Saturday, January 31, 2009

Hotter than Hugh Jackman's Boxers

Yep, it's too hot . . . not as hot as those poor South Australians and Victorians who are suffering from deliberately lit bushfires. It happens every year, some wanker thinks it's a good idea to light a spark . .this one has resulted in 10 homes lost and massive fires in the Gippsland area and Latrobe Valley . . . that's a helicopter in the top right corner dumping water on this huge thing . . .


Then there are the 45 degree temperatures that are putting such a strain on the Melbourne power grid that it's gone into meltdown and 11,000 Melbournians/Victorians are without power. Spare a thought for our Southern cousins who are living by candlelight and who's trains aren't working because the railway lines have buckled near Jolimont, leaving thousands stranded at Flinders Street Station.


For goodness sakes, this is Australia . .it's a hot country. You'd think the railway lines would survive!

Adelaide is also undergoing a heat wave and has had four or five days of temps over 40. Exhausting, believe me. Kids are allowed to stay home from school and most are locking themselves indoors or visiting well air conditioned shopping centres and movie complexes.

I've spent the day vacillating between the pool and the house, dressed in a wet cossie and a sarong. Clean a little . .have a dip . . .wash a little . . have a dip . . . It's been about 38 out here in the north west of Sydney. I don't have aircon. I rarely miss it but there are the odd days and particularly nights where a fan just doesn't do the trick and this week's one of those weeks where I'd love a shot of cold air in the evening. So if you see me on Facebook or Skype at 3am, don't be surprised! Sleep eludes me in the heat. Ah well, at least I'm reducing my carbon footprint and my washing's dry in 15 minutes . .I kid you not! Even the outside critters are wondering in because it's cooler thanks to the great Aussie verandah!


I'll give him 2 days before Adam turns him into a nasty brown stain. Yep, it's a little hotter than usual and a string of over over 35 degree days is unusual, at least without a cooling storm in the evening. I'm not convinced that it's very unusual though. I remember temperatures like this as a youngster - weeks of hot weather although we usually get a thunderstorm or two to cool things down momentarily. It's not the hottest, despite the newsreaders claiming it to be. Not really, in Marble Bar, Western Australia from October 31, 1923 to April 07, 1924 the temperature broke the 37 mark setting the world heat wave record at a scorching 160 days. In 1988 Perth held the record for 10 consecutive days. In 2008 Adelaide scored 11 consecutive days over 35 . . .so far Sydney has had about 8 days over 35 and Sydney's West, where I have the honour of living is on it's 14th day of temps over 33. (Doesn't qualify as a 'heat wave' unless temperatures break 35).

We've had a spate of El Ninio and La Ninia years which have mucked up our weather patterns something fierce over the past decade and of course there's the climate change thing happening so we shouldn't be surprised. What is unusual is the long string of warm days without respite. My grass has died other than a tiny patch of 'sitting grass' outside the pool fence which receives 15 minutes of water each evening.

We were playing soccer on this at Christmas and it was GREEN. The trees are exhausted and dropping their leaves, the birds are palpably panting in the shade. The lizards are loving it. They're pinging all over the place, pooing on my carpet but the poor little Eastern Skink who lives on my router has had an accident and lost his tail!


I haven't found it in the house which suggests an outside predator has nabbed him and he's dropped the appendage to make a quick escape, so now renamed "Stumpy" until his lovely long tail grows back, we watch his clumsy progress as he cleans up the flies and Christmas beetles from the skirting board. Poor little mite, he's at sixes and sevens without his beautiful tail.

Right, the fan on my PC is going hell for leather, it's cooling down a little at 8:50pm (about 27 by my reckoning) and the sweat is trickling down the cleavage . . . time for a dip!

27 comments:

Unknown said...

Who is Hugh Jackman?

Anonymous said...

I suppose there's bound to be the odd malfunctioning railtrack or power line in such extreme temperatures, but of course we all say "Blimey, why can't they cope, it's always been a hot country". Just the same here when it's below freezing and the trains stop and the roads are impassable.

Poor skink, losing that lovely long tail. At least he's still alive. Hope you get some respite from the greenhouse effect soon!

Baino said...

Ropi, he's an Australian Actor that I rather fancy (He played Wolverine in "X-Men", Leopold in "Kate and Leopold", he's the male lead in "Australia" and also was the Hulk in the latest "Incredible Hulk Movie" but I like him au natural! Very HOT!

Yeh, but had enough of it now and it's not been quite as hot in Sydney for a change. The skinks drop their tails as a defense mechanism, it'll grow back eventually, he just looks a bit gangly skittling across the floor without it.

Anonymous said...

Yep, my little Bro is one of those suffering in Melbourne. Their power is on rotation now and he tells me he is on alert! Thats ready to vacate, right?

Grey, wet, cold and windy this end. At least I can pull on extra layers and turn up the heat!

laughingwolf said...

poor critters, including the bipedal ones :(

glad you're able to find a bit of respite now'n then, baino....

Ces Adorio said...

Yes, who is Hugh Jackman and where can I find his boxer? Is his boxer so hot it is panting? I wanted a boxer but ended up with a mutt. We still love her though, very much. Her name is Daisy and she wears Hermes perfume. Hahahaha!

Cool hugs and cold kisses will do it. The chocolates I mean.

Anonymous said...

Do you wear boxers where you wear your thongs?

Anonymous said...

Good grief .. have I already said that about your heat? I don't know how you cope without a/c, I really don't.

What is it with these firebugs? They have the same problem in California, don't they? I know some of these bush fires are natural, and even a part of the natural cycle for that area, but if even one is started deliberately, it passeth all understanding as far as I'm concerned.

Love the Huntsman (or whatever he is). Don't let Adam squish him!

Bimbimbie said...

Tsup*!* I think Ropi is playing with you Baino ... wouldn't get that question from a woman I bet ...

I agree you would think our rail lines could handle heat - it's been very humid up here which has it's good points and bad - the garden is green again because every time you step outdoors you perspire all over it to get to the washing line. Oh don't let your Adam near the Huntsman, I had one drop down the other night when I was washing up ... they'll keep the mossies away ... big sods are on the move south from the north ... should have seen the one buzzing around our lounge the other night it was trying to catch our house geko*!*

Baino said...

GM is he in the Latrobe Valley? That's the only way I can imagine he'd be on 'alert' if the fires are edging closer. They're not in the Melbourne CBD. Perhaps the 'alert' relates to power, I believe they're on rotating rationing but haven't spoken to my friend in Melbourne about it so just going by what's on the news. I hope he's coping with the heat. It takes its toll on younger and older people.

Yep, my dog has been enjoying the swimming pool and the horses just sulk under a tree. It's the animals caught up in bushfires I feel sorry for.

Haha . .Ces, he has me panting I can tell you! The man's 'hot'. And I've told you before, stop wasting your nice pong on a doggy! We're not doing too badly in Sydney although I slept very poorly last night due to the heat.

Ian that depends where you wear your thongs. I wear mine on my FEET! So no, we wear boxers in the same place we wear our G-strings.

Jay, I'll never understand it and it happens every year. Occasionally natural bushfires are lit by lightening strike but we haven't had any this season. The last one was a couple of hoons burning out a stolen car, they caught them. The Victorian culprits are still at large. Erm, the huntsman has mysteriously disappeared this morning so for now he's safe. They're OK as long as they stay in the living room but if they come near the bedroom . . they're toast!

Haha Bimbimbie, I set Ropi straight last night. He probably knows him better as Wolverine!

Ah, I can' stand the humidity but at least you've got 'green'. Good grief! Going the gecko was a brave move. Actually that one looks bigger than he really is. He's about 8cm leg to leg but not much of a body. I've had a lot of them indoors this summer but Adam nobbles them when I'm not looking!

Ces Adorio said...

Do you have centralized air conditioning? We will be dead in Texas without it.

Anonymous said...

We have the same problems with fires here as well .. it's awful, and I fell very sorry for those effected... impossible for the firefighters to tackle.

As for the weather, we are very very lucky, Today the temp hit about 90F, clear sky, beautiful day.. in the summer, the top temps we get are about 95-100 max .. thats perfect, really warm, but not unbearable.... the sea breeze keeps us cool. In Adelaide, I played cricket a few times in 40 plus heat, nearly impossible .... and I think they ban cricket now when it is too hot .. How the fuck do the tennis players cope, espo with Nadal on court for 5 hrs !!!!

Megan said...

Fire season here in California was quite bad this year. And yes, some of them were deliberately set. Mind-boggling.

I still can't look at a C temp and figure out about what the F is off the top of my head. Must go look up the calculation again. ;)

No A/C in my place. Six months from now I will not be happy about it, either.

Enjoy your multiple dips!!! Woo hoo, Baino in a wet sarong!

Megan said...

P.S. - People who don't know who Hugh Jackman is are missing out!

Kath Lockett said...

I've been envying you your pool Baino. We've been sitting inside under the air-con, venturing outside only to take down the washing (dry before the next load is ready to hang up) and to squirt Bunny Boy with cool water.

Last night was a balmy 27C, and buns forgave me enough to have a quick cuddle instead of rushing off in annoyance and terror. I guess approaching his hutch without a squeezie bottle in my hand might have helped things a bit.

Unknown said...

It would be much funnier if he acted Kate. HAHA. I haven't seen that movie though. There was a Hungarian king called Leopold I who I really hated furthermore he had a long reign. We had Leopold II as well but he died 2 years after his coronation.

Paddy in BA (Quickroute) said...

snowing in london right now!!

kj said...

well baino, the force of your language has managed to make me feel like i am in a heatwave, but only for so long before i look out my window and see ##@%$$ snow and ice everywhere. i wish we could trade. want to?

:)

English Mum said...

Jebus, Moon, that's a bloody scary photo!!

Mrs B, I'm trying SOOO hard to be sympathetic, but I'm so bloody cold my fingers won't move across the keyboard. I wish we could arrange a weather swap, just for a couple days. Wouldn't that be nice ?!

Unknown said...

How is it that you've become so intimate with Hugh Jackman's boxers...? Huh, huh?

Your weather sounds vile. Ours has been remarkably mild, though that's because of the wind that's been blasting through here since summer began. They're promising temps of about 34 for next week - whoohoo pool, here I come!

Anonymous said...

Snow has ground London to a halt.
There have been no buses running since the snow started last night.
Fortunately I live close to where I work and drove in this morning (I knew there was another reason to owning a 4WD and not just for fitting 2 greyhounds in!)

Kids are tobogganning down the road at the end of the alley as cars are unable to drive up and down the slope and there are snowmen 6 feet tall round the park!

Our friend from Sydney who is staying with my parents set off for a course he has signed up for in Kew (which is the other side of London to them) this morning but had to give up after 5 hours of trying to get there

As for your heat? Jealous at all? Moi? Never!! That is why I booked a weeks holiday visiting my cousin in Tenerife - I now have some hot sunny weather to look forward to!!

Baino said...

Ces, nope. Price of being green! Although current fan usage is enlarging my carbon footprint. We just swim and sit around wet!

Moon, it's always cooler and more breezy on the coast. Our temps even though we're only about 50kms from the sea can be higher by about 8 degrees. There's a $100,000 reward out for the firestarters!

Oh Ropi! Trust you!

Quickie, you're getting around a bit at the moment . ..can't wait to find out why!

kj absolutely. the heat is fine if you've got nothing to do but enjoy it but oppressive at night. Although we've been lucky the past few nights with a gentle breeze.

EM yes it would although I'm a cold fish myself. I prefer the winter (but even that's pretty mild down here). Moon looks like a bloody secret service dude!

AV I WISH! Sadly the man is happily married and devoutly loyal. Can't stop me admiring from afar tho! Yep, you and I in the same boat I guess. I hate wind.

TM: Tenerife! Very exotic. Yep, the heat is wonderful when you have littlemore to do than languish on a beach and dip in the pool. Another story when you're doing your chores! Enjoy the snow.

Melissa said...

Poor little skink! Will it grow back nicely, or it it gone for good? I'm surprised my kids haven't developed that defense mechanism ... they see me coming to take their hand to help them get ready for bed annnnnd ...oops! An arm falls off and Charlotte runs away laughing.

I hope you're plenty far away from that fire, my gosh!

Hugh Jackman ... sigh.

Brethred said...

Where is the spidey warning?...nearly had a heart attack when I saw the size of that thing. GB and I have a major difference of opinion on the removing of spiders from the house. I say KILL! He says take them outside...but he usually is too chicken to do it.

Susan at Stony River said...

I would have commented a few days ago but first I had to stop screaming about the spider.

:-(

Baino said...

Yep Melissa, it'll grow back but will take the full autumn and winter. He'll be fine by next spring. Nice image of one armed girlies being tucked into bed. Not such a nice image of squirmy limbs distracting you at the time!

OH sorry Brethred. I should have. He's not as big as he looks. Just a close up ..warnings next time. Erm, he is now in spinder heaven. Adam didn't fancy him.

Haha . . I do it for shock effect . .works every time!

i beati said...

Hugh Jacklman's boxers however do you expect me to work after that image??