10:06 – It was 54.3F (13C) when I took Colin out at 0715, with gusty winds and blowing rain. We had about 1.5″ (3.8 cm) of rain overnight. Today is supposed to be more of the same.
Barbara is volunteering this afternoon at the Friends bookstore, and I have various administrative tasks to do. Tomorrow, we’re back to making subassemblies and building more science kits. Kit sales are still okay, although they’re starting to taper off, as they always do in September.
I have two cups of coffee every morning, made in a single-cup brewer that holds about a pint of water. As I was setting up my second cup this morning, I thought to weigh the coffee I was using. It turns out, I use a scoop that weighs about 13 grams to make a pint of coffee. That means a 3-pound can of coffee is about 100 cups or 50 days’ worth, and a case is 300 days’ worth. Barbara, Frances, and Colin don’t drink coffee, and Al likes his coffee much weaker than I make mine, so two cases of coffee is a year’s worth for Al and me. Of course, I also drink tea, as does Barbara, and we have enough of that in LTS to make a few hundred gallons.
I just remarked to Barbara this morning that we’re both old enough to remember when it was a standing joke about property developers selling swamp land in Florida to rubes from out of state. Back then, Florida was a relatively small state population-wise, and for good reason. It wasn’t until the 50’s and 60’s that major development ramped up down there, and for good reason. Until then, people understood that it was a really bad idea to build in coastal areas, which are subject to frequent hurricanes. The population of Florida back then was a quarter or less what it is now, and that was too many people even then. Of course, other coastal areas like the Gulf Coast and the entire West Coast have also seen huge increases in construction and growth in population, which was just as bad an idea.
My Aussie pal in WPB loves the heat in Florida – says it never gets cold. I suggested to him that he move to NYC (he’s a liberal Democrat and adores HRC) – he didn’t even reply. He and our mutual friends have repeatedly suggested he move back to Oz, but I doubt if he will.
Back then, Florida was a relatively small state population-wise, and for good reason. It wasn’t until the 50’s and 60’s that major development ramped up down there, and for good reason.
Away from Disney’s property, Central Florida was still sleepy for another 20 years, until a series of freezes in the early 80s killed the orange groves around Orlando and Tampa.
It used to be that the deal for anyone insane enough to live on the barrier islands or flood prone areas in Florida was that they were on their own as far as financing any necessary rebuilding after a storm. Low interest rates and Federal flood insurance changed the equation since 2000. Now the people who moved down from up north seeking “Margaritaville” are looking for that lost shaker of salt … and lower flood insurance premiums.
(BTW, I hate the music of *Mississippi native* Jimmy Buffett. His back catalog is part of the problem in FL IMHO.)
One of my high skool buddies eventually moved down to Orlando to stay hooked to his gf, who then became his wife. I visited in ’82 and Buffet was yuuuuuge then, all over the airwaves constantly, along with Steve Miller’s pop album where he really loves to shake them peach trees. I went with my first wife down to Sanibel in the fall of ’94 and what struck us both was the sadness and melancholy of the place off-season. Young people working in the stores and restaurants who lived down there year-round bemoaned only seeing folks for a week or two at most, usually, and then never again.
Current (and last) wife has been to FL several times over the years for her job but, as with TX, can’t understand how people can live like that. We’re your basic northerners, I guess.
Another day of sun and blue skies; I’m not getting much done today; the back and legs thing has been bumming me out a lot lately; I’ll get over it in a day or so or maybe even later today. Wife should be back from NB via Fort Kent, Maine, by early evening, while I’m at the Planning Commission meeting. She’ll have to pack her stuff and we gotta head to the airport down here tomorrow AM. Maybe I’ll have more energy and motivation as the week wears on.
“Calls to punish skeptics rise with links to climate change, hurricanes”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/sep/11/climate-change-activists-want-punishment-for-skept/
They are coming for us ! They are going to beat us to death with their calculators and crappy predictive software.
And adjusted data.
Jerry’s family has released this information today (12 Sep 2017), we will post additional information as we get it:
When I get the info on the livestream, I’ll post it here (and on his Chaos Manor site, of course).
Thanks, Rick.
Picked up my order from Wal-Mart today. Meh. Ship to store is nice but free ship to house is nicer if only because I don’t have to go almost 20 miles to Wal-Mart. Dent damage is about the same.
The six cans of Keystone turkey came in a smallish box with about twenty feet of packing paper layered in. No dents. Nice job.
The twelve cans of beef, what? Why does this a-hole have a job? It was a two foot square box. The twelve cans in a single layer on the bottom and about a third of the rest of the box was filled with about eight feet of the air-pac stuff. Three dented cans for the “eat soon” section of the pantry.
I ordered twelve cans because that’s how Keystone sells it. I thought it would be a no brainer for Wal-Mart to take the Keystone twelve pack and slap on a shipping label. Maybe I should stop this thoughting stuff.
Oh well. I picked up a couple Dak hams while there. And a six-pack of Armor Potted Meat. Ok, stop barfing. /Don’t read the label./ Think of it as spreadable Vienna sausage. I like the stuff once in a while and the Underwood’s Deviled Ham can is too much. 🙂 Yeah, make toast, slather with mayo and potted meat. Sprinkle on black pepper.
My order of four cans of Auguson potato slices is due to arrive tomorrow or Thursday.
Seconded! Thanks, Rick.
And AIR CONDITIONING – Pre A/C, both Florida and Washington, D.C. were fetid swamps.
“…Florida and Washington, D.C. were fetid swamps.”
Ditto much of the southern states, and during colonial settlement times, peeps died like flies. Wife has been to TX, NM, AZ and CA recently and tells me it’s so fucking hot there, peeps can’t even go outdoors. So the A-C runs ALL the time. I told her that’s bullshit. Human beans can get used to and adapt to almost anything. I certainly did in TX and SEA. You gotta acclimate yerself to the climate and weather and dress for it, just as we do up here for the cold.
RBT grew up in PA, with cold snowy winters; then he moved, God knows why, to NC and hadda get used to the heat and humidity. I’m guessing that now he’s moved to the mountains, so to speak, he’s getting used to the cold again.
Picture this: Uncle sent an 18-year-old dummy from east Texas to his first duty station in central Maine in the dead of winter. Six months there and then back to east TX for combat training and on to ‘Nam. That’s a hundred-plus degree change right there each time. And you just get used to it.
As wife and I have said many times, you can always get warm somehow. Not so true the other way round.
As wife and I have said many times, you can always get warm somehow. Not so true the other way round.
We had swamp coolers when I was a kid. Just a big old fan and a mesh pad with a water hose on it poked through a window. Made the house humid as all get out but, who cares ? It would drop the temperature in the house over 20 F. All of us kids would come inside and take turns standing in front of it until some adult would yell at us to get away from there.
And if you ain’t got pressurized water and 120 volts / 2 amps to run a fan, you are in dire straights.
So the A-C runs ALL the time
Nah. We usually don’t run the a/c in Jan and Feb.
”
Nah. We usually don’t run the a/c in Jan and Feb.
”
well, usually not at night, but there are the months where you run heat at night and AC during the day….
‘course, I haven’t been commenting on the temps, but it’s been in the 70s when I get up and cool 80s during the day for the last couple of days. Gorgeous blue sky with light breezes too. Supposed to be back in the 90s tomorrow. No rain for the next 3 days….
In other words, it is fantastic weather at the moment…
n
In other words, it is fantastic weather at the moment…
No joke, it has been awesome. We are in the middle 60s F at night and middle 80s F during day. I’ve been wearing a hoodie to walkabout at night. At least 10 F below normal.
“And if you ain’t got pressurized water and 120 volts / 2 amps to run a fan, you are in dire straights.”
in the old days, they’d hang soaking wet sheets around the ‘sleeping porch’ so any breeze would pass thru the wet sheets, cooling the air.
There were techniques, and the indigenous or vernacular housing styles usually reflected those ideas.
The rise of the ‘modern’ south is mos def related to the rise of residential AC.
n
The new 15 lb Jack Russel / Chihuahua mix puppy dog has been socializing. The women are in love with him. Lady, our 14 year old Cocker Spaniel, could care less as long as she gets her treats.
Remy, the 14 lb white Siamese cat, hates him with the intensity of a 10,000 watt spotlight. He chased Remy last night and screamed when Remy turned around with all four collections of 3/4 inch knives pointed in his direction. He managed to turn and ran into our bedroom to hide.
Nobody has called or emailed for him. No chip, no collar. The wife is going to take him to the local vet to see if they know him. One of our neighbors has said that she has been looking for a small dog so that is an option. But the wife cried when I mentioned her.
The first night he slept in the game room with Lady, he thought he was going to sleep on her sofa bad. He jumped up there, curled up, and growled at her with his teeth showing. Then he noticed that I was watching and unshowed his teeth and wagged his tail at me. Lady continued walking by and he growled at her again, noticed me watching and wagged his tail for me again. I would not have believed him had I not seen it. I put the dude to sleep in Lady’s old XL crate (door closed !) but that has an orthopedic bed also that he likes.
https://www.amazon.com/Serta-Orthopedic-Quilted-Couch-Large/dp/B014SS8X1M/
Did I mention the four foot standing vertical leap ?
He is someones precious baby. He understands several words and is somewhat trained. He wants to sleep on our bed but jumps off the minute we enter the room, nonchalantly walking away.
in the old days, they’d hang soaking wet sheets around the ‘sleeping porch’ so any breeze would pass thru the wet sheets, cooling the air.
I did not know that. Most of my family out in Wharton county did have big porches though.
Yep, we can learn a lot from the vernacular architecture of a region.
Big overhangs, raised on pilings or piers, high ceilings, REALLY tall windows, porches, etc all clues to what works in the climate…
n
Big rambling houses from colonial times down in southern Nova Anglia with lots of very small windows. Farmhouses up here with wide wrap-around porches and normal-sized windows since the advent of oil and gas heating systems. Usually steep roofs for obvious reasons.
This 1830 structure has regular-sized windows, a small front porch/entryway close to the street (used since before that year and for a long time thereafter by horses and carriages) and an add-on back porch. Original big-ass, hand-hewn beams can be seen above the ceilings downstairs and in the attic and cellar. Wood floors throughout.
I’d like to tear out the whole kitchen and start from scratch, ditto the bathroom, but we have other priorities before the cold weather. Like a new washer-and-dryer, a new fridge, and replacing the back porch stairs with a landing and railing. I’ve taken a couple of falls off there so far which could have resulted in bad chit.
Meanwhile I hope to assemble a couple more firewood racks out back, clean out the cellar freezer, and let wife do the painting on the back porch and stairs. She is scheduled to be home for a whole three weeks next month so maybe we can get s bunch of stuff done together.
Also got homework this week and next, and TAXES.
Up early to go pick up wife and bring her to the Burlap International Airport, home of the Green Mountain Boys fighter-interceptor squadron, running F16s currently but scheduled to get the F35s at some point.
Pax vobiscum, fratres; semper paratus; tempus fugit
In southern France and northern Italy, many OLD (Roman era ?) Buildings have open sleeping verandas on the top floor. Don’t know if they used the wet sheet trick but those Romans were smart.
Back in the 1940s and 50s, my dad and his dad would get up at 4 am on Sunday and go to the local ice house in College Station, TX. They would buy about a ton of ice and put it in the back of the church building.
My grandfather had built a wooden
assembly with fans. When they started church, he would turn on the fans. Dad said it was heaven in July and August.
We get that same cool breeze off the ice deal in February here. It ain’t heaven.
I toured an old vaudeville theater in New Orleans that had “conditioned air”. There was a giant pit (filled with ice) under the whole audience seating area, and along one edge were giant fans. There were mushroom shaped openings under the seats, and the air would be pushed over the ice and forced up thru the mushroom shaped diffusers into the seating area. All they did to modernize was put big radiators filled with chilled water in front of the existing fans. The fans were driven with huge old dynamos and 1 ft wide leather belts. Pretty cool!
n
We get that same cool breeze off the ice deal in February here. It ain’t heaven.
It is also not summer in central Texas. And College Station is a swamp also even though it is 300+ ft above sea level.
The fans were driven with huge old dynamos and 1 ft wide leather belts. Pretty cool!
Those leather belts are cool until they come off. It is a real *^*)#$# getting them back on. I have used a 6 ft iron bar before.