Open Thread - Thurs 07 Dec 2023 - Cold or Hot?

Do You Like It Cold or Hot?

I recently read an article about a study which examines what happens to the human body in the cold. Not extreme cold, like in the Arctic, but unheated room in the winter cold in a temperate climate, like 50 F (10 C). This is, according to the article, the average temperature that people will be living in winter (in Great Britain) if they can't afford to heat their homes.


Cold, so wrap up in some blankets! From here.

The study takes a room from 70 F (about 21 C) down to 50 F. A volunteer sits in the room, almost naked, with all kinds of measuring devices attached to them and gets cold as the room gets cold.

Things in the body change as the body struggles to maintain a normal core temperature as the ambient temperature lowers. Blood flow to the brain falls, rate of breathing increases, the temperatures of the body's extremities, like arms and legs, fall, and blood pressure and heart rate go up. It takes longer to complete cognition puzzles, showing that one doesn't think as easily when one is 'cold' as when one is at 70 F or so. Fingers turn white and hands and feet feel cold, which is strangely, like what happens in a heat wave too (see below). Of course, one starts to shiver to keep warm. And, the body burns more carbs as it tries to keep its core temperature normal. Increased blood pressure from the cold is a risk for stroke and heart attack. Cold weather also makes respiratory infections more likely, like flu and so on.

When the body gets overheated, as in during a heat wave, changes also happen as the body struggles to keep a normal core temperature of 98F (37C or so). Blood pressure falls, and the heart beats faster to try to keep everything in the body supplied with the thinner, lower pressure, blood. Sweating starts, which doesn't happen in the cold of course, to cool the skin. Rashes can happen. Blood flow to the brain isn't normal and heat exhaustion can occur with symptoms like dizziness, nausea, fainting, muscle cramps, headaches, heavy sweating, tiredness, and cold, pale and clammy skin. If blood pressure drops too far, heart attacks can happen, as they do when the body gets too cold and blood pressure goes up.


Too hot, too hot, too hot... from here.

Low temperature causes more deaths in temperate areas like Great Britain, than high temperature. That's surprising to me because I'd much rather have low temperatures in my house than high temperatures. Of course I live in an area where temperatures rarely get as low as 10 F, or as high as 100 F... so far. I have nothing mechanical to help cool my house, just windows and the shade of trees outside and so on. I've no air conditioners, but do use fans. On the other hand, we don't heat our house much with heaters (here's a kinda fun article with some suggestions on how to deal with a cold house) . Each room has its own baseboard heaters and thermostat. And those are basically set to 55 F (about 13 C). They seldom, if ever, come on - only on the coldest nights. We use our woodstove to heat the house, and at night, after we go to bed, the house gets down to around 60 F (15 C). And I love that.

I believe it's easier to keep warm by wearing more clothes, sleeping under heavier covers (which I really, really, love to do), keeping close to the computer (gives off warmth, did you know that?) having a dog and some cats around, etc. Anyways, it's easier to keep warm that way, than to try to cool off if the temperature is too hot. The only way to cool off for me is to take off clothes, get in water (if it's not too warm itself), sit in shade, drink cool drinks (assuming you have the power to cool them down), turn on air conditioning if you have it, turn on fans if you have them, and so on. This is much harder and much less successful for changing my body temperature, for me, than getting warm. So, I'd rather it be cold than hot!

What do you like? Hot, or Cold? And thanks for reading and here's the open thread - and remember, everything is interesting if you dive deep enough, so tell us about where you're diving!

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Sima's picture

So, Happy Thursday, but let's remember the victims of Pearl Harbor, on all sides. Here's a story about the few survivors that are left.

Hope everything is going well! We are getting a lot of rain, which is good. But I miss the old 'Seattle' style rain where it was sunny, misty, a bit of light rain, sunny... And cool. Always cool!

Tell us what's up with you, we wanna know!

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Some like it hot, some like it cold
some like it in the pot 9 days old.

Gina, the former governor of RI,
paid some ad agency to come up with
a jingle to sell the state:

RI: not too hot and not too cool.

Needless to say it bombed. Cost us $350K.

Thanks for the OT!

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Sima's picture

@QMS
of R.I.? That's too funny, and the jingle is pathetic. How's about 'R.I. - One of the places it all started?' Or 'R.I. - small is beautiful!' Or... I dunno. Can I get paid for this? Smile I'll charge less, say, 300k!

That goat video rocked. I miss having baby goats around. We have too much to do to take care of my parents and sister, so no baby goats for a while Sad

Hope your day rocked! Thanks for stopping by!

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

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11 users have voted.

@humphrey I wish we could get a tax break, since we got absolutely nothing else from the ukie conflict, other than further economic distress.
Janet Yellin is an alien from outer space. You just can't be from this world and not recognize the nuttiness of your blathering.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Sima's picture

@on the cusp
Although, I do think you are correct. She and those other 'thinkers' just aren't really on this planet with the rest of us are they? It's like when Bush (Senior I think it was) had to check out at a supermarket and didn't know what to do.

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

@Sima and scanners. Demonstrates he had never gone into a store before. He had "little people" to do that for he and his family.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Sima's picture

@humphrey
I almost spewed my drink. I wanna claim the Netanwhoya (wev, can never spell the name) on my return as well!

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Approximately 3 years ago, we had this sudden ice and snow storm. We have no infrastructure for that, and buildings are not constructed with that in mind. People here just do not know how to function in extended freezing weather. 30 miles away, the Mom did not know that sending her child outside to play in the snow would result in him dying from hypothermia. Our clothing stores do not sell the kinds of winter wear and gear for freezing conditions.
Many years ago, I went on a cruise down the Danube for Christmas. There would be temperatures at or below freezing. I located a Gander Mountain store 60 miles away, and bought thermal boots, ski wear, thermal underwear, gloves, flannel lined jeans, a cap, and I managed to not only stay alive, but spent hours on the deck of the ship to be able to enjoy the villages along the banks, all beautifully alight at night. The only time I have worn any of that gear was during the fluky ice storm.
This past summer, several locals died from heat strokes, many had accidents due to heat exhaustion. While we can get warm, there is no way to combat the effects of working outdoors in 110 degrees. I will not work outdoors, I refuse to get a horse, as even grooming and feeding has caused me to get dizzy. Riding is out of the question.
Take care!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Sima's picture

@on the cusp
we get some real doozies for snow storms up here. I remember one, my beloved and long passed dog, Reyna, was just a puppy, so it was 1995 or so. Anyway, I was house training her. It was Feb or March. I opened the front door, and it had snowed so much the snow was taller than her little (at that time) body. She looked at it, looked up at me with a startled and frightened face, and peed on the spot. She was so sorry she had to do that, but there was no way she was going to be able to walk out in that snow. The snow was so wet, so heavy, it brought down roofs in a marina and sunk some boats!

I spent a while digging trails for her, so she could go out to do her business. The snow was gone within a few hours. NUTS!

I too, would not be able to care for horses in that kind of hot weather. Or go riding. With the proper clothes and blankets, some cold can be tolerated. Without air conditioning, I can't tolerate any high heat.

Have a great weekend! With lots of good music Smile and dancing, hopefully Smile

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6 users have voted.

If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

enhydra lutris's picture

and often headed out to the desert for a bit as well. Learned and lived warm to hot, dislike cold. If it got too hot (Hello Santa Ana) just go to the beach and sit in the water (those winds destroy the surf). Take a cap and periodically dip it into the water and put it back on.

Cool to somewhat cold I dislike, bothers all of me, but seriously cold, for a while, can be a kick because I have the clothes for it.

be well and have a goodf one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Sima's picture

@enhydra lutris
That works! I grew up in CA, in the Los Gatos Mountains north of Santa Cruz. When it was hot, we'd head to the beach too. The water there was COLD. Like, almost intolerable cold. But I'd go out swimming with the sea otters and the other kids. A short time in the water, and getting out into the heat was good!

Lost all that heat tolerance since I've spent most of my life in the temperate or northern climes. And, I'm not sure I could ever tolerate the heat in the desert. Kudos to you!

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

soryang's picture

But I have to admit, that living in Florida, caused me to miss a more temperate climate with seasonal changes. Sometimes the summer heat is insufferable here, especially if it continues for weeks. I developed a habit of not going outdoors until after 5pm or so to avoid the uv rays. Originally, my choice to come here, and having returned after leaving a couple of times was based on not liking below freezing or near freezing temperatures up north, and my dislike of ice, as a safety hazard. Other than that, I don't like excessively dry climates. How can one live in dry places? The far west is quite beautiful, particularly the southwest, but I couldn't believe how dry it was, at least those times I travelled through it. I credit my bad experience with flooding here, to buying in haste, and not appropriately considering feng shui 風水 in a literal way. When I was told at purchase time, that the house had flooded before, I was in a hurry, and blew it off, as a once in a century type event. Wrong!

I was thinking about John Toland's book Day of Infamy, which I guess is regarded as "conspiracy theory." I didn't think it was as far fetched as others think it is, putting it in the revisionist history category because it goes against the traditional Pearl Harbor "surprise attack" story. I just read a coupe of reviews which criticized Toland's let it happen on purpose theory, by comparing it with a well regarded mainstream account.

Reviewed Works: At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor by Gordon W. Prange, Donald M. Goldstein, Katherine V. Dillon; Infamy: Pearl Harbor and Its Aftermath John Toland Review by: R. J. C. Butow

I logged in as an "independent researcher" with google. It's free. I read Toland's book, I haven't read the other. It's not something I've reviewed in depth. My feeling is that Japanese aggression, militarism, imperialism, etc., was all based on the western model, and the US and UK encouraged it in the early twentieth century. Eventually, it got completely out of control, and needed to be stopped. To me, arguably with the benefit of hindsight, it was foreseeable that a war for control of the western Pacific, and east and southeast Asia would emerge. So I don't hold the west blameless.

With all the terrible news in recent times, I found this author's take on "mourning the loss of civilization" which came up as part of his study of a very prominent Chinese Tang dynasty 8th century poet, Du Fu, quite interesting. I liked the professor's comparative approach, especially his comparison of the Chinese poet's "war poems," to observations by Freud on mourning and melancholia. On a live broadcast yesterday from Grey Zone, Aaron Mate said something like, Gaza is as bad as it gets, or words to that effect. Dark times indeed.

The professor feels a need to prospectively address cultural appropriation, which I think is a bullshit issue in the case of honest appreciation of other cultures and insight into our common humanity. I watched one of his other video interviews, and will probably look at more. Most English observers of China turn me off because they feel compelled to justify their "century of humiliation" treatment of China, as some kind of blessing in disguise. In the past, I've seen quite a few English youtubers vilifying China. I know it's unfair but when I hear someone's going to report on China and they're from Britain, it's usually a presumptive turn off for me. (Like the BBC international reports on public radio).

On the brighter side, Ms. So arrived safely from Inchon at zero dark thirty Wednesday. The traffic and roads around ORL are a nightmare especially at night. I learned, that Ms. So's younger friend who had returned to live in South Korea, is an accomplished music instructor teaching students how to play traditional Korean instruments like gayageum (zither) and haegeum (like a Chinese erhu). I'm always impressed by musicians and their skills. Music is a relief from the gloomy news. When she was here in the US she had studied hotel management, which it turned out, wasn't very appealing to her. I guess she thought her music degree wasn't that promising. Turned out it is very fulfilling.

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語必忠信 行必正直

@soryang I have read first person accounts and archived transmissions of calls from the military to FDR that plainly show the ships had time to get out of that dangerous harbor where they were clustered, and FDR controlled the decision, said stay put. He wanted that excuse to enter into the fray.
I also had a friend who survived the attack, and at his funeral, I was given a lovely tropical plant which grew in my yard in his memory for about 40 years.
I admit to very limited travel to Florida, maybe about 10 days, and nothing about the state struck me as some improvement on my location in east Texas.
I cross my fingers you get no more floods, glad your Missus is home, safe and sound, and I hope her jet lag doesn't go on and on.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Sima's picture

@soryang
and I too agree with the 'conspiracy theorists'. I think, for whatever reasons, the notices about the coming Japanese attack were ignored.

And I believe, looking at the whole picture, the Japanese had reasons to attack. If the Pacific war had ended within 8 months or a year, if their attacks (like at Midway, too) had created enough destruction of the US Navy, they would have won. But, the US wasn't going to do that. Nor was the UK going to let them.

I got access to the article on JSTOR via my university id. Cool! Will be giving it a read.

As for Florida, I have to admit, I couldn't take it. My brother lived there for a bit and I went and visited from Philly. It was summer. It was too hot, and way too wet - humidity-wise. Heh. I like hot and dry, not hot and wet Smile Smile So much respect for you being able to like and handle hot and wet. I hope the flooding never happens again. We are flooding here, in my area of western WA, right now. It really sucks.

Thanks for such an interesting, and teaching, post. I love them!

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

soryang's picture

@Sima You and OTC know more about Pearl Harbor than I do. I think Toland was suspicious about the absence of the carrier strike forces at the time of the attack which turned out to be a decisive factor in later naval battles with Japan.

How the Navy's most important ships avoided destruction at Pearl Harbor

By chance, all three of the Pacific Fleet's carriers were at sea on missions and survived the attack, and they would go on to determine the outcome of the war.

This article is dated Dec. 7, 2020. "By chance," really? There always seem to be currents of events, or trends if you will that lead ultimately to wars. But commonly, there is some artifice, trick, or deception in triggering the immediate outbreak of US military conflicts (designated conspiracy theory). If one perceives the Machiavellian character of many of the geopolitical leaders who believe the premise that all is fair in war, this shouldn't be surprising. In my view, it's institutionalized. Journalists, pundits and historians are usually so indignant when someone tries to make that case. Business Insider is a blob friendly source.

I'm just a frustrated academic wannabe at heart. I can't help it. I missed that train a long time ago. Thanks for your OT Sima and the compliment. Likewise I appreciate my confreres here at C99.

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語必忠信 行必正直

@soryang FDR had no support for his push to get in the fight.
The ships in the harbor were all old, in need of repair, not well armed, etc...
FDR was receiving cables from intelligence telling him about the kamikaze looking for reachable targets. That is all in the National Archives, and indisputable. FDR made sacrificial lambs of those sailors.
The Harbor is small, the ships close together, insufficient docks for ship personnel to disembark, and on and on.
The Date in Infamy was similar to the USS Maine. That was the needed nudge for war.
Although this has been known and documented for decades, it isn't widely discussed out in the open.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Pricknick's picture

notified me this spring that she was moving to Florida because she couldn't tolerate any more southern Michigan winters. I declined to join her because I hate the heat.
As they say "To each their own".

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

@Pricknick I hope the shock of that split wears off quickly, and that you remember the good times, and can enjoy a lot of good times and partnerships moving forward.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Pricknick's picture

@on the cusp
Thanks for the concern. We parted good company. Still talk on the phone and exchange info. I'm well on my way to another 24 years.

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

@Pricknick I am glad for you.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@Pricknick

I tried FLA several times over the years. Both coasts. Just doesn't work for me.
Being a former Michigander, my theory is you can always put on a coat to get
warm, but you can't take off your skin when it is too hot.

Good luck!

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Sima's picture

@Pricknick
I'm sorry about that. I hope Florida gives her the temps and climate she wants. I hated it, would much rather have the cold, even Michigan cold, than the heat and humidity.

In your response to OTC you say that you and your partner still talk and so on. That ROCKS! Enjoy the next 24 years! In the cold Wink Smile

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

That Gander Mountain store near Houston closed, have no idea if they went out of the business of actual store fronts, towards online sales or not.
Today, I wore some knit slacks I bought from LL Bean for a trip in the fall time of year to Prague and Budapest. The jacket I wore was a purchase for a fall trip to Spain.
I put on those clothes, and suddenly, I am flooded with memories. Food, music, friends, castles, museums, history...
Anyway, tomorrow it will be in the low 70s, and I will dig through some closets and drawers, come up with other memory makers.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Sima's picture

@on the cusp @on the cusp
I love wearing clothes from my travels. Of course, many are old and out of fashion now. Do leather coats go out of fashion? Smile

Your high tomorrow, in the 70's, is often our high in the summer! Wow!

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

@Sima never go out of style.
The more, the merrier.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

dystopian's picture

Hi all, Hi Sima,

Thanks for the OT, and interesting study...

Look how many snowbirds there are. Millions, over a million just in Texas every winter. Departing the cold climes like so many geese and bolting south for the winters. Lots of FL is cold climate refugees, in an ironic twist of the news in the future. That FL heat comes with mega humidity and is a bit tough for many. I have heard it said that in about 3 years most folks will climatize to a new climate. Certainly that was true for me moving from socal the the NE US. By the end of third winter I was in a t-shirt because it was in the 30's! Clearly I was going mad is what I thought.

What I found is my entire zone of tolerance reducing about one category (10f) per decade of life. Now I just want it to be 70 all the time. When I was young, I did not give a hoot what it was. There was no AC. If it was summer it was hot, and in winter it was cold. It actually irks me how people have to keep their house at 70 in the summer and 78 in the winter (my MIL).

Our house is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Whooda thunk? I wear thermals in the winter if cold, and shorts in the summer. All bets are off however if I am birding, in particular looking for something I really wanted to see. Whence I did not care how hot or cold it is. I have birded in 120f and a number times at 20-30 BELOW zero. Zero is warm. In case any wondering, most birds are smarter than being out in that shat. Not I. One simply must do some freezing to see Snowy Owl, Snow Bunting, Ross' and Ivory Gull, Dovekie, Razorbill, etc. I will never forget that winter in Mass. for the cold, and the birds. And seeing it in the review mirror of the U-Haul, knowing I was heading to where they had Mexican food, in Texas.

If you are distracted doing something you love, it is not so bad either way. If you miss your bird it sucks. OTC mentioned the great Texas blackout about 3 years ago. We were 39 inside the house during that debacle and display of unregulated capitalism.

Have good ones all !

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

@dystopian equipped and designed to be a residence as it is an office. Full kitchen, full bath, 1/2 bath bathrooms, w&d in the utility room. And it is on the city block adjacent to the courthouse. All court houses are emergency headquarters for Homeland Security, and there lights have to come on before anything else. My office is on that grid, so the electricity was off a couple hours, at most. We spent a week there during the weird shit storm. I store a mattress in a closet, brought some food and blankets. We were good. Comes in handy during hurricanes.
I am quite fond of 70 deg. I didn't let 100+ degrees slow me down on birding and wildlife excursions in Africa or Central and South America, but I wouldn't want to live there.
You have had some fun, haven't you?

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Sima's picture

@dystopian
cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I think ours isn't as cold or as hot though, because of location.

As for snowbirds, here in WA, they all flee to Arizona. I'm ok with that, if they stay :). I think you are right, 3 years is what it takes to acclimatize. I spent over that in Philly, and got used to Philly. That first summer, without an air conditioner, me and my cat, my CAT, spent most days in the bathtub keeping cool. However, I never got used to Florida. Year five in Philly, and I was out on the balcony enjoying the hot, humid, summer thunder storms :).

This sounds like my Mom's house - 'It actually irks me how people have to keep their house at 70 in the summer and 78 in the winter (my MIL).' And Mom wonders why her electricity bill is around 1k in the winter :P.

I think I would really like birding in the snow. I might have to try it! You are an inspiration Smile Thank you!

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

We seem to inhabit similar climates. It's just us and the Jotul Woodsman for winter. Funny, going into winter it's shiver, shake and curse at 32 degrees.....but long about mid April, 32 degrees feels balmy and pleasant, shirt sleeve weather.

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snoopydawg's picture

@Snode

I’ve noticed that. In the summer 70 degrees inside is too hot, but in the winter it’s not hot enough.
We just got done with cold temps last week and it was then high 40's and just so pleasant. Moving back to cold tomorrow and hopefully some snow.

I went past a dam today that a few years ago was very low. Today it’s full to the brim and I think they should start letting some out soon so we don’t get the flooding we had last year. They started letting it out last year too late from both dams and it flooded the western farms. Doh!

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Sima's picture

@snoopydawg
Now they are soaking wet and the 'wintermere' is forming. I don't mind, it means there is little, to no watering, needed in the summer. It does make picking a place to raise early crops difficult though.

I'm not sure what is wrong with me, inside at 70, even in the winter, seems 'warm' to me. I like 65, I think! Must be the PacNW influence or something.

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4 users have voted.

If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

snoopydawg's picture

.

I moved to California and loved my first thanksgiving in shorts. Winter came with rain and tulle fog which I absolutely loved unless I was driving. The fog moved in strange ways. Watch the original movie The Fog. But after 3 years my body started craving cooler temps and it got bitchy when I went for an evening walk at the end of September and it was 110. For some reason I didn’t realize how humid the Central Valley was. Well duh with all the canals and the flooding of orchards. I don’t regret my time there. I lived central to lots of great places around me. 90 minutes west I was in SF or Bodega Bay. Same going east. Yosemite or the Sierra and more going north or south. Great memories!

Now that I’m back in Utah I can’t see myself moving away again. Yes it’s very cold here in winter, but that’s why gawd made coats and hats and gloves and boots. Well that is what my dawgs have told me and off we go. I put my foot down if it’s too windy just because my face hurts too much. I have a great scarf from Italy that I wear on cold days, but it doesn’t help in the wind. I’m still hoping to get down south here and now that gas is finally coming down I’ll start making plans.

One thing I told everyone who bitched about winter is just find something to do in it and it’s not so bad. Downhill skiing since I was 8 and discovering X country skiing when I was 20. It always looked to much work to do it, but just find your own pace and enjoy. So peaceful and so much fun. Night skiing when was 0 or below. Cold is cold.

Back to the discussion on dawg bonding that I’ve been wondering about….last summer my camp spot had a view of the main road for the area and I watched car after car go by with the back window down and dawgs smiling because they were with their humans and out in the great outdoors. Just so happy that their humans loved them enough to take them with them.

Here is a picture of Sam first going with her human on a long road trip. That’s the smile I saw on the dawgs traveling that road. How can that not put a smile on anyone’s face?

20210206_154303.jpeg

Guess that’s enough of my yada-ing on the cold and dawgs.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Sima's picture

@snoopydawg
Love the stories and experiences and I really am inspired to get that dog post (or posts) going. Dogs really do bond to their humans. Today, or yesterday I guess, it was Thursday, I took Jaska to the vet to get 'her nails done' (they clip her nails so she doesn't skitter as much on slick surfaces and hurt her old legs). She was SO EXCITED to be in the car with me after going up the ramp to the carseat. It was raining but it didn't matter. Her head was out, she was barking in delight, turning from time to time to give me the look. You know, the look of love and delight dogs get. She was happy at the vets', enjoyed meeting a new dog there. Then we went for a very short walk around the town, just above the water. We used to walk for 30 minutes or more. Now it's about 5. Came home, and she had a lovely deep nap.

Love the pic of Sam in the car! Love the smile :).

As for cold in Utah. It's good! I do like it better than the warm in CA. Even as a kid, growing up in the mountains north of Santa Cruz, it got too dang hot in the summer. Still, the beach was nice :).

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6 users have voted.

If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

snoopydawg's picture

@Sima

getting to ride in the car again and for hanging her head out the window. Yes I know that look when they are just so happy doing something and they tell you that you are the best. Rain or shine and even snow Sam has her head out. Last year people were cracking up because her head was coated with snow during a heavy snowstorm. And of course she was smiling.

Did you find a ramp or was it one you already had? And did she have any problems going up it or wanting to use it?

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5 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Sima's picture

@snoopydawg
We got a folding ramp, it's thick plastic with carpet on it, from Chewy. It's HEAVY but... it folds up and goes into the car truck and so it's useable. Jaska had to be guided up it at first, but she goes up willingly now and waits for the ramp to be put up. However, she often wants to jump out of the car, so I have to body block her to get the ramp up. Once it's ready, she runs down it easily. I LOVE IT. I'm going to train my next puppy to it from the very first.

Here's the link to the ramp on chewy: https://www.chewy.com/petsafe-happy-ride-foldable-dog-car/dp/53682

It's funny, Jaska always has her head out. I am used to traveling in a cold or cool car, with the wind blowing because her window is partly open. In the cold, I just put my jacket on and turn on the heater and aim the vents at me. I hate traveling in a closed up car now! Hah! Have fun riding with Sam!

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

@snoopydawg , of Sam. Love it. I feel like I know her just a little bit.

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3 users have voted.

I'm late to the party as per usual.

I feel like I owe you an apology for one of my comments last Thursday. It has bothered me all week and I finally have a chance to sit down and let you know. I think 'came across' as being discouraging [actually I think I came across as being a jerk] but that is not what I intended. The last thing I want to do is discourage anyone from expressing and explaining a subject they are enthusiastic about. That is not what I am about. I love hearing and learning things that good people want to write about, study, and talk about. If I were face to face with you and you were talking about Roman history I would most probably be entranced (within reason) Smile
So I don't know what got into me with that post unless it was sheer inability to communicate and just being completely inept with words.

So sorry Sima, hope you keep on writing on all the various subjects that interest you and that you will share that with us.

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Sima's picture

@randtntx
I got the intent of the comment without any problem. You are interested in learning about all kinds of things, and Rome is one of them, but no tutoring, please, just blog posts! Makes sense to me :).

As you can tell from my late reply, being late to comment is an ok thing with me. I completely understand Smile Hope you are having a great weekend!

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4 users have voted.

If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

@Sima .
Smile

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