OH my goodness you poor things

magentaflame · Post by **magentaflame** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 2:08 am

I just found out how bad your summer has been guys..... sorry to hear.

Yes of course I can sympathize now. I'm seeing your temperatures...I'll try to give some advice that is second nature to me to stay safe and cool.

First something I've been told since a child......DO IT!!!!! you'll thank me ...sunburn during those temps are a trip to hospital!!!

If you don't have aircon...... Ancient way of getting a cool breeze (worked for our grandparents.) drench a sheet with water and hang it (pin it whatever) in front of a window the air that comes in will turn cool .....keep damp.

fill any containers outside with water. and put in shade...birdys and wildlife need water too.

turn your fridge/freezer up a little.

Make ice blocks.....in cups .....in icy pole containers....jugs...anything!!!! freeze soft drink(soda bottle) with water put them into pets drinking water.

Anyone else got tips for our poor European friends?

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 3:13 am

It's worldwide. Hottest year without El Nino on record, 3rd hottest since records began. They've been getting into the mid 40s in Japan, poor things. Also in Spain. Getting into the low '30s without aircon isn't so bad. The sheet tip looks good though. Very neat. Will give it a go when the temperatures really climb again.

Fortunately, when I had the house rebuilt I knew we faced climate change and deliberately designed it so the stairwell is a chimney and cooler air pools downstairs. It works, at least at these temperatures. Everyone who visits comments on it. The next step is shutters for the windows, to keep the sun off them. I'm also considering putting a sort of shutter style false wall up to shade the southeast facing first floor wall of the house which soaks up a lot of heat since the sun hits it from about 5am onwards, this time of year. I dread the idea that we'll all need aircon in London in 20 years.

I've had a birdbath for years - even the dry spells we normally get (yes, they do happen!

) can stress the local wildlife. Unfortunately this year I have 2 cats (and a small annoying dog) so the birdbath is out. I've taken to putting a bowl of water on the wall under a small tree. Better than nothing. People often don't realise that a lot of wildlife is very territorial even in towns and they need water in their territory, a river a mile away is no use.

Wide brimmed hat when outside. Really makes a difference in combination with a very short haircut (I'm talking stubble) - and I learned why you Aussies have the slouch hat with one side pinned up: It stiffens the brim so a breeze doesn't make it flap. Am giving serious thought to a sombrero

Unfortunately I have to lose one of my trees - the crab apple. It's got spider mite really badly. It had it last year and after a few attempts to control it myself I got the tree professionally sprayed which seemed to help. Then this year it's worse than ever.

Dehydration: "A mountaineer always pees clear." Always drink enough that your pee is clear and pale. If it isn't you are dehydrated and your mental and physical abilities are dropping with startling speed and you won't have noticed it. If I know I'm going to be sweating buckets I'll put half a dose of dioralyte into my water bag as salt replacement. It certainly doesn't hurt.

Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. SPF 30 and zinc cream on nose and jawline. Preferably in violent colours.

Actually, I reckon water safety is the thing that needs emphasising in Britain at present. We've had several deaths in the sea and rivers. The Channel in particular is deceptively cold, even in a hot summer. In normal years, rivers aren't an appealing prospect. Then when we get a year like this, people have forgotten about undercurrents and weeds and weirs.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 5:47 am

I am British...............a stiff upper lip is all I need.

I will admit I hate it, spend most of my time sitting in doors with a fan blasting me, I have the patio door open though, should I shut it ?

I do keep drinking and only lightly water the garden at dusk, conserving the water, we don't have a hose pipe ban locally.......yet.

magentaflame · Post by **magentaflame** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 2:55 pm

Ahhh thanks Clod...that's the one I forgot about..... dioralyte etc..Keep up the electrolytes....rule of thumb is one electrolyte drink (gatorade etc) to three water. If you just drink water in heat it will deplete your electrolytes and you'll get as sick as a dog.......especially for toddlers. And don't forget to drain toddler pools we don't want the little darlings drowning in two inches of water (cause they do you know)

Yeah I'm aware of the worldwide heat thing . We're in the middle of winter and in drought....no grass, cost of feed skyrocketing, dust storms already, not looking forward to summer. And you're right Clod...if el nino happens this summer we're ****ed!

I am British...............a stiff upper lip is all I need.

I will admit I hate it, spend most of my time sitting in doors with a fan blasting me, I have the patio door open though, should I shut it ?

I do keep drinking and only lightly water the garden at dusk, conserving the water, we don't have a hose pipe ban locally.......yet.

Woops I forgot lol but that stiff upper lip seems to drag after awhile (about lunch time)

Air circulation is better than none. If you don't have aircon. which in all honesty is bull**** anyway because aircon just means you're running an engine to stay cool but by mid afternoon it just means outside temps are 35 and inside is 28....you're house still heats during midday sun. but fans are easy .... get the mrs to cut up strips of cotton about a centremetre in diametre and 30 centremetres long tie each strip to the safety barrier of your fan and keep them wet...instant cool air!

Keeping the inside of the house cooler for longer I have to say is keeping the shades and blinds closed for as long as you can stand your house being in darkness and open them up overnight.

try the wet sheet against the patio door see if that cools the breeze down ...it should.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 3:30 pm

It's hot but remember I am a veteran of Nigeria and that was hotter and humider.....or should that be more humid ?

I haven't mentioned this before I hope.....I got out of a car with aircon and my glasses steamed up, like walking into a kitchen out of the snow. Now that was oppressive.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 11:39 pm

I've got Scottish air conditioning - windows. It's overcast and 24degrees the humidity is worst imo. I'm working in this wearing a fleece shirt, sounds daft but it wicks and doesn't stink to high heaven when saturated. I'm amazed at the number of folk who water their lawns what a waste of water, I haven't had to water mine for two weeks, brilliant.

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Mon Aug 13, 2018 2:28 am

The weather's back to normal now. A good English Summer rather than a frying pan. One benefit is that the conditions caused the cricket ball to swing like crazy at Lord's and Jimmy Anderson skittled out the Indians for next to nothing: Perfect conditions and a master at work.

magentaflame · Post by **magentaflame** » Sat Aug 18, 2018 4:52 pm

Ahhh.yes cricket in the heat...mad dogs and englishmen.

You know i only recently worked out that was an insult towards us as colonists?

Brits did it out of stealth...we did it out of madness..wtf?

And thats when everyone attacked the "barmy army".

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 10:54 am

magentaflame;1520394 wrote: Ahhh.yes cricket in the heat...mad dogs and englishmen.

You know i only recently worked out that was an insult towards us as colonists?

Brits did it out of stealth...we did it out of madness..wtf?

And thats when everyone attacked the "barmy army".

Where do you get "us as colonists"/"we" from "mad dogs"? It literally means dogs acting insane due to hydrophobia - rabid dogs.

magentaflame · Post by **magentaflame** » Tue Aug 21, 2018 1:37 pm

Mad dogs is an insult towards anyone who played against England. Pretty sure that sums up Australia, Pakistan, India, West Indies, New Zealand,etc,

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Wed Aug 22, 2018 2:07 pm

magentaflame;1520445 wrote: Mad dogs is an insult towards anyone who played against England. Pretty sure that sums up Australia, Pakistan, India, West Indies, New Zealand,etc,

Used by whom? Certainly not one that (in my admittedly limited experience) I've come across.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Wed Aug 22, 2018 2:21 pm

magentaflame;1520394 wrote: Ahhh.yes cricket in the heat...mad dogs and englishmen.

You know i only recently worked out that was an insult towards us as colonists?

Brits did it out of stealth...we did it out of madness..wtf?

And thats when everyone attacked the "barmy army".

No it isn't why do you not find out properly rather than jumping to conclusions

It's from a comic song, very much of its time.

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Wed Aug 22, 2018 4:17 pm

Not Noel Coward's style. He would NEVER have been so crude. Really.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Sat Aug 25, 2018 2:23 pm

gmc;1520459 wrote: No it isn't why do you not find out properly rather than jumping to conclusions

It's from a comic song, very much of its time.

Very much so and, when it was written in the 30s is was comparing Englishmen to rabid dogs - there was no hint of trying to insult the colonies.

magentaflame · Post by **magentaflame** » Sat Aug 25, 2018 4:33 pm

Doesnt matter what it originally meant....gay used to mean happy....morphed into something different.

Mad dogs and english;an morphed into a comment during cricket tests.

magentaflame · Post by **magentaflame** » Sat Aug 25, 2018 4:38 pm

But getting back to the original topic im a little nervous...its winter and we're already having bush fires. Fire restrictions for summer are beginning in early september..spring...first time in our history. Thats a bad sign.