The General Chat Thread (2025)

badjak said:
Try some African cities :)
Dar es Salaam and Lagos, even Kampala are pretty chaotic.
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I can imagine.
I'm told anywhere it's possible to just buy a driving licence are the scariest.

I'm also reliably told some places where your supposed to do a test it's quite simple to pay a little extra 😉 when you go to get your temporary licence and they'll give you a full one.
Russia and Africa are two of those.
 
They've dropped the temperature a little for next Monday and Tuesday. Monday is a public holiday so very little will be open. Tuesday I have an assessed oral presentation to give in the hottest part of the day.

I might even get to see daylight tomorrow!

Screenshot_20250122_185831_Weatherzone.jpg


We're now at the time of year where 30°C doesn't seem hot anymore. :o_o:
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
I think Kathmandu is the worse place I’ve ridden, but it was also a thrill not knowing if you’d come out of it alive 😂
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Try Caracas...
Motorcyclists here believe they own the streets, so not only will they overtake you on the left and on the right, they'll also zig-zag through the traffic at frightening speed. They generally disregard lanes on the streets and highways; their lanes are the spaces between cars. And God help you if you get in their way! You'll get your side mirrors smashed or (even worse) get threatened with a pistol...
 
karadekoolaid said:
Try Caracas...
Motorcyclists here believe they own the streets, so not only will they overtake you on the left and on the right, they'll also zig-zag through the traffic at frightening speed. They generally disregard lanes on the streets and highways; their lanes are the spaces between cars. And God help you if you get in their way! You'll get your side mirrors smashed or (even worse) get threatened with a pistol...
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Apart from the pistol that’s the same as Kathmandu, but they don’t have a correct side of the road (that’s they observe) it’s just a free for all.
And motorcycles are expensive so it’s nearly all mopeds, completely kamikaze mopeds.

Nepal has almost zero tarmac, including in the capital so the whole place is a quagmire during monsoon, everyone just slides all over the shop.

BTW passing on the left or right is allowed in many countries, including the UK.
 
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I got up at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning. There was snow on the ground and a very lite, misty kind of snow falling. Keep in mind that I live in south Louisiana, U.S. The last time I remember any accumulation of snow was in 2008 - maybe a couple of inches. It snowed most of the day yesterday.
These photos were taken yesterday.
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My footprints were between 2" - 3 1/2" deep. They filled up in less than an hour. Snow continued to fall for several hours.

These photos are from this morning - Wednesday.

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Heat from the house melted some of the snow on the roof.

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8 1/2" just off the patio. There are places where the snow is deeper.

I can't make myself walk on it. It is too beautiful.
At 6 a.m. this morning the temperature was 10 degrees F (-12.22 C).
The city and parish are prepared to handle recovery from hurricanes, not snowstorms. Schools and many businesses are closed. Garbage pickup has been curtailed at least until tomorrow. It is too dangerous to get on the roads. I walked out on the driveway and my footprints instantly froze.
I know this is nothing for those of you living in northern regions. Your municipalities are prepared to handle snow and ice.
I do not have clothes and footwear for these conditions. My winter coat is really just a jacket. No boots, earmuffs, or heavy coat. I do have a couple of scarves and a knit hat. My gloves are leather and not heavily lined.
This really is crazy. A lot of fools will get on the road even if they do not absolutely have to. The accident count will be above normal.

Aside from the weather we are working on getting George's hip replaced. He had his 3-month post op visit on Friday and was cleared to have hip surgery. Monday, he called the orthopedic surgeon to schedule surgery. He is tentively scheduled fo April with a pre op appointment in March. I say tentively because he has to lose 15 lbs. His hip is so bad that he cannot walk without a walker and severe pain. Without being able to exercise his weight loss has to come from diet. No baked goods or junk food. No rich cream or cheese sauces. Very restricted carbs. He loves to snack on cheese. Tomorrow I will stock up on no fat, no sugar yogurt. He was so pitiful yesterday asking for cookies that I almost gave in. His meals will be lean and green with an afternoon snack of yogurt and a small serving of fruit. I made a pot of Texas style chili yesterday - no beans and most unfortunately no cornbread.

We do have an appointment with another surgeon next month - the second opinion thing.

The snow has been a nice diversion.

Miss you all.
 
ElizabethB said:
I got up at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning. There was snow on the ground and a very lite, misty kind of snow falling. Keep in mind that I live in south Louisiana, U.S. The last time I remember any accumulation of snow was in 2008 - maybe a couple of inches. It snowed most of the day yesterday.
These photos were taken yesterday.
View attachment 123960

View attachment 123961


View attachment 123962

My footprints were between 2" - 3 1/2" deep. They filled up in less than an hour. Snow continued to fall for several hours.

These photos are from this morning - Wednesday.

View attachment 123963

Heat from the house melted some of the snow on the roof.

View attachment 123964

View attachment 123965

8 1/2" just off the patio. There are places where the snow is deeper.

I can't make myself walk on it. It is too beautiful.
At 6 a.m. this morning the temperature was 10 degrees F (-12.22 C).
The city and parish are prepared to handle recovery from hurricanes, not snowstorms. Schools and many businesses are closed. Garbage pickup has been curtailed at least until tomorrow. It is too dangerous to get on the roads. I walked out on the driveway and my footprints instantly froze.
I know this is nothing for those of you living in northern regions. Your municipalities are prepared to handle snow and ice.
I do not have clothes and footwear for these conditions. My winter coat is really just a jacket. No boots, earmuffs, or heavy coat. I do have a couple of scarves and a knit hat. My gloves are leather and not heavily lined.
This really is crazy. A lot of fools will get on the road even if they do not absolutely have to. The accident count will be above normal.

Aside from the weather we are working on getting George's hip replaced. He had his 3-month post op visit on Friday and was cleared to have hip surgery. Monday, he called the orthopedic surgeon to schedule surgery. He is tentively scheduled fo April with a pre op appointment in March. I say tentively because he has to lose 15 lbs. His hip is so bad that he cannot walk without a walker and severe pain. Without being able to exercise his weight loss has to come from diet. No baked goods or junk food. No rich cream or cheese sauces. Very restricted carbs. He loves to snack on cheese. Tomorrow I will stock up on no fat, no sugar yogurt. He was so pitiful yesterday asking for cookies that I almost gave in. His meals will be lean and green with an afternoon snack of yogurt and a small serving of fruit. I made a pot of Texas style chili yesterday - no beans and most unfortunately no cornbread.

We do have an appointment with another surgeon next month - the second opinion thing.

The snow has been a nice diversion.

Miss you all.
Click to expand...
That's crazy for Lafayette! I was born and for a bit grew up in NOLA. Never saw more than sleet...
 
ElizabethB - first, wishing you and George as easy a time as possible with his pre-op weight loss; I know that has to be hard on both of you. Don’t give in, though…tell him you’re putting all his cookies in the “cookie bank” for after surgery.

As to the snow, it sounds like you have the right attitude - sit down inside where it’s warm and enjoy the beauty of the rarity. It’ll pass.

Big hug to you!
 
You know how a snowstorm would shut down a city in the deep south. Some of the snow is starting to melt on the concrete driveway and places on the patio that are in the sun. My thermometer in the sun on the south side of the house is reading 32 degrees F. In the shade on the northeast side of the house it is 25 degrees. Not unpleasant because there is no wind.
 
Thank you, TR.,
I like and will use the "cookie bank" idea, and the pie bank and the cheese bank and the sauce bank. 😊I am so grateful for all I have learned from this community. I have a bag of tricks that I can use to keep George's meals interesting and weight loss friendly.
I keep walking out on the patio, watching the ice cycles grow and the sparkle of ice on top of the snow. I am 71 - 72 next month and have never seen more than a couple of inches of snow accumulation. It is still and quiet. I live in a subdivision with no through traffic. I just stepped out the front door to look at the boulevard. My neighbors are obviously smart - there are no tire tracks on the street.
 
ElizabethB said:
I got up at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning. There was snow on the ground and a very lite, misty kind of snow falling. Keep in mind that I live in south Louisiana, U.S. The last time I remember any accumulation of snow was in 2008 - maybe a couple of inches. It snowed most of the day yesterday.
These photos were taken yesterday.
View attachment 123960

View attachment 123961


View attachment 123962

My footprints were between 2" - 3 1/2" deep. They filled up in less than an hour. Snow continued to fall for several hours.

These photos are from this morning - Wednesday.

View attachment 123963

Heat from the house melted some of the snow on the roof.

View attachment 123964

View attachment 123965

8 1/2" just off the patio. There are places where the snow is deeper.

I can't make myself walk on it. It is too beautiful.
At 6 a.m. this morning the temperature was 10 degrees F (-12.22 C).
The city and parish are prepared to handle recovery from hurricanes, not snowstorms. Schools and many businesses are closed. Garbage pickup has been curtailed at least until tomorrow. It is too dangerous to get on the roads. I walked out on the driveway and my footprints instantly froze.
I know this is nothing for those of you living in northern regions. Your municipalities are prepared to handle snow and ice.
I do not have clothes and footwear for these conditions. My winter coat is really just a jacket. No boots, earmuffs, or heavy coat. I do have a couple of scarves and a knit hat. My gloves are leather and not heavily lined.
This really is crazy. A lot of fools will get on the road even if they do not absolutely have to. The accident count will be above normal.

Aside from the weather we are working on getting George's hip replaced. He had his 3-month post op visit on Friday and was cleared to have hip surgery. Monday, he called the orthopedic surgeon to schedule surgery. He is tentively scheduled fo April with a pre op appointment in March. I say tentively because he has to lose 15 lbs. His hip is so bad that he cannot walk without a walker and severe pain. Without being able to exercise his weight loss has to come from diet. No baked goods or junk food. No rich cream or cheese sauces. Very restricted carbs. He loves to snack on cheese. Tomorrow I will stock up on no fat, no sugar yogurt. He was so pitiful yesterday asking for cookies that I almost gave in. His meals will be lean and green with an afternoon snack of yogurt and a small serving of fruit. I made a pot of Texas style chili yesterday - no beans and most unfortunately no cornbread.

We do have an appointment with another surgeon next month - the second opinion thing.

The snow has been a nice diversion.

Miss you all.
Click to expand...

My bezzies husband has just been listed for hip replacement.
He is quite overweight and has been his entire life.
There are new diabetes meds that cause weight loss that in the UK they have starting prescribing for pre hip replacement weight loss as it reduces complications post surgery.
It might be worth talking to your GP about this.
 
ElizabethB said:
Thank you, TR.,
I like and will use the "cookie bank" idea, and the pie bank and the cheese bank and the sauce bank. 😊I am so grateful for all I have learned from this community. I have a bag of tricks that I can use to keep George's meals interesting and weight loss friendly.
I keep walking out on the patio, watching the ice cycles grow and the sparkle of ice on top of the snow. I am 71 - 72 next month and have never seen more than a couple of inches of snow accumulation. It is still and quiet. I live in a subdivision with no through traffic. I just stepped out the front door to look at the boulevard. My neighbors are obviously smart - there are no tire tracks on the street.
Click to expand...
I love the quiet that comes with snow. Woke up one morning in Las Vegas with about 8" on the ground and the whole city was stopped. Of course it was gone by lunch but nice while it lasted.

Prayers for you and George with the hip. 🙏
 
ElizabethB said:
I keep walking out on the patio, watching the ice cycles grow and the sparkle of ice on top of the snow. I am 71 - 72 next month and have never seen more than a couple of inches of snow accumulation. It is still and quiet. I live in a subdivision with no through traffic. I just stepped out the front door to look at the boulevard. My neighbors are obviously smart - there are no tire tracks on the street.
Click to expand...
That’s a lovely description.

To me, the most beautiful any place can ever look is right after a fresh snowfall, especially one with a significant amount. Cities look clean and are quiet, prairies look like endless pristine blankets, mountains and evergreens are sumptuous dollops of ice cream with sprinkles.

Folks can have their autumn with the changing leaves - I’ll take the snow every single time.

Windchill is -1F/-18C and I’ve just come back from a 45-minute walk. Cold but quiet.
 
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