Bugs and bites
Flippin’ bugs! This tropical weather, which I declare is like a moody young teenager (since I cannot determine how it will play out during the course of the day), has been the bringer of all things BITING.
How I love the sun and climate when it’s warm, and how I love to sit on the deck of an evening and pretend I am very much on my holibobs in the balmy warmth as the sun makes its way to set………and how those damn mossies like to bloomin’ well bite me!
Chuffin’ mossies….
Maryland, I love you dearly, but I suffer at the hands / blood-sucking mouthparts of your mosquitoes.
The Phenomenon of Indicating
I am introducing a new phenomenon to roundabouts (“rotaries”) – it’s called ‘indicating’ and I am using my ‘turn signals’ to do this……
That is, I am indicating with my lights to show the intention of my direction when I enter and drive round a roundabout, which in theory should help out a lot of drivers in the vicinity and consequently speed up traffic.
I cannot do this single-handedly, Americans – let’s indicate together! 😉
An American roundabout (rotary)
(Okay, I know some of you already do it….I’m just saying, that’s all!)
More storms
Tomorrow we are going to be without power, so the weather reports say. More storms. More tornadoes.
Yikes.
Harry declared that the Oklahoma tornado had scared him.
Goodness, thought I, he is very up on current affairs.
Did you see about Oklahoma on the news? I asked, gentle concern filling my voice.
No, I mean Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, he replied……..
That is pretty scary
Our Maryland storm will be minor in comparison to the devastation recently caused to Oklahoma by the tornado last month.
Let it be said, though, that weather in the USA is definitely more extreme than the UK.
Colder, hotter, bigger rain and snow, tornadoes, earthquakes.
And, as we know, it is a land of extremes in more ways than just the weather…………….. (more to follow on this subject matter shortly, dear readers, but now it’s time buckle down and prepare for the storm – fyi, importantly, the laptops are fully charged for required TV series watching when the lights go out 🙂 )
ukdesperatehousewifeusa 
You’ll see in the USA we tend to worry/ discuss weather far more than it actually happens! Notice all the giant snows that were predicted and we ALL bought our eggs, milk, butter, but no snow fell. That’s how we do it here! 🙂
We love the weather also! I hope the storm does not happen as badly as they say as I have lovely socialising plans!!!
I disagree Claire NO Americans indicate when going through a roundabout (oh, sorry, traffic circle.) I’m the only one! Drives me mad.
You are the only one because you lived in the UK!!!! Let’s start a campaign! 😉
We have a “traffic circle” just a few yards from where I work and more than once I’ve been nearly side-swiped by someone who failed to indicate they were changing lanes.
By the way, this morning I woke up to a nasty thunderstorm with hail. This weather we’re having Claire IS a bit unusual. It seems like we go from a nasty rainy day to one that is piping hot with no in-between. Normally there is a bit more of the in-between and rain and thunderstorms occur at the end of a long hot day. Even most of us are complaining about this weird weather.
A few years ago, we were entertaining some friends who were in from the UK for a visit. A hurricane was making its way up the East Coast just at the time we were scheduled to leave for a weekend of golf and sun on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. They couldn’t understand how the weather was going to be THAT bad that the vacation should be scrubbed until the hurricane arrived. It was then that they learned the extremes of weather in Maryland. Our power was out so they spent several days with other friends. They marveled at damage to trees, local flooding and more. As we say around here, “don’t like the weather? Wait a few minutes and it will change.”
But nothing seems to chase away the mosquitoes! Invest in bug spray.
It is changeable isn’t it! I’m stocking up on bug spray for sure!
Bugs in Maryland — one of the reasons I prefer the UK. In Maryland, you get one or two days of nice weather and then the bugs are OUT. And yes, they are the biting kind. So, in nice weather a screened porch (or screened conservatory, if you prefer) is a MUST.
Roundabouts/rotaries/circles — I think they are fab (except when I am driving in Milton Keynes). But, Americans do NOT get them. We are not used to them (or weren’t when Pam and I were living there, pre-1996). Even the DC area residents who have the famous Circles did not get them. Now that I am used to them (it took a bit, but not that long), I think they are very efficient. Will my compatriots EVER learn how to negotiate them? Dunno — I think circles need to be included in the driving lesson curriculum.
Roundabout education! That’s what we need!
Ha! Milton Keynes is where I perfected the roundabout as an American living in the UK. Thank you MK! I read a story a few months back that some districts in particular parts of the country (possibly Calif. since they always seem to be ahead on things) are seriously considering installing roundabouts in place of new intersections. It’s because they realise their efficiency and how they cut down on car emissions, since people aren’t wasting time sitting at long waits at a traffic light. Bring it on I say.
Perhaps you could make a video tutorial about indicating through roundabouts!
That would be fun!!! 😉
I posted something similar to this on my FB page a few years back. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONacAiKXe-8
I love that! 🙂
Well … mosquitoes and roundabouts, two of my own pet peeves! I say NO to both! If you live in mosquito country, a lovely screened porch (or porches) is the only way to go, as well as a screened gazebo or summerhouse of some sort. And I hope the US doesn’t get more roundabouts – ‘nuf said.
Mossies galore last night!
Come to the west coast…heat without humidity and cooler nights. Mosquitoes are few and far between. Also no hurricanes, tornado’s, and snow is confined to the mountains.
So I hear! I think me and and West Coast will get on v well 😉