DaveM, start a forest fire!!!

[Wildflower Fever]

Ugh...It's 10am and it's a whopping -15 degrees with -35 wind chill. It HAS to be colder up in the Iron Range. How about starting a little bonfire so those arctic winds blow some heat down here, huh? I'm dreading going out to start my car because last year when it dipped to -20 one evening it barely started. Ugh...:(

[aabram]

Wildflower, a little "inconvenience" never hurt anyone. Dave, DO NOT START A FIRE!!!!! I REPEAT "DO NOT START A FIRE"!!!!!

Annabel

[Randy & Betty in Pa]

Hey all your weather is heading our way... I think you need to invite Lucille to grill a steak!!! That will warm things up a bit...

Best to all & stay warm

R. from the palm tree infested part of Pennsylvania where the temperature is now 86 degrees.... I'd never lie to you....

[DaveM]

I'll see what I can do. I currently have four wool blankets on my bed, but I do have extras to loan out. Loan? Oh, I meant to say rent.

It is so cold here that the drunks are staying home. Quite possibly the first time on record.

Heck, it's so cold that an ex-girlfriend invited me to come over for dinner, as long as I brought firewood.

It's so cold that people are listening to talk radio just for the hot air.

It's so cold....

Well, you get the idea.

I think one of those Wendy steaks sounds like a fine idea. Can't imagine that I could ever convince her to visit right now though. It's so cold that the airlines are posting flight delays...oh, wait a minute, that's every day.

[sister rose]

Wildflower, a little "inconvenience" never hurt anyone. Dave, DO NOT START A FIRE!!!!! I REPEAT "DO NOT START A FIRE"!!!!!

Annabel

Hey..we could roast soy dogs! :D

[DaveM]

They all froze solid, Lexa. The animal shelter let them out to play last night and this morning they were all in neat rows in vacuum-sealed packages! Guessing they can probably be had at a decent price, but it might well require a forest fire to get them anywhere near cooked.

I like my dogs well-done. Never could get used to that tail-wagging as one went down my throat.

[sister rose]

Dave, that was so wrong! http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/ruinkai/spanka.gif

[DaveM]

But baby, it's COLD outside....

[Dee]

I hear ya Wildflower. Fortunately for me (or not) my apartment is always warm, even in the depths of Winter. I was expecting this tho, and the boyfriend got a car yesterday and I stocked up on supplies to get through the next few days without needing to go out.

Frigid forecast for Ottawa

Temperatures are expected to plummet on Tuesday as an arctic cold front makes its way into the capital region.

The high on Tuesday is expected to be just below freezing point at -1 C. It will drop to -26 C Tuesday night with a wind chill forecasted at -34 C.

Environment Canada says more snow is also on its way. The five centimetres of snowfall in the capital's future will get scattered across the region as wind speeds reach 50 kilometres per hour late Tuesday.

Ottawa police warn that such cold temperatures mean commuters can expect ice patches to develop overnight. They are advising Wednesday commuters to drive slow and leave early.

And with the transit strike steadfast into day 35 [UGH! :mad:] there is growing concern for those who have chosen to walk or bike as alternatives to getting around the city.

Paramedics say they will be on guard.

Frost bite, hypothermia, and respiratory related health issues are major concerns for those spending long periods of time outdoors.

Layers of warm clothing are highly recommended.

[Wildflower Fever]

Layers of warm clothing are highly recommended.

I always love that suggestion, but as you probably know it's so cold that you can never be warm for long out there. It seems like your feet and face are the toughest to keep warm. I've been back inside for over an hour now, and my feet are still numb.:mad: I'm keeping warm indoors today, but unfortunately my zone manager is flying into Minneapolis on Thursday, the coldest projected day this week. I don't think he'll like the weather, but to make a good example he'll probably still want us to drive around making appointed sales calls.:rolleyes: I think I may have to gamble and put my foot down and suggest we do some indoor computer work or training. There is no reason to be out there in -20 degree F weather if you don't have to. Wish me luck...

[Eva]

Layers of warm clothing are highly recommended.
As if you would go out in a bathingsuit :rolleyes:

Eva

[Dee]

Yah. Guess I'll have to cancel that beach party.

[Eva]

Yah. Guess I'll have to cancel that beach party.
Darned! I wanted to show off my new sandals...

Eva

[Dee]

There, there dear, don't weep. We're all heartbroken about it.

[DaveM]

It's so cold out now that the Jehovah's Witnesses are staying home.

It's so cold that the Scandinavians are thinking of going home.

It's so cold that when I put the radio on a Rush Limbaugh station....nothing came out.

It's so cold out that the convenience store clerk's breast implants ring when they bang together.

Tried to get a forest fire started, but as with Paul Bunyan's legendary attempt, the flames froze so I'll have to store them for later.

Fortunately I have multiple layers and the large Heater Cat, who has permanently stationed himself face-first against a large heat duct. He soaks it up all day and then curls up with me at night and radiates it. Love it.

[lucille]

Well it's 39c here and overnight it dropped to about 32c.

We're havin' a heat wave, a tropical heatwave. Well not really tropical because there's no rain. Meanwhile in the north of the country there are floods. Now if the theory that north is up is correct, it should all run down to us, but it never does.

[Mary6906]

Gaaaahh... too darn hot..... Winter and Summer two of my worst seasons.... I love Fall the best... a nice crisp coolness in the air and the pretty leaves.

[DaveM]

It is now so cold out that the ovaries have fallen out of the other brass monkey.

In fact, it is SO COLD.....that I never had a girlfriend like that.

[Wildflower Fever]

It is now so cold out that the ovaries have fallen out of the other brass monkey.

In fact, it is SO COLD.....that I never had a girlfriend like that.

It's so cold that I don't even need my bully of a big brother around to get a "purple nurple."

[hoops]

it's freakin cold! sorry, I hate winter. people say you can always put on more clothing to get warm, but i have never experienced "enough" clothing in the winter or enough bedding. i have 4 blankets on my bed in the summer, i have 6 now...i don;t have any more blankets...oh and i wear my clothes, usually two pairs of pants and 4 -6 shirts and a pair of socks and slippers to bed...still freezing. the cat sleeps on my head, but not now cause hee won;t go under the blankets and that is where my head is...in a hat too. i want 72 degrees. is that so much to want??? really tho, it is my fault. i've lived in florida, texas, California and other warm states that i can;t remember right now cause my brain is frozen and i moved back here to be with my family. silly me
peace
hoops

[Wildflower Fever]

it's freakin cold! sorry, I hate winter. people say you can always put on more clothing to get warm, but i have never experienced "enough" clothing in the winter or enough bedding. i have 4 blankets on my bed in the summer, i have 6 now...i don;t have any more blankets...oh and i wear my clothes, usually two pairs of pants and 4 -6 shirts and a pair of socks and slippers to bed...still freezing. the cat sleeps on my head, but not now cause hee won;t go under the blankets and that is where my head is...in a hat too. i want 72 degrees. is that so much to want??? really tho, it is my fault. i've lived in florida, texas, California and other warm states that i can;t remember right now cause my brain is frozen and i moved back here to be with my family. silly me
peace
hoops

I know what you mean, and I once lived 1 mile from the Atlantic oceanfront in Va. Beach. Despite the warmth I can't say I miss the place though. Hoops, are you able to turn the heat up, or use a space heater and/or electric blanket? It's absolutely insanely cold here, the national network news shows all lead off with the weather in Minnesota tonight. That said, I'm quite comfortable indoors and sleep only in boxers with one medium weight blanket on the bed. I even wear shorts inside some days, but I just can't stand the current cold snap- an Alberta Clipper that brings arctic air all the way here. For you "nor-easters", batton down the hatches because it's headed your way. We'll see temps in 30's again by Sunday, and of course I'll get sick again as I always do when temps change drastically throughout the winter.:(

http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/graphics/photos0506/aclipper.gif

[DaveM]

It is now so cold that witches are no longer able to nurse their young, and the welldiggers have gone on strike.

It's so cold I even thought of crawling into my housemate's bed, but....some things are too terrible to contemplate.

I do have my Heater Cat, though he won't sleep on my head (he stays by my side). If you have any idea how I could train him to do that, Hoops, please....do tell me!

Somebody, please...send the Rudie Bus and take me South! And warm it up thoroughly before it gets here!

[Dee]

It's so cold that the polar bears are running back up North. It will also only take 10 minutes for exposed skin to develop frostbite! :eek:

Glad the boyfriend took me for supplies on Monday so I don't need to go out for the next few days.

[DaveM]

Every time a cold snap hits Northern Minnesota, the local newspaper runs at least one article with a subtext of "see, there's no global warming". Apparently, to them, climatology consists of whether it gets cold in a small section of Northern Minnesota in winter.

An editorial contributor today noted, in response to a story about a woman who was recently arrested for stealing several purses, that such things only occur "because we have too many porch monkeys around town". I am not making this up.

I honestly believe that the State of Minnesota could be made a profitable concern if they would just put a fence around the Iron Range and charge admission to see the freaks inside. Though I hope they would let me out first.

Waiting on that island in Australia....it's so cold here, the neighbor's dog came over to the fence to say hello to me....and got stuck to it.

[Wildflower Fever]

Every time a cold snap hits Northern Minnesota, the local newspaper runs at least one article with a subtext of "see, there's no global warming". Apparently, to them, climatology consists of whether it gets cold in a small section of Northern Minnesota in winter.

An editorial contributor today noted, in response to a story about a woman who was recently arrested for stealing several purses, that such things only occur "because we have too many porch monkeys around town". I am not making this up.

I honestly believe that the State of Minnesota could be made a profitable concern if they would just put a fence around the Iron Range and charge admission to see the freaks inside. Though I hope they would let me out first.

Waiting on that island in Australia....it's so cold here, the neighbor's dog came over to the fence to say hello to me....and got stuck to it.

I won't watch the news this week, they make the weather seem even more horrific than it is. Such a shame when they use fearmongering even about the weather...:rolleyes: Anyway, DaveM, I hope next weeks warm-up lasts because I have to spend a week in Grand Rapids the 2nd week of February. Not that it's tropical down here in the MPLS, but the northern tier can be so much worse. My boss is waiting for me at the Hyatt to take him out on the town, even in this crap. I'm going to propose tonight that we do administrative work in his hotel tomorrow rather than brave this B.S. It may take "several" drinks, wish me luck...

[Bat]

Hey! It's Winter!! What do we expect, here? Winter is cold. This winter is just cold a month earlier than it was last year, but not unusually so over the statistical record keeping years. We are getting the results of an Alberta Clipper coming down into Cincinnati, the snow will ease off after only a couple inches, but the cold, clear skies with no cloud blanket will let the cold be colder, into the single digits and even minuses, with wind chills commensurate with 15-20 mph. Hooray, it's WINTER!!! ...and I, for one, Love it!

[DaveM]

If you're going to be in Grand Rapids, you'll only be 50 miles away from me and depending on route, you might almost be passing through town. If so, give me a holler, will you? We'll get something decent to eat, and I'll protect you from the locals.

[hoops]

WFF, i don;t have control of the heat, I can't have a space heater, i don't have an electric blanket and it wouldn't matter anyway, cause when it's cold like this it becomes psychological. all i have to do is know how cold it is and i am shivering. hey, it's better than what the other people do to me.
peace
hoops
PS bat...please enjoy the cold

[KarenSews2]

It's colder than a witches... elbow!

Except for getting the paper and bringing in the garbage bin (same trip), I have stayed inside all day. In my jammies. Sewing. The mail is still outside, and it will just have to stay there.

When I let the dogs out, Drifter (he's the big fluffy one) immediately flops down onto the snow and rolls around in it. We don't have much on the ground, but he loves it.

Ned's out of town, so I have enjoyed just sewing and watching TV. I think I'll go to bed, soon.

[Bat]

I, too, have been snug in pjs and heavy robe...also brought back the trash and recycling bins...paper was on the porch, ditto the mail...out to burn one once in a while with Parka over robe...very dry and crisp out there. Pretty.
Loads better than that dank foggy miasma of a day we had Friday...ugh.

Think Positively, Hoops! Cold is nice...say that about 400 times...believe it.
Kills germs and weeds. Grandma would say that this is a 'healthy winter'.

I think I'll have to start digging in the closet and see if I can find a hat...got a haircut for a party last Saturday, and really need a close fitting warm hat. I know there's one in there, somewhere....dig dig dig, root root root, ....

[hoops]

Bat,I'll let you enjoy the cold, even if i was ok with being frozen solid, it hurts the ole body something awful. has since i was about 12 don;t know why. But, i'm glad you like it bat, really. it's cool to hear positive things being said about the cold. it's kinda like beets, you know a lot of people who hate em and complain, bit you rarely hear of people who enjoy them, and even when you don;t like them it's god to hear a nice word now and then...BTW i am not a beet liker, but Agnes made a FANTASTIC salad with beets at the Jan-Ic
peace
hoops
peace
hoops

[DaveM]

It's actually going above zero tomorrow. Am getting out the flip flops.

[Bat]

Sure Dave. And, for the record, I like beets. Gonna go there?

[coffeegyrl]

Hey it was positively balmy here today - it got up to 14 degrees!

[DaveM]

Well....they grow lots of beets in North Dakota. But it's still cold there.

[hoops]

geeze bat, i can't win ;)
peace
hoops

[Wildflower Fever]

Stoke up the bonfire again, DaveM. It's not as bad as 2 weeks ago, but it's been damn cold this weekend again. I really hope this is rock bottom, because I've had it. Seems my older bones take more time to shake the cold off now. If indeed the cold has hit it's peak, I guess the tradeoff to warmer weather will be that we'll start getting merciless dumpings of wet snow until say, May...:rolleyes: I'm going to predict that this year will be the first in many that the city may have to start moving snow piles off-site because the banks are already high and haven't melted at all. My condo has run out of room for the plowed white stuff already, and it's ugly, dirty, and hard as tundra.

[DaveM]

They've been digging out the banks along the streets here and trucking the snow away as plows can no longer get through when there is new snow. And yes, sub-zero temps are back with a vengeance. It has been so cold and so clear that the stars do not twinkle. Had a neat moment last night watching a satellite go overhead, but I'm not sure that freezing my....nose...off was entirely worth it.

[Bat]

It's OK, Hoops...I like girls...and beets, and a lot of other strange things that many people don't, like weird veggies...I don't demand it of my friends, however, so you're safe. :D

[hoops]

well we have a few things in common Bat, the girl thing and the Janis thing and if agnes makes em, i even like the beet thing. thanks for letting me know i'm safe :) I've never felt anything but with you and Marcia.
I don't know, maybe i'm wrong but, it may not have been as cold last year but i thought we had more snow than this year and a lot of it happened in Feebruary and March. i remember cause when it snowed, family couldn;t venture out to see me in th hospital, seemed like every other day for a while. this year i have my Tracy and my Peanut butter cup to keep me warm...well maybe i keep peanut warm...semantics... I'm beginning to remember how much i enjoy driving in the slippery weather weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! now i pull into the parking lot at work and i do that spin around and park thing...it's so cool! anyway. i'm babbling again.
peace
hoops

[DaveM]

I like girls....in fact I know some personally. You can have my beets, though, Bat.

Supposed to warm up here ("warm up" being relative at this point starting tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[lucille]

Oh Ma Gawd, (to quote Bat), the heat wave has hit record heights. The next four or five days are going to be in the low 40Cs (about 110F in your money). This is going to be the hottest stretch in 100 years, since 1908. It's affecting the electric trains, store computers, and tempers. I need to get the blow up pool up and running except we're not allowed to use water, and I would have to buy it to fill it. At least I can say it is a dry heat - very dry. To get an idea of how hot it is, check out the tennis (the Australian Open). They reckon centre court is as hot as 55C.

[coffeegyrl]

Lucille - WF has some snow he doesn't know what to do with. That might work in your pool.

[Wildflower Fever]

Lucille - WF has some snow he doesn't know what to do with. That might work in your pool.

Now there's an idea. But, I wouldn't do that to her because much of the snow in Minneapolis has now become what we lovingly call "snirt." It's a lovely plasticized combo of sand, salt, dirt, leaves, auto fluids, and of course, snow and ice. But, I guess in the spirit of "Caddyshack", she could have a clean pool for herself, and use the "snirt" pool for undesirable guests. Bill Murray: "Hey, you've got a pool at your place, right Ty?" Chevy Chase: "Well Carl, we've got a pond and a pool, the pond would be much better for you though.":D

[Wildflower Fever]

I like girls....in fact I know some personally. You can have my beets, though, Bat.

Supposed to warm up here ("warm up" being relative at this point starting tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed.

DaveM, did you hear our budget-balancing, tax-hating governors plans today? It now appears that we may not only have roads as lovely as Detroit (potholes, frost-heaves, etc.), but we may also have to part with the "luxury" of regular snow removal. Hey, Nanook, bust out your John Beargrease signature sled, and ready the dogs.:rolleyes: The last time I drove up your way, 35 North had a frost heave about every 20 feet, and this was in September perhaps. Also, each heave (perpendicular to the road surface) was already developing small potholes in it exactly where car tires would drive over it (probably from the ridiculously overweight semi trailers). You probably are aware that even though it's this bad, everyone wants to go 80mph, so you've got that little bit of extra pleasure dealing with them. I found the only way to protect my car was to drive slightly on the shoulder so my tires wouldn't hit every single pothole. It's that bad and worse all over the state, and I drive at times to every corner. I'm strongly considering selling my car before it's even paid off, because my company is now offering company cars leased by them and they can absorb the wear and tear. The only tradeoff is the old system allowed us to buy whatever car we wanted, and they paid us quite well to do so. Signing off from the 3rd World territory of Minn-e-snow-ta...

Yes, folks, there is a "John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon" up here:

http://www.smokeyphoto.com/mediac/400_0/media/Moose$20Creek.jpg

[DaveM]

I'm looking for a SnowCat, actually. At this point, it won't be long before the rural Northern parts of the state become isolated frontier towns in winter. I'll be moving when it becomes apparent that that day has arrived. The people up here are 3/4 crazy already and if the handouts from the state slow down or stop, most of them will probably starve to death.

[hoops]

gotta love the gov. "take from the poor, they won't miss what they don't have"
peace
hoops
PS i don;t know what poverty is, but i got all my paper work and if it's under $6000.00 I'm fine

[lucille]

Oh Oh Ma Ma Gawd Gawd. Today it was an all time record 45.3C (113F). To make it worse the power went out for about two hours at the height of the temp. It is 6:12PM and the current temp is 43C.

[Eva]

It is 6:12PM and the current temp is 43C.
I hate you :(

Eva

[lucille]

Nah ya don't Eva. It's too damn hot. Guess what? It just rained, pelted down, which wasn't forecast, BUT it lasted all of 5 seconds, and now it is not only as hot as hades, it's bloody humid as well. I'm a winter girl, hate the heat and the beach. I can always get warm, but buggared if I can get cool unless I sit right in front of the airconditioner (as long as the power stays on).

[Eva]

No, I don't. But I do envy you. I like hot. I don't like cold.

Eva

[Mary6906]

YIKES, Wendy... too darned HOT... I'm with you, I like it cool.... not A BUNCH OF SNOW cold, but cool. Fall is my favorite season, then Spring. I can do without the swealtering Summer.

[DaveM]

I believe our (Republican) governor is making plans to screw the state seriously up and blame it on Barack Obama--I see a terrible trend toward this becoming a fad of sorts. Norm Coleman was "supposed" to be McCain's VP candidate and he's had a decidedly mean streak ever since. So, he's going to gut the state and say "see what the Democrats are doing?"

Sickeningly, enough people will believe him that he'll probably get reelected.

[Bat]

write a letter to that effect to the local op ed page, and end with 'remember, you saw it here first!'. They might even print it. They they can't say they weren't warned.

[Wildflower Fever]

I believe our (Republican) governor is making plans to screw the state seriously up and blame it on Barack Obama--I see a terrible trend toward this becoming a fad of sorts. Norm Coleman was "supposed" to be McCain's VP candidate and he's had a decidedly mean streak ever since. So, he's going to gut the state and say "see what the Democrats are doing?"

Sickeningly, enough people will believe him that he'll probably get reelected.

Did you mean Tim Pawlenty? If so, I hope to "god" that he never gets elected again. I don't think we have to worry though, because he refuses to comment whether he'll seek another term. The speculation is that he's a front-runner to run for president in '12 for the GOP, especially in light of the fact that Sarah Palin probably doesn't have a chance now. As for Norm Coleman, let's "pray" no shenanigans take place and Al Franken is sworn in soon as senator from MN.

[DaveM]

Oops...wrong Republican. Sorry about that. Wildflower has the right name.

I'd send something to the local rag, but as they have an editor who believes Rush Limbaugh is God's Own Prophet, I know quite well it won't appear in print (he was blaming the economy and some other problems on Barack Obama last September). We're talking about a newspaper which recently put a monitor on its online forum to filter out any and all comments from people who have ever been outside of Northern Minnesota. In fact, mischievous Rudies who wish to have some fun might want to got to www.virginiamn.com and sign up. You might at least provide extra work for the censor--just be sure to use short words, bad grammar, and pretend that you believe semi-skilled laborers are worth $65,000 a year, while a school superintendent is not worth $100,000. Think Appalachia, only a bit less worldly.

[lucille]

Meanwhile, back downunda - it's official we've had the three hottest days in a row above 43C, and tonight it's supposed to cool down to 37C (99F). THIRTY SEVEN! Since when was that cool?


Today In Melbourne
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/lucille92/TodayInMelbourne.jpg

[DaveM]

Love the picture. I wonder if Salvador Dali liked ice cream?

[lucille]

So, I had a shockin' night. The electricity went down at 6PM and didn't come back until midnight. Of course it had cooled down to 35C:(, and amazingly enough that drop of 10C seemed cooler. But I had to take everything out of the 'fridge and bung it in the freezer to keep it from spoiling. Apparently freezers last for 24 hours without power, but that little bit of information probably came from the same people who said 35C was cool. Now I have a "thick head" sort of headache from lack of sleep.

[Eva]

Maybe I am not so jealous after all :eek:

Eva