Monday, December 16, 2013

37.1ºC (99F) AND A POWER OUTAGE

Phew!!!!  A former workmate of Phil's popped in this morning (his usual mid-December visit) which was most enjoyable as he is a great chap to talk to.  Our ducted R/C air conditioner is not working all that well so we had the old 'hole in the wall' aircon on (I bought it secondhand in 1986 and it's still going strong).  "They don't make them like that these days" and that was said by our air conditioning expert Derek and he should know.  It is a tad noisy but at least it keeps us cool in that one room with the overhead fan on as well.

Gerard left us about 12.30pm so we turned on the TV to watch the Test Match (gee the Aussies are doing well with 2-0 so far and possibly will take the Ashes if they win this match tomorrow).  Had only been sitting there in the cool for about 5 minutes when off went the power.  Phil and I just sort of looked at each other and proceeded to turn off all the switches.  It's funny you always forget one or two don't you?


I left it a short while before telephoning faults only to be told (by a voice) that there was a power outage in ours and the next adjacent suburb and it should be restored by 4pm.  I just needed to hear that as truly I do not stand up to the heat very well.   I then remembered I have a small fan that you can clip on to desk top or similar so off to find it and popped in a couple of batteries.  It was a life saver as I then sat at my desk and wrote out Christmas cards (boy, am I running late this year).

My daughter telephoned while the power was still out and it's amazing how, when you have something nice to do, you really don't notice the heat quite so much.  We had a lovely long chat and while we were talking the power came back on much to my relief.  At least it didn't happen on one of the two recent days when the mercury reached 41º Celsius (106F); one must be thankful for small mercies.

Our heatwave is over for now and the days will be cooler from now on....28º-30ºC  (82-86ºF) which is at least bearable.  A couple of weeks back when I realised the third test match would be played here in Perth I said to Phil "You can expect some very hot weather over those 5 days" and I was right.  Nearly every time there is a test match played here the weather warms up.  I watch the TV and wonder to myself why are those men standing out in the hot sun all day with 20,000+ spectators sitting out in the sun watching them.  I guess it takes all sorts but me?  I'm an inside person during our hot summers.

12 comments:

  1. Oh Mimsie it is -23c here I would love to send you just a bit of the cool air so you would be comfortable. I do hope you are doing well the heat is just as hard on a person as the cold, at least I just keep putting on more clothes:) Hug B

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    1. Buttons, that is such a kind offer and thank you for it. Phil (who is of course from England) says the cold is worse than the heat but I can only take so much off and remain respectable.
      Seems maybe my genetic memory has me more susceptible to heat than cold??
      Today is bearable at least and a few cooler days on the way. :)

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  2. glad your power wasn't out for too too long....I don't take well to heat either.

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    1. Three and a half hours was enough for me and my tiny battery operated fan did help as did the long chat with my girl which helped take my mind off the heat. : )

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  3. I too am glad that your power wasn't out for long. Summer has started to be ugly early hasn't it?

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    1. Not too longer but any longer and I may have suggested taking off to a local shopping centre but didn't want to leave Precious in a hot house.
      Our heat is heading eastwards right now and we have cooled down just a tad but the humidity has come with the sea breeze. You can't win but at least the Aussie cricketers did so everyone seems happy with that result (except the Poms of course).

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  4. Any kind of sport in the height of our hot summers perplexes me Mimsie. Oh I'm with you, the heat, and I do not mix! It's been hot and humid over here too Mimsie and my airconditioning is on HIGH and it's staying that way. I start to feel ill if my body overheats. I do hope the break in your heat wave last a while for you.
    Rose

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    1. Thanks Rose. Yes being too hot can have a disastrous effect on one's feeling of well being. I prefer days under 20ºC and even in winter we don't get many of them in Perth.
      Seems our Christmas Day may be below 32ºC which will be nice as the past few C/Days have been around 40ºC (104ºF for those in other countries).
      I too agree with you about sport during our summers. They even play soccer in summer in Australia which is ridiculous but I guess they do it 'cos that's when they play what the call the 'world game' in the Northern Hemisphere!!!

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  5. Hari Om
    I'm split - part of me greatly misses the heat, the other part is rather relishing the Northern winter...but then again it has been mild so far!

    Go the Aussies!! YAM xx

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    1. Yay!! Go the Aussies and they did. Great to see the Ashes over here again (well in name anyway). They did very well. Will be interesting to see how the next two test matches go in Melbourne and Sydney. Could be interesting as the Poms would want at least one win and the Aussies would lie a 5-0 whitewash.
      I'd take the Northern winter every time, even if less than mild.
      Hope you are still having a great time. xx

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  6. I am also an inside person, so are my girls and when it is really hot, they tend to faint. I hope you don't get to many power outages xxx

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    1. I'm glad I'm not the only inside person Rae. Word has it that we are all beach lovers etc during summer here. Not good if the heat affects your girls like that. Keeping hydrated is important as I am sure you know.
      We are usually very lucky here so I feel someone did something silly somewhere to cause it.

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