Wed 5 May 2004 - Winter is coming
Winter is coming. And I have conclusive proof.
a) Last night I was freezing my arse off in the kitchen while on a phone call, and vowed to seek out a new battery for the cordless phone, so I can make calls from the comfort of my superheated livingroom. Or from my double-doona-covered bed. Either would do nicely thanks.
b) Later about to get into aforementioned double-doona-covered bed, it was so damn cold in tbe bedroom that I got the little fan heater out from wherever it was hiding from last winter. Plugged it in, turned it on, went to brush my teeth. Came back to find it had blown a fuse, interrupting the VCR recording The Sopranos that I was going to watch later in the week. Damn. Unplugged it, flicked the circuit breaker switch, and bada bing, power back on. Time to go heater shopping I suspect. How many amps do you need to cover a 2400 watt heater, anyway?
c) I can’t say I’ve ever been a porridge person. But having heard numerous recommendations of instant porridge recently, I had already planned to buy some for myself and try it, but the Uncle Toby’s promotional people made a pre-emptive strike and handed me two sachets at the station yesterday. Tried it this morning. Very yummy. Slightly too small for a Daniel-sized breakfast, but very yummy. And hot. Gotta like that on a cold Wednesday morning.
May 5th, 2004 at 7:09pm
I like Byron Bay Muesli but have just discovered that Passion Foods in South Melbourne no longer stock it. Now I have to go on a search to see where else in Melbourne it might be sold. Knowing my luck it will be out in the Dandenongs. As I live just out of the city on the other side of town that would be most inconvenient.
Am not sure if I get my comments in too late. Do you ever come back a day or so later and check? I usually only get a chance to check before I log off to go home.
Be careful of those little heaters - I don’t really trust using them at home especially when kids are around. If you have already done so, try a woollen underblanket or a woollen doona. They are so warm!
May 5th, 2004 at 7:11pm
Sorry, I meant to say “If you haven’t already done so”
May 5th, 2004 at 10:27pm
A nice link to the previous diary entry:
You should buy yourself an Aga Mr Daniel, fill it up with wood, let the wood burn then keep topping it up once a week. The heat the thing generates is enough to warm a small nation, well maybe not that much but several connected rooms in a house.
That said though for the price of one Aga you could probably get a few dozen smaller heaters, and still have enough change to buy a years supply of porridge.
May 6th, 2004 at 2:25am
Hi, Daniel,
Watts = Volts * Amps
Assuming you have 240 volts in Australia, the heater normally runs with 10 Amps. Fuses/circuit breakers protect against heavy overloading, so you probably need the next standard-size fuse, i. e. 13 Amps, otherwise you’ll end up changing fuses every other week….
May 6th, 2004 at 8:00am
Lyn - all comments get e-mailed to me, so I see what comes through. And I think a lot of people come back a few days later to see what gets written.
Phil, what do they cost, like UKP 6000 or something? Bargain! Especially handy in the height of the Aussie summer!
Charlie, thanks. The circuit breaker means I just have to flick a switch, not change a fuse. It’s only 8 amps on that one… not sure I should bump it up to 13. That heater’s about 10 yrs old anyway - might just look for something more energy efficient.
May 6th, 2004 at 9:14am
Tha’s no’ how ye eat porridge!
May 6th, 2004 at 3:31pm
Yeah
I got some free muesli too. But, boy, was it sweet!
May 6th, 2004 at 7:58pm
Alright geez. Agas are a British institution. Don’t diss.
May 7th, 2004 at 4:58am
Porriage is good, for southern winters. I can relate, being down here in yet another part of the great southern hemisphere, aka southern south america, it is also getting bloody cold and all we now ever have for breaky is hot milky sweet porriage (not uncle tobys) and cafe con leche. Reminds me of the good old porriage days when i was a kid. I think we also need to get out the extra part of the dooner as well. Lucky for us we have gas heaters. Is it not that common to have gas heaters in melb homes?
May 7th, 2004 at 5:16am
Porridge. With honey and cream. Daily.
May 7th, 2004 at 10:06am
I declared winter about a week ago. The transition to Winter is easy to pick - seven consecutive days with sub 20 degree temperatures. The transition into summer is the same, but with temperatures in excess of 20 degrees.
May 7th, 2004 at 9:07pm
Josh Parris, that is great. It was sort of in the back of my head. That is, no more 20 degree days, but you have it absolutely correct.
May 10th, 2004 at 11:59pm
You live in Melbourne! How can you tell what season it is?
May 11th, 2004 at 4:19pm
Note about comment 4 (above) from Charlie. Don’t just install a bigger fuse, unless you know that the wiring can take it. Otherwise you might have the wiring getting hot and possibly starting a fire.
You probably want to talk to an electrician (or buy a 1200 Watt heater).