If the SA Government had actually done something decisive and productive about water catchment and management seven years ago when they first got into office, and if the Eastern States had not conspired to kill the river out of greed, and if we hadn't watched gigalitres of rainfall go to waste all winter, and if one out of two Adelaideans were not openly flouting the water restrictions and admitting as much to journalists from the Advertiser, I might feel less enraged about watching the garden die.
If we're getting February weather in early November, it's likely that February will be beyond endurance. I thought last year, around the time of the fires when the temps got up to 47 degrees, that we were in unchartered waters, but it looks as if this summer is going to be, like, unchartereder.
If cats really were as intelligent as they are supposed to be, then there would not be two tortoiseshells stretched out with feline expressions of reproachful suffering on the hottest room in the house, where there is no aircon and no insulation in that part of the roof, instead of hot-pawing it to the study or the bedroom and bunking down there for the duration.
And if it's just going to stay at 39 degrees for the rest of my life, then I'm not at all sure how long the rest of my life is going to be.
I was wincing on your behalf when I heard the weather forecast for Adelaide. I hope this isn't an indication of Feb temps.
ReplyDeleteI hope for relief for you soon. It must be just awful. Wet towels round the nexk are my only suggestion. Unless that would be too profligate of water...
ReplyDeletedoor bitch wants 'excrus' - maybe it's the crus you have to bear.
We've had less than 50% of our average rainfall this year so far. The eucalypt forests have such thin crowns, I can now see stars on the horizon at night, whereas even 12 months ago the stars hung only in the small gaps in the canopy and above clearings.
ReplyDeleteThree days of high temperatures for us too. Friends in Canberra installed an evaporative cooling system for about $3000 or so. Draws little power, uses 40 litres of water a week. Send the bill to the Coalition party room.
Re cats and heat - yes my silly boy
ReplyDeletelies flat out upstairs in the bedroom, behind the curtain with the westerly sun pouring down on him on a 35 degree plus days, while the air conditioner is on downstairs. Twit.
Perhaps cats are more cold-blooded that we presume? Meanwhile, I thought this post was going to be about a particular lit journal! Nice to have a border-crossing weather watch anyhow. Sizzle.
ReplyDeleteI am going home for a few weeks in December. If it is over 35 degrees, I will be mad as anything. Days here are pretty much tolerable now (by which I mean around 35 degrees).
ReplyDeleteI guess if nothing else, at least living here has given me good training for the future. (Not really an upside, just one of those mindless things said to fill in the silence).
I'm in Victoria and I too thought this post would be about the literary journal.
ReplyDeleteI'm an optimist and determined not to let myself believe that this extreme weather is a form indicator of things to come, otherwise like you, I'm not sure how much longer I/we can go on - cats, dog and humans.
A three day event? Oh. my. fecking. god.
ReplyDeleteThere need to be temp limits introduced at which various types of animal sports can be held. Stat.
We are having weather like that as well,(NSW), but I am trying to be optimistic by remembering last May. The weather was as bitter then as winter's worst: but turned out to be the nadir.
ReplyDeleteLast summer a truck driving up into the hills east of us, lost traction and slipped backwards because the bitumen literally melted beneath the tyres.
Frances
It's not the temps here in Central Victoria that are getting to me. It's the sudden shift. I mean, one day you're snuggling up in flanny jarmies and debating the use of the leccy blankie and ugg boots, and woolly jumpers all day seem like an excellent idea all around, and then the next day it's 20 degrees hotter.
ReplyDeleteIt's just not freakin' cricket (and I never did get sick of the rain over winter).
Thanks to Kerry O'Brien I saw a feature on the parade and could not imagine too many people watching the 7:30 Report would facilitate their children being spectators; but the horror of the 3-day is foremost in my critter-lovin mind.
ReplyDeleteFor non-horseys, it's a day of dressage, a day of hard cross-country, and a day of show-jumping, and isn't that a silly term?
They don't 'jump shows'.
Bravo to those who pay for eco-cooling systems. I am convinced that when the temps exceed the forecast ones, it's because of all the aircon units blasting hot air into the sky ... 'for every action, there is an equal and opposite re-action'.
Despite knowing I shouldn't, I love the part about the cats -- I don't take any joy in their suffering, but it made me smile, picturing their feline expressions of reproach because it should be cool where they are and they should not be expected to move. And I loved the phrase "hot-pawing it".
ReplyDeleteBut the rest of what you wrote is actually scary -- I can't imagine those kinds of uncharted territories, and can only hope that this is a freak occurrence now and instead things won't get that bad for you this summer.
I'm with innercitygarden - we in the evil east (well north-central-evileast in my case) had a lovely stretch of cold and even rain - though that ceased in mid-october) and then suddenly hot - and its not the hot I'm whining about even (particularly in that I'm not in Adelaide) its the bloody northern humidity with it. Dry heat I can take better, though my N.American partner still cacks himself when people here say 'Well, at least its a dry heat'.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile according to my CFA trainer (stop laughing PC and I'll send you a picture of me in a canary suit, if I pass) we, and therefore I assume Adders, are in for a 'Red Alert' fire day on Saturday.
Door bitch wants neurers - a hint to stop worrying?
Tyaakian
M-H, I guess wet towels round the neck wouldn't be too profligate of water as long as one wrung them out afterwards, drank the water, and then drank one's own pee. Hmm, time to break out the Dune books again. I wonder how they stand up after all these decades. 3C, you might know.
ReplyDeleteFellow critter-lovers, yes, I fear the three-day event might have some very nasty moments. I'm a bit worried about any English pony club types who might rock up and pass out.
Tyaakian (originally mistyped as Tyaakina which was rather nice, I thought), 'laughing' nothing, I am beside myself with admiration, though not particularly surprised. I assume you are getting specialised personal coaching and are therefore unlikely to fail.
Sunday Max 40
ReplyDeleteMonday Max 28
Tuesday Max 30
Wednesday Max 36
Thursday Max 38
Friday Max 26
My God Adelaide. Your weather is even crazier than Melbourne's. Stay cool.
Hmm, time to break out the Dune books again. I wonder how they stand up after all these decades.
ReplyDeleteAhem. I've just reread them. All of them. In order. Don't ask. I have about 5 pages of the last one to go, which should send me off to sleep.
The answer - not very well. Too much author telling me that something is VERY SIGNIFICANT, too much jejeune pontificating, too much playing for time.
OTOH (and after all, I have reread all of them), some of the characters are interesting (Leto 1, Jessica, Miles Teg, Odrade) and there are lots and lots and lots of strong women. Plus what right-minded woman can resist the idea of the Bene Gesserit.
But really, I wouldn't bother, unless you need a break from reading Livy, and your significant other has yet to read the interesting Iain M Banks you gave him for his birthday, and you think it would be just a bit too damn rude to read it first.
Oh yes. The heat. I don't like it.