The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Words to live by!
Especially when you're looking at a half empty bottle!
On another subject, Karen and I have been watching Kevin Shelly's 'Travels By Narrow Boat', and I think I have her 90% convinced to try it. Could be an interesting vacation. It doesn't get that cold in England, right?
Like in southern England?
I'm not a 'bottle half empty' guy Carl, I'm a 'BOTTLE HALF EMPTY!!!!' guy!
Sounds great my friend, as you know, the sun always shines here
Yes, in my experience, the sun was shining very well on those one or two days out of five.
But in all fairness, it wasn't really rainy like one would think. Before I went, I had everyone telling me that it rains ALL the time in England. So I took my army issue rain coat and sprayed it down with down with Scotch Guard, to the point that I soaked it. Well, it did rain, but it was more like a light misting drizzle. BUT...when the sun came out on that fourth or fifth day, it was the most dazzling brilliant green country side! Unreal! Beautiful!
I've never forgotten what the English country side looked like when the sun came out. It was like a magical transformation.
The countryside is certainly very green here - mainly because of all the rain! 
(Vancouver!)
Not your typical Snowman but a Snowman none the less . As one who is living in Wisconsin and pretty familiar with conditions such as you folks are having , I feel for you . At least we know how to handle the snow up here . We signed up for this and you probably did not . I hope your Electric comes on soon and stay safe my friend .I did make a snow-narwal-man, though.
Thank you. I've been lucky, and my power has stayed on so far. If it goes out, I'll be fine. I have lots of blankets, and a gas stove to make coffee and cook. My only worry is keeping the pipes from freezing. As is common around here, a pier and beam foundation with un-insulated plumbing. I'm keeping the taps dripping all night.
) I'd much rather have a very good bottle of White or Red than Champagne or sparkling wine, never done much for me. Women go for it though
Henry Beige
Well here we get naked and go further by going into a thing called Sauna which can be 60-90 C rather hotter than anything outdoors But then you take an ice cold shower or some maniacs like to dip in a hole in a frozen lake or roll in a snowdrift
My daughter, some neighbors and I (my wife and son wouldn’t do it!) jumped in our lake on New Year’s Day. There was no ice on the water that day but there had been previously. I really enjoyed it, going to be an annual thing!
Henry Beige
, having lived in both climates, I find the heat way easier to deal with. It all depends on the humidity. I've had 103 degree days that I was sitting on the back patio, which is shaded, there was a pleasant breeze, and it wasn't really that bad. I was sitting out there because Karen does not like me to smoke in the house, so I was outside. With the fan on me, and a spray bottle of water to mist myself down, it was downright pleasant. I took my time having a slow pipe, reading a book, and relaxing. 
Amen, Carl! I've sat outside plenty in the heat (100 or more degrees Fahrenheit), but ain't no way I'm sitting outside with a cigar and a drink in 18 degree weather. Or really anything below 60, come to think of it.Okay, its 4 degrees this morning, and even Abby was ready to go home after about 15 minutes of walking. Me, I'm ready for a vacation to Key West!
The so called rolling blackouts have been annoying. Power was out for 2 hours twice yesterday, and then from 7;05 in the evening to 1;30am. Then it was down to 57 degrees in the house. The power went off again at 4am, and came back on about 7am. I'm glad we have those neat little LED emergency lights that run for like 24 hours off of a couple of AA batteries. Power back on now, but who knows for how long.
Being the cynic that I am, I question how the power company deals with 100 plus degree weather and the electric demand for AC, but can't deal with demand for electric for heat?????
There no way this side of any kind of Hades that I will sit out there right now, no matter how bad I want to have a pipe!
Oh how I long for some nice tropical evening, a cold vodka tonic in hand, and a nice Dominican cigar!
Being the cynic that I am, I question how the power company deals with 100 plus degree weather and the electric demand for AC, but can't deal with demand for electric for heat?????
It does. I believe it's more a matter of decreased production than increased demand. The reasons for this could venture into the forbidden topic of politics, so here is a picture of a cat deciding that she does not care for snow one little bit.
On purpose?
I wondered the same thing. Surely it takes more electricity to keep Texas air conditioned in the summer than to keep it warm for a few extra cold days in winter?
Having lived in both Phoenix and Minneapolis, I’d have to agree with Carl here. Neither are exactly fun, but I’d say going outside when it’s 120° is slightly more bearable than -30°.