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Happy Sunday afternoon everyone!

It is cold, wet, and windy. Yesterday was the same. We have had a little indoor fire for the past two days. This is July!-what is up with that?
 
Beloved said:
Happy Sunday afternoon everyone!

It is cold, wet, and windy. Yesterday was the same. We have had a little indoor fire for the past two days. This is July!-what is up with that?
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There's a heat wave on the west coast, hasn't been this hot for years.
 
Beloved said:
Happy Sunday afternoon everyone!

It is cold, wet, and windy. Yesterday was the same. We have had a little indoor fire for the past two days. This is July!-what is up with that?
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just wind here beloved. you can keep the rain. and the wind as well.
 
Its been clear and dry here since the hurricane eight days ago dumped a ton of water on us while the winds blew. Fortunately for the first few days, while we had no power, it stayed relatively cool (low 20s, dropping to the teens at night). The last few days have been hot - up to 30 some days. I feel sorry for those people, and there still are hundreds, who won't have power (air-conditioning) until sometime this week.

Some areas are difficult. There is a small housing development near me - only one street in to an area of about 30 houses on two or three crescents. Three or four large trees fell across this street. They took down poles and are entangled in electrical wires. One of the houses had its electrical entrance pulled from the house when a tree fell across it in their yard. Trees cannot be removed without electricians overseeing the tree service people. Electricians can not restring lines until the trees are removed. And individual houses are less a priority than restoring main or branch lines. Linemen are exhausted, but doing their best.

ps. I can be patient now that I have power.
 
This storm was especially hard on the poorest among us. Imagine getting your assistance cheque near the end of the month. You pay your rent, buy your bus pass, pay your other bills. Then you make a run to the supermarket and get a big grocery order, buying in bulk to try to get enough to last the month. Maybe you buy your kids a little treat, or sign them up for swimming lessons. And you have just enough left to buy milk and a bit of fruit or vegies through the month. The next week your power goes out. No generator of course. Neither do your neighbours, friends or family. Within a few days you lose all your meat and milk. You are unsure of things like cheese, mayonnaise, yogurt. Where do you turn for help?
 
Seeler, is AC that common over there? I find most do not have it here. We just have a portable unit, and I don't know if we would have purchased it but the apartment would get so hot. I'm really glad I got it, especially with my health issues. I heard 35 for tomorrow, not sure if that's with the humidex or not.
 
I don't know if they are getting any government help -- mainly charities are trying to step up the help they are able to offer.
The community kitchen reports that they are serving more meals than usual each day.
Also the food bank is doing their best to provide whatever help they can.
But smaller charities are hard pressed. Our church has to stop its regular program early in June when we ran out of money. We are closed for July (worshipping with another congregation) so we can't organize a special drive. And many of our own people are having problems coping. I probably lost about $100 of meat and stuff from my freezer. Others have lost more - or ran into other expenses like buying and operating a generator.

Air-conditioning in individual homes is a fairly new practice in much of NB. Only a few of the new homes have built in Air. 20 years ago luxury apartment buildings didn't have it. And people seem slow in catching on to the idea of using airconditioning. They think it will be expensive to operate, or they regard it with suspicion (it causes colds, it spreads disease, it isn't good for you). Many of these people seldom use the A/C in their cars either. (Don't sit in a draft, my grandmother used to say). But gradually the younger, and better educated people have adopted the idea. Many are getting window, or portable, units. I have a window one built into the wall of my livingroom, and a portable in my bedroom.

I am convinced that many people do not mind the heat like I do. I'd just as soon try to get along without a furnace as an airconditioner. I would consider a built-in system as a routine requirement for new home construction. You wouldn't build a house without heat, or plumbing, or cooking facilities - why build one without an airconditioner. (Some people are installing air-exchangers that apparently heat and cool the house according to the season.)

But I think airconditioning is more common in central Canada than in the East.
 
Seeler said:
Air-conditioning in individual homes is a fairly new practice in much of NB. Only a few of the new homes have built in Air. 20 years ago luxury apartment buildings didn't have it. And people seem slow in catching on to the idea of using airconditioning. They think it will be expensive to operate, or they regard it with suspicion (it causes colds, it spreads disease, it isn't good for you). Many of these people seldom use the A/C in their cars either. (Don't sit in a draft, my grandmother used to say). But gradually the younger, and better educated people have adopted the idea. Many are getting window, or portable, units. I have a window one built into the wall of my livingroom, and a portable in my bedroom.
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That's interesting. I've never heard anyone who was against using AC, unless it's an environmental thing. People use it in their cars, it just isn't common inside. The new estate homes tend to have it, but I would say less than 10% of new homes in the price range we were looking at have it, and those aren't considered to be starter homes. I think it's more common in condos, but even then I people living in newer buildings without it. Rare in apartments, so many people were surprised when they found out we had one, and I went a year or 2 without it. I think Calgary is pretty similar, but at least it tends to cools down a bit more at night.
 
Tabitha - that must have been a marvelous trip. I've seen some of Pinga's photos on facebook. I bet you are all feeling tired and fit and -- just great.

I was with you in spirit. (It didn't help my muscle tone. Alas)
 
Congratulations paddlers! Must have been an awesome trip.

Happy Monday everyone! A new week is before us . . . what will it hold - hopefully nice July weather for all, with no floods, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, or hail.

May it hold restoration and healing for those that need it in any way.
 
Hi folks, I am getting ready for first day back at work.

Had a wonder-filled couple of weeks in BC. Sorry that I was unable to see all of you.
I am focused on getting my photos to the other paddlers, so have not taken time to write.

It was a simply stunning paddling experience, which I would not have had the opportunity to do without the "you can do it" invitation from Tabitha.
I reflect on the risk that she took with a mishmash of paddlers, and am again thankful.
I am reviewig photo's, purging, fixing, cropping, and remembering ....times of wind and storm, sun & laughter, singing....

I'm pretty spoiled, i think.
 
I can't wait to hear more stories once you've had time to catch up with everything!

As to AC, I cannot imagine not having one...and not using one in my car...I would die!!
 
We haven't had much chance to use AC this summer in Northern Ontario. An average day's temperature seems to be about 23 or 24 degrees, with it dipping to single digits at night! (Makes for good sleeping conditions.) And my car has a sun roof, so I like to open it and roll down all the windows to cool off. I love the hair blowing...so does my grandson...and the feeling that I am almost in a convertible.
Seeler...thank you for your thoughts about those who are suffering the most from the storm(s) in your area. I hope there is some kind of relief for them. Will the United Church M&S fund help, I wonder?
 
Greywolf336 said:
As to AC, I cannot imagine not having one...and not using one in my car...I would die!!
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I remember the car trips before my parents had a car without AC - not fun!
Having AC is much more important in Southern ON. It's like a desert here in comparison, even on our most humid days! It's also pretty rare to be hot and raining, I found this happened in ON much more often!
 
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