A SNOW-LESS Winter in Bahstin...

happy to report we got thru the month of december without any shovelable snow...

I've just been wasting a bit of time (while the first coat varnish dries) looking at maps, following a quick exchange with RP re. The weather he's sending our way.

1. We (UK) are positioned slightly higher than Bahstin, but apparently get their weather because their systems usually get dragged upwards a bit (scientific term) as it all wends its way across the pond.

2. Looking at the detailed map of Boston (USA) and its surrounding countryside is like looking at a map of England that a drunken cartographer has created.
The town names are so familiar, but all in the wrong place.

So far, after just a quick glance, the list of everyday (mainly) English place names include :
Tewksbury, Chelmsford, Billerica(y), Hamilton, Middleton, Gloucester, Manchester, Beverly, Reading, Wakefield, Burlington, Woburn, Lynn, Acton, Leominster, Medford, Chelsea, Somerville, Lincoln, Sudbury, Marlborough, Waltham, Newton, Wellesley, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Norwood, Weymouth, Walpole, Duxbury, Bridgewater and many many more.

I have a theory that I could come over there with a map of England, drive around with my better half giving directions as per the England map and probably find that we actually arrive at each U.S. destination without any trouble.

Not that she's absolutely hopeless at navigating or anything.

A few trivial things about one or two of those places.


1. Billericay (pronounced Billericky over here) is a town near Basildon in Essex. You have no doubt heard the Essex jokes that did the rounds a few years ago......eg....How does an Essex girl turn off the light when she makes love? She closes the car door.

Anyhoo, during the punk era, Ian Dury (and The Blockheads) came out with a song which sort of epitomised life in that part of the world back then........I'm guessing that farmerman will understand maybe 10%....

Billericay Dickie.

Woburn has a Safari Park......
http://www.woburnsafari.co.uk

Chelsea (sw10, London) is one of the most expensive districts in London....
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-45953593.html

Bridgewater is in the heart of Cider country, Somerset.
http://visitbridgwater.org/cider


Beverl(e)y is in Yorksire, and has an absolutely stunning Minster. I'm in no way religious, but this building took my breath away...founded in about 700 ad, I think.
http://www.pbase.com/billell/beverleyminster

And Waltham has an Abbey, where it is reputed that Harold II is buried under the High Altar.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waltham_Abbey_Church

The Billerica locals pronounce it Bi'rica (dropping the ells).
Woburn is Woob'n.
Chelmsford is Chemsf'd.
Gloucester is Glostah.
Worcester is Woostah.
You know you're in the hinterlands when you're westah Woostah (west of
Worcester).
And, of course, Medford is Mehfuh.

That's interesting, because the proper Bedfordshire pronunciation of Woburn (Woburn is in Bedfordshire) is.....Wooburn, or Woob'n.

We say Chelmsf'd.
Gloucester is Gloster over here.
Worcester is Wooster. Short oo as in good.

Strange ol' weld, innit.

'Tis.

We live in Brighton, so we're supposed to have a beach, right? We have kind of a weird-looking MDC pool nearby.

PS Thank you for Ian Dury. Hit me with your rhythm stick.

People are suicidal here in Paradise (s/w FL). It's only up to 39 degrees here...windchill is 32 deg F., even though the sun is shining. Big high today will be 58 deg. coldest day of the season, so far. First time I've had to put on socks and a sweatshirt since last year..

and sometimes glawstah...

And to differentiate, Worcester, Mass. is pronounced by locals as wister, as opposed to the non-homonym, Wooster (wew-ster), in Ohio. This should sound the same as the Worcester found in Worcestershire sauce (at least those bottles which can be found on shelves in New England's store shelves).

And to add another snippet.....

If Dionne Warwick was born and raised in Britain, she would be Dionne Worrick.

Alas poor Yorick,
For he lived in Warwick
Not like Dr Foster
For he went to Gloucester

However, had she been from Worrick/Warwick, she truly would not know the way to San Jose. Not to mention there'd be that confused accent she'd have had.

disco queen Dawner Summah was from heeyah...

in other news, it's snowing...

Apropos of virtually nothing, the local dialect here in Hawaii is, in many respects, quite similar to the standard Boston/New England sound, particularly as regards dropping/adding 'r' sounds. (Thus 'brother' becomes 'brah'.) This isn't really surprising when we realize that widespread use of English among Hawaiians came as a result of the influx of Christian missionaries hailing mainly from Connecticut and whalers and merchantmen hailing mainly from Massachusetts.

...and if it wasn't bad enough in Beantown already, I now hear word another storm is a-brewin' (or is that Bruin?) for the weekend:

www.mashable.com/2015/02/13/boston-blizzard-category-2-hurricane/

'The powerful Valentine's Day storm set to blast eastern New England this weekend with roaring, frigid winds, heavy snow and pounding surf will be so strong that it can be compared in some ways to a Category 2 hurricane.

Fortunately, though, it will not bring the same impacts as a hurricane of that intensity, but its effects on multiple locations — from Providence and Boston to Portland and Bangor, Maine — will be similar to a winter hurricane, with power outages, tree and structural damage, and coastal flooding. Depending on the storm's exact track, it could dump a foot or more of additional snow in the Boston area, with even more snow in coastal New Hampshire and Maine.'

Ayup. I'm actually more concerned about the storm that's supposed to come after that. That one is supposed to be a wintry mix and so far we've had fairly light snow (although it gets impacted and heavier as it sits and more snow is dumped on top of it). Wintry mix = heavy stuff on already-burdened power lines and roofs. Plus black ice on road and sidewalks, as we have been having horrendous temperatures. It's currently 13 above.

I know you're all being careful. Hang in there.

Odd question - do cleats on boots do any good?

yup

I actually prefer the things that look more like springs but traction aides really help when it's slippery outside.



I'm a fan of yaktrax on packed ice and snow. Always carry a pair in my bag.