had collected my organic milk last night, I'm fine for coffee, tea, and hot drinks.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Lashing rain here, also.

I'm glad that I cancelled coffee.

Worse, one of the three bins wasn't collected today; actually, I received a text offering apologies ("unforeseen circumstances" - in fairness, this hasn't happened before), and stating that it will be collected tomorrow instead and asking me to leave it out overnight.

I did phone the cheesemonger, and my organic cream awaits me (it arrived today), and, as I had collected my organic milk last night, I'm fine for coffee, tea, and hot drinks.

Just as well. Running out of tea or coffee is no joke this time of the year.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Just as well. Running out of tea or coffee is no joke this time of the year.

Agreed.

Well, for now, both tea and coffee are amply supplied; my concern was running out of milk to go with them, which is an equally unwelcome experience, especially during this sort of horrid weather.

Anyway, tea, coffee, milk (and, hopefully, from tomorrow of Friday), cream, should be fine.

I'm fine on fruit and vegetables, also.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Agreed.

Well, for now, both tea and coffee are amply supplied; my concern was running out of milk to go with them, which is an equally unwelcome experience, especially during this sort of horrid weather.

Anyway, tea, coffee, milk (and, hopefully, from tomorrow of Friday), cream, should be fine.

I'm fine on fruit and vegetables, also.

We only have long life skimmed milk (well for me, Mrs AFB uses rice milk for cooking) here. So little danger of running out. Always have at least a months worth in stock.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

We only have long life skimmed milk (well for me, Mrs AFB uses rice milk for cooking) here. So little danger of running out. Always have at least a months worth in stock.

Full fat (organic) milk for me.

Abroad, I can (and will, and usually have to) take my coffee (and indeed, tea) black; but here, at home, no way.

Actually, milk (and cheese) are two of the (few) things that I tend to miss (and miss a lot) when I am abroad for weeks or months at a time.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Full fat (organic) milk for me.

Abroad, I can (and will, and usually have to) take my coffee (and indeed, tea) black; but here, at home, no way.

Actually, milk (and cheese) are two of the (few) things that I tend to miss (and miss a lot) when I am abroad for weeks or months at a time.

I don’t drink coffee very often, but prefer it black when I do.
I eat a lot less cheese than I’d like. Doesn’t sit well with my fitness and weight loss! A bit of half fat mature cheddar about once a week these days.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I don’t drink coffee very often, but prefer it black when I do.

Yes, I know; as with Decent Brother (and my mother, for that matter), you far prefer tea.

My father and I preferred coffee.

I eat a lot less cheese than I’d like.

Well, when I am abroad, I accept that cheese will be in short supply, or non-existent.

However, at home, it is an entirely different matter, and, as I love cheese, I will happily indulge whenever opportunity permits.

 

[Lioness~]

Anyone knows where the 'new weather app' is in which we can fast forward the weather a few months?
Because now the weather is going in the wrong direction here 🥶

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I love heat and warmth, but I felt almost overdressed today when I headed out for a walk, and to pay some bills, (and purchase some beer).

The skies were attired in strange shades of dappled grey, the sight of the (cloaked, or obscured, or masked) descending sun (which took the form of shafts of murky luminosity adding subtle shades of light and shadow to the sky) was curiously attractive. Normally, I don't much care for grey skies, but today's sky was lovely.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

My beer has been delivered.

 

[Apple fanboy]

My beer has been delivered.

Enjoy. From Belgium I’m guessing?

 

[SkyBell]

Anyone knows where the 'new weather app' is in which we can fast forward the weather a few months?
Because now the weather is going in the wrong direction here 🥶

We can trade, the weather in my area is heading back into the 35C+ territory.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Enjoy.

Thank you.

From Belgium I’m guessing?

Actually, from Germany.

Two different beers from Weihenstephaner, a legendary (and excellent) brewery that is supposed to be a thousand years old, or close to it. They don't make a bad beer.

Belgium will feature as the days grow darker, drearier, and bleaker.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Thank you.

Actually, from Germany.

Two different beers from Weihenstephaner, a legendary (and excellent) brewery that is supposed to be a thousand years old, or close to it. They don't make a bad beer.

Belgium will feature as the days grow darker, drearier, and bleaker.

Germany would have been my second guess.
Do enjoy.

I had three very nice coffees this morning. The machine they have at the BMW garage is very nice. I’d have just gad the two, but the nice lady there brought me an extra one over.

 

[Lioness~]

We can trade, the weather in my area is heading back into the 35C+ territory.

Anyone that could invent something that could take advantage of the cold we have here, and in other cold places, to cool down overheated places, would surely get a Nobel Price.

Global warming would neither be a threat.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Germany would have been my second guess.
Do enjoy.

Thank you.

I shall.

I had three very nice coffees this morning. The machine they have at the BMW garage is very nice. I’d have just gad the two, but the nice lady there brought me an extra one over.

Sounds delicious.

That is one of the biggest changes - the widespread availability of really good coffee - that I have seen over the past few decades.

When I was a student (and forget about when I was a child, or teenager), most of the coffee that was available - apart from a few really up market places, or ethnic (i.e, Italian or French run and owned) speciality coffee shops - or, half decent restaurants or hotels - was truly dire.