45 C

That was the temperature here in Geelong yesterday. Today is supposed to be 43. Actually this entire week as been scorching.

We are experiencing the opposite of what many of you in the States recently went through with that extreme cold snap.

Here are a few things I have noticed with the extreme heat.

When it gets to be 45 (113) a hush falls over the city. The birds stop singing, you don't here many cars driving, the tradies (construction workers, etc.) stop working so no building sounds, it becomes very quite. This is the same quite you can find after a really hard snow.

When it gets really hot we get a factor that is similar to the wind chill factor. For instance yesterday it was 113 but felt like 125. I suppose you have this factor all the time but you only take notice when you are in the extremes.

When it gets really hot the houses look like they are in lock down. Everyone pulls their shades over the windows. These shades can be heavy duty fabric to full on metal sheets. Remember, most of the houses here do not have central AC/heat. We don't have any AC, only evaporative cooling. Evaporative cooling is a large fan that blows moist air through your house. It only works in very dry climates. You would feel like you were in a sauna otherwise.

Here is what I do with our house. Pull all the shades down so the sun can't get in. Evaporative cooling on. The windows and front/back door open a bit so that the moisture can get pushed outside and doesn't build up inside. It cools the house a bit.

When it gets really hot here the train system and power grid fail. Yesterday a couple of the rail lines buckled under the heat. Some of the trains are electrical. The metal rails cannot conduct enough electricity when it is this hot to keep the trains going and the system shuts down. Science lesson for the day: Metal is a good conductor when it is cold not when it is hot. Brandon wasn't dropped off at his station today due to the brakes on his train locking up. I guess that is better than not having any brakes.

The power grid failed due to everyone trying to cool down. Over 70,000 lost electricity.

I think we are going to the beach tonight.

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In other news, Brandon started work this week. He is really enjoying the work. He rides the train into Melbourne and then hops on a tram that takes him to his street. Brandon just got assigned to a new project. He and his boss are flying to Brisbane for three days to crawl around on trains. I think it will be more fun than work for B. What boy doesn't get excited about crawling around on big machines that go fast and have lots of power?

Sadly I have to bring out the iron again. I dislike laundry and I dislike ironing even more. Brandon is required to wear collared shirts/ ties (if he wants), and suits(if he wants) to work.

We are continuing to thank God for this job as the layoffs are constantly mounting over here. I would say that proportionally it is almost as bad as the US layoffs. The fact that he found a job so quickly and that it is with a company who is expecting to double or triple in size is such a blessing. God is good. That is all there is to say.