Oh, Happy Days.

[Roger Kettle]

Well, it's hissing down with rain, it's been dark since 7 o' clock, I've switched the heating on and I think I last glimpsed the sun about four years ago. Okay, I exaggerated the last bit but this is pretty depressing. I should be sitting in my garden, quaffing Pimms and tanning my Greek God-like body. Instead, I'm trying to find my cardigan. (Yes, I'm still a fashion icon).
If Malc steps in now and tells us how much he misses the Scottish climate, I will personally fly over to Australia and smack him in the mouth.

[Diane CBPFC]

It has been 34 C here this past week as I've tried to clean out my office - picking up paper and moving it around has caused sweat to drip down me. Keeping in mind I am of sturdy British stock and don't usually sweat. 

[Vulture]

It has been 34 C here this past week as I've tried to clean out my office - picking up paper and moving it around has caused sweat to drip down me. Keeping in mind I am of sturdy British stock and don't usually sweat. 

.. and also, being female, you just 'glow'!

[Vulture]

I agree with you, Roger, the earlier night-fall is depressing, but it's a lot easier to move around and work if the weather is cooler. One can stick on a layer or two if one feels chilly but when you're collapsing with the heat and you're down to naked, what can you take off? 

[Vulture]

Instead, I'm trying to find my cardigan. (Yes, I'm still a fashion icon).

Is the cardi beige?

[Roger Kettle]

Figure-hugging navy.

[peter]

Figure-hugging navy.

Enhances your six pack.

[Vulture]

Extra large pockets....?

[Malc]

*Door opens*

(Malc shouts) "I really miss the Scottish climate!!"

*door slams*

FX: sounds of footsteps sprinting down hallway, a car door slams, wheels screech, car speeds away.

[Malc]

Actually, I only detest the Queensland climate for three months of the year - height of summer.

The rest of the time it's paradise - long sunny days, even though the winter at the moment is chilly.

Complaining of it being dark at 7pm, Roger? Here it's always dark at 7pm, summer or winter. I don't recall there ever being a twilight until 9pm like I remember in the UK.
In small country or seaside towns like Wellington Point, street lighting is minimal and after the mozzies have stopped swarming, many people go out and walk in the complete dark, holding torches, being swooped at by huge bats. It's getting more populated here, and the infrastructure is improving, but most roads in Wellington Point still have no pavements, many gardens are unfenced (front and back!) and the main roads only have a pavement along one side.

In Manchester last year I went walking every day, I loved the fact that you could walk from one side of the city to the other on pavements, something Brits take completely for granted even in small towns.

[Joan]

Actually, I only detest the Queensland climate for three months of the year - height of summer.

The rest of the time it's paradise - long sunny days, even though the winter at the moment is chilly.

Ditto for me and Sydney, Malc.  It's the humidity I can't stand - don't think I could live in Queensland, certainly not as far up as Townsville.  Been there in the winter and that was bad enough.

We have a larger range of "getting dark" times.  Earliest would be about 5.30pm in the winter and latest about 8pm in summer.  I found it very strange last time I came to Scotland and was staying down at the family home in South West Scotland.  It was May and even then it stayed light till about 9.30pm.  I had been coming over in winter before that because of the kids' school holidays.  My sister was complaining last night as we drove home that it was dark at 9.30pm.  My remark that it would soon be dark at 4pm didn't cheer her up much.

Sydney's weather is certainly not paradise compared to Queensland - we get our fair share of miserable wet days - when we're not in drought.  Also some pretty spectacular storms, especially in summer.  Spring and Autumn are the best - warm sunny days where the temperature reaches the mid 20s.  I hate to say it, but if I ever got homesick when I first went to Oz, I would think of crossing the Meadows in Edinburgh with the East wind driving the rain horizontally right through me and that soon got rid of it!

What's a pavement?  We live in a semi rural area, so can't expect one, but even when we lived in an ordinary Sydney suburb, we didn't have a pavement on our street - really the only ones were on main roads.  We do have a kerb though - only because it's a relatively newly developed street.

This rain is cramping my style, too, Roger.  Wanted to go for my walk this morning, but it was p...ing down so decided to wait to see if it goes off later - live in hope.  Mustn't complain though, I know how lucky I've been - the better weather seems to have followed me around up till now.

Have to go and talk to my old man on Skype now.  No doubt he'll gloat at me about the weather - looks like it's clear and about 18 degrees at the moment.  Just right for him to be out digging the garden.

[Malc]

A bunch of my cartooning buddies here in Oz tried a conference-style Skype linkup a few years back.
It didn't go well. At least two of them sounded like robots and there was dropout and scratchy noises all over.

I'm assuming it's all better nowadays, has anyone else tried Skype or Voip?

Maybe this should be on a separate thread.

[Joan]

The rain's stopped!  I'm dropping everything and going out now!

[The Peepmaster]

Oh Happy Day!

[Vulture]

A bunch of my cartooning buddies here in Oz tried a conference-style Skype linkup a few years back.
It didn't go well. At least two of them sounded like robots and there was dropout and scratchy noises all over.

I'm assuming it's all better nowadays, has anyone else tried Skype or Voip?

Maybe this should be on a separate thread.

When my daughter was working in Japan, Skype was a god-send. The cost of getting a card and phoning Japan was astronomical! Fortunately, I now have talktalk and can call Toronto for free.