MetaChat - Damn, it's cold here.

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

23 January 2007

Damn, it's cold here. →[More:]There was a tiny bit of snow on the way to the station this morning, but it was gone almost before it hit the ground. This evening the sky is very clear, lots of stars out over the forest (I judge how clear the sky is on whether or not I can see the Pleiades with the naked eye, and they were sharp tonight) and it's freezing, absolutely bitingly cold.

When I got home I from work I realised I had very little food in the house, so it's been a 'big shop' tonight, and now there's lots of deliciousness filling the kitchen and plenty of ingredients to make nice hearty winter food like Lancashire Hot Pot and lentil curry.

I also filled up the car. It cost me nearly £40 ($80). When I first bought it 9 years ago it cost £22 to fill it up. Oil companies. Bastards.

On Wednesdays I usually work from home, but I have to go in tomorrow for a meeting. Sleet and snow is forecast but I've decided not to drive to the station because it's so hilly with little narrow streets lined with cars.

Last time I drove in the snow (about 3 years ago!), I went into a big skid as I turned into my street and came to a halt about half an inch from my neighbour's car - a Ferrari. So it'll be Timberlands, duvet coat, scarf, hat and gloves tomorrow and a hilly mile-long hike to the station and back.

How's it looking outside where you are?

post by: essexjan at: 14:17 | 10 comments

It's finally acting like January here. 30s-40s, windy, rainy. Last weekend it was sunny and 75 so it feels especially cold but it's actually still a bit warmer than normal for this time of year.

posted by mike9322 23 January | 14:29

it's cold, dreary and dark here too. the wii is making squeaky monkey noises from zelda.

posted by By the Grace of God 23 January | 14:30

Just a few degrees above freezing and clear. A perfect winter's day. Although I think it's supposed to cloud up.

posted by gaspode 23 January | 14:31

Holy shit jan! How long does a tank last you? At those prices, I'd be aiming for one tank/month. I barely use my car, and I usually go through nearly two tanks on an average month - my car holds about 13 gallons, or about 50 litres.

posted by pieisexactlythree 23 January | 14:35

£40? Damn, I spend a quarter of that on 10 gallons (every 1 to 1-and-a-half weeks or so, so I suppose if you only fill up once a month, we're be even).

It's in the 40s today, rainy and dreary. It was sunny this weekend, which made me happy, but now I'm droopy again.

posted by muddgirl 23 January | 14:39

Sigh, driving. I bought my new car in June; I have put 17,500 miles on it since the day I bought it, with only local driving and the trip to Asheville.

Let's do some math, so I can be really depressed. My car gets about 450 miles per tank, on average, so that's ~39 fillups in just over 7 months, or around a fillup every 5 days. Yee-haw.

I really can't wait until my ex moves closer to me.

posted by mike9322 23 January | 14:40

(I realized that last bit sounded weird without further explanation. She's in an overpriced apartment, and is moving in June to a place very near where I live already; otherwise, I would certainly look into moving myself to alleviate some of my driving woes. My daughter's new school will be right across the street from me. YAAAAAAAAY!)

posted by mike9322 23 January | 14:46

40 and cloudy in DC. Big news here is the State of the Union address happening across the street tonight--it's kinda cool to see all the preparation, though it does make me very, very happy that I don't drove to work.

On that note, I did some calculation, and figured out I've filled up my car an average of twice a month for the last year. Most of the driving I do is across the river to pick up my daughter at my ex's. Throw in a few long-ish road trips, and you still get less than 8,000 miles all year.

posted by mrmoonpie 23 January | 14:46

How long does a tank last you? At those prices, I'd be aiming for one tank/month.

It depends. I drive less than I used to because I travel to work by public transport. I tend to do lots of short journeys (under 5 miles) mostly for shopping and give the car a good run every couple of weeks.

I get around 400 miles per full tank.

The car's 9 years old and hasn't done 55,000 miles yet. On my current mileage, it should last another 9 years.

One of George's favourite pastimes was moaning about the price of gas, but when I told him we were at around $8 a gallon here, he soon learned to quit bitching about it.

posted by essexjan 23 January | 14:58

It's been gloomy, rainy and cold the last couple days but it's supposed to be sunny and 10c/50f tomorrow. Er.. today.

posted by deborah 24 January | 03:23

← Man, you know it's chilly when your vodka freezes. || Faith-based murders? →

HOME || REGISTER || LOGIN