Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Perception

It is spring in England, or well I am told that it is spring.  The flowers are blooming.  I guess that means it is spring.  We get some nice days where the sun in shining and it is a nice 70 degrees F outside.  For the past couple days it has been dreary.  OK the sun did come out for a bit yesterday but the wind outside made it so chilly that I didn't want to spend much time outside.  I let the girls play for about an hour then I had to go inside.  It was just too cold.

I have noticed however that temperature is relative.  What is freezing to me is balmy to the English.  An example of this:  Last week when we were having lovely weather, not hot, not cold, just pleasant, I had an English friend of mine complain about how hot it was.  It was maybe 70 degrees.  Now to me, hot it 95 degrees in the shade and it being so hot that your eyelids are sweating.  Oh you didn't know that your eyelids can sweat?  Well they can.  Live in the deep south of the US and you will experience it more than once.  Actually you might experience it every single day in August.  

The English friend then commented about how his nephew and him had gone swimming in their backyard pool over the weekend.  Swimming?  It isn't hot enough for swimming!  You go swimming when it is so hot that your skin is about to boil off.  If you go swimming now you will catch a chill!  My perception, yet again.  I however have been informed that it does not get "hot" here and there is little chance that my skin will boil off and my eyelids will certainly not sweat.

*If you have facebook you can join Elizabeths fan club.  I have a link in my sidebar.
** He Blogs She Blogs is about to start again.  Captain Dumbass and Petra will answer all questions about relationships in their signature style at their new site.  

26 comments:

satakieli said...

This reminds me of when I was trying to explain to my husband why there was an ice cream shop open in England in the cold weather. It doesn't get hot enough for ice cream so we just have to take it where we can.

The same goes for swimming. I remember many a summer as a child, swimming in the sea and freezing my *ss off. Then having to pack up and go home because it started to rain. Ah, England...

Badass Geek said...

I visited some family in Virginia a couple years ago in early April. I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the 60-70 degree weather, while my relatives were in long pants and jackets.

When you come from a place that is 30-40 degrees to a place that is in the 70's, its all relative.

Unknown said...

we have autumn here and its beautiful xx

Anonymous said...

When I was here in England for my job interview in July, 2006 it was HOT. Over 90 degrees for days on end, and of course there is no infrastructure to deal with it--no air conditioning in the hotel or in cars/taxis. So thank goodness that was an anomaly!

mo.stoneskin said...

You're friend was right, it was hot over here. I hated it.

If I was in the kind of heat that made people's eyelids sweat I would dissolve in 12 seconds.

Sherilyn -Dominee Huisvrouw said...

If you go on the Tube in the middle of July & August, your eyelids might sweat, but other than that, there is pretty little chance of it happening there! :)

Me, You, or Ellie said...

I was in England a few years ago during a "hot spell" -- it was maybe 80 -- and the Brits were absolutely wilting in the heat. I think their insides must be full or marmalade. Or clotted cream.

Ellie

Everyday Goddess said...

I cannot abide being cold in the water. I am with you, 70F is not warm enought to go swimming.

Omg, I just realized that I used the word crazytown in my blog today! I hope you don't mind. I thought I was being original! Damn me.

Jenni said...

What? 70 degrees, hot enough for swimming. Those people are nuts.

Sprite's Keeper said...

Man, down here in South Florida, our ice cream shops are open all year long, when you go outside for five minutes in August, you're instantly drenched in sweat, and the humidity will always gaurantee a bad hair day!

Ian Newbold said...

Sounds like a scorcher!

How true, the south of England is most definitely not the south of America.

Anonymous said...

Oh they can sweat. They should visit with us during a blackout. Summer is evil in the deep South and it's coming!

Captain Dumbass said...

Hubby needs to try a stint at the air force base in Cold Lake, Alberta. Heh heh.

Thanks for the shout.

Lisa said...

I grew up in Miami and Atlanta. It's funny how much hotter those 95 degree days get when you live in a more temperate climate for a while. Last summer I couldn't even wear jeans in Atlanta when we visited because the sweat made them stick to me. And yes... not only do your eyelids sweat, but your earlobes, your lips, and your toes do too. Just sayin'! Have a great summer in the 70s. I'll be sittin here in the US dying in the 90s.

Expat No. 3699 said...

I suffer freezing winters and rainy springs here in Chicago waiting for three months of H.O.T. I think I would be sorely disappointed if I lived in England.

Mom in High Heels said...

It was 50, drizzly and chilly here yesterday. It was cold this morning. It's now sunny and in the mid 70's. My wardrobe can't keep up. Crazy German weather. My parents live in the deep south and Indy and I are visiting next month. I know I'm going to melt from the heat.
When we PCS'd to TN from Germany several years ago, it was in the mid 20's the morning we flew. When we got to TN, it was in the 60's. Everyone was bundled up, but we started peeling off layers because it was too warm for us.

Lola said...

OMG! I won't even go swimming unless it's in a pool that is heated to 80 degrees ;) It's just not enjoyable any other way.

Mariah said...

It's hot here, I can't complain.

Elizabeth Bradley said...

Here in Southern California, (especially where I live) we have a dry heat. It is so strange to go to Florida to visit relatives and realize that humidity ups the uncomfortable factor to the power of 10. 95 degrees here is not 95 degrees there. Not even close.

I still have not been to England. Must go!

Jessica {lovely jubbly london} said...

You are so right! The weather was so lovely, what happened?! Now it's dreary and chilly. I love the 70's to me that is perfect!

Aunt Juicebox said...

Every time we go down to Florida to visit my sister it's always in the winter. But to us, it's perfect and we run around in tshirts and shorts, and swim in the outdoor pool and people look at us like we're crazy, wearing their long pants and long sleeves.

for a different kind of girl said...

I'll assume, then, that the English aren't acquainted with a little thing called humidity, then? Seriously, I'm already shuddering at the thought of humidity's return!

Reinvent Dad said...

Been very humid for Sacramento the past couple days, but it must be like 100 degrees for me to go swimming anymore.

♥ Braja said...

Hey Kat :) Little prayer for you today on my post...xxx

Anonymous said...

It's official Kat....you are now a Brit. Moaning about the weather is a chronic British past-time.Sproinggg!!

TBM said...

Ok, I must have gone native in my two years here, because it HAS been hot lately! :-)