It had to be the weather

**brewerpaul** · 12th March 14, 03:41 PM

It is yet too early in March to even think spring has come. The solstice is two weeks away and there is always the chance of a late cold front and snow in Mid Missouri. For the past few months we, and many other people in the midwest, north and north east, have put up with sub freezing weather, ice and snow. The day light has been short and the cold long and brutal. Yet Tuesday promised to give a glimpse of relief from the bleakness from the north. We passed the time change with the evenings longer and that alone is an event that warms the soul. Throughout it all I have walked many days to work, come snow, sleet or sub zero temps. Many times I wore my kilts with a nice wool sweater and outer jacket. At the bleakest I had to opt for my wool breeks and Inverness cape. With winds sustained at 15-20mph and gusts of 25+ I felt the better part of valor was to wear breeks.

Through it all I think everyone was feeling the cold and dispair. Rare were the waves or word of "hello" as I walked to work as most people were just trying to get from home to work in the cold and snow. I cant find reason to blame them as there were days when I just wanted to stay inside.

The weather reports had been pretty acurate most of the winter months and Tuesday proved equal in predictions. An unseasonal 80F was predicted by late day with the morning being mild and sunny. This was my day leave for work at 8:30 am rather than my normal 6:30. I wear surgical scrubs all day long so I dress a bit more than a person, including everyone I work with, might do for a simple one mile walk. I feel it lifts my spirit to dress well, though casual, and enjoy a quite walk to work. This morning was an exception to the way people had acted the past 3 months. From the minute I was on the streets walking I had an attractive young lady turn around me at an intersection and give me a big smile and thumbs up. While I walked the couple walking their dog smiled, while looking down at the kilt, and said "Good Morning". The same happened with the young man waiting for the bus. Even the LOL's "Little old ladies" driving from the Dr's offices were smiling when they passed. Everything just felt nicer. Walking into the hospital I work at proved equally enjoyable as people smiled and said hello. I would like to take credit for the actions and attitudes due to the kilt but to be honest I think it was just the weather. As many times as I have worn my kilt to work this day presented the most smiles and hellos I have had in the last 4 months. So putting aside my dashing good looks (big guffaw here), and the kilt I have say it had to be the weather that brought about such a wonderful start to my morning. I must say that if I had worn jeans I would never have gotten such responses so I do credit the kilt to many of the smiles.

This is my casusal way of walking to work. Bear in mind I wear scrubs all day and a lead kilt and vest for xray. Dressing for my walk just helps me feel right...

**Hawk** · 12th March 14, 08:42 PM

Very nice words Paul. It gives those that have weathered ( pun intended ) this season, a reason to smile and look forward to the Spring soon to arrive. The Tibetan Prayer Flags do add a touch of color also....

Hawk

**ASinclair** · 12th March 14, 08:51 PM

Sharp casual outfit, and I love that cape you made. As Hawk said, nice words.

**Spartan Tartan** · 13th March 14, 03:22 AM

I like that you take the time to "dress up" just to walk to work! Being in the Navy, I don't wear scrubs, but I do now what I'll be wearing everyday from now until....

I usually change into my uniforms at work and commute in civies. I like to take pride in my appearance even just to walk in and change as well--it does feel good. I don't wear my kilt, but nevertheless.

You look great. Although Spring does tend to have people greeting each other more often, I would not downplay the role of your kilt this day.

**creagdhubh** · 13th March 14, 05:01 AM

Well done! Will you be attending Missouri Tartan Day in Historic Saint Charles next month? It's the first weekend of April.

http://www.motartanday.com/

Cheers,

**brewerpaul** · 13th March 14, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by creagdhubh

Well done! Will you be attending Missouri Tartan Day in Historic Saint Charles next month? It's the first weekend of April.

http://www.motartanday.com/

Cheers,

I always seem to end up on call the first weekend of the month and April is no exception. Ive missed Tartan day the last 2 years for that reason and Ill have to again this year. Perhaps next year Ill do a better job planning ahead.

**tpa** · 13th March 14, 04:38 PM

Looking past the nice words and great looking outfit, does your house have any insulation? I know nothing of house construction in Missouri, but to my Scottish eyes the house behind you looks to be a wooden house with not very thick walls and not at all suited to the sort of weather you are describing.

**brewerpaul** · 14th March 14, 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by tpa

Looking past the nice words and great looking outfit, does your house have any insulation? I know nothing of house construction in Missouri, but to my Scottish eyes the house behind you looks to be a wooden house with not very thick walls and not at all suited to the sort of weather you are describing.

According to my deed my house was built in 1912 and it reflects a style of house construction I am familiar with. These houses are similar in Missouri and they very much the same from Central Texas, where I am originally from. In Texas it was the Germans that settled there that built the homes, here Im not sure but the floor plan and overall look is the same. These homes were simple yet well built. Usually they had 4 large rooms, a living room, kitchen and bedrooms. One room could be used as a dining area if wanted. Most of these homes had no built in closets becaues everyone used wardrobes and chifferobes in the bedrooms and pie safes and other cabinets in the kitchen. In time, like my home, the indoor plumbing allowed the addtion of bathrooms and perhaps another room. The exterior of my home has been covered with aluminum siding but it still has all the old counter ballance windows. These windows do not seal out the wind so storm windows are needed. Though the walls are sturdy I doubt they were insulated well. I had to put rolled insullation in the attic space.

This year was colder than anyone remembers in a very long time so I had a challenge keeping warm. I tend to heat where I live so some rooms remain cold. I keep Tibetan door hangings in doorways to isolate each room and keep heated rooms warm. My bedroom and bathroom rely on electric operated oil radiators and I keep the living room, sewing room and kitchen warm with a blue flame ventless natural gas heater. It is quite nice, keeps the rooms warm and costs very little to run.

Big heat loss issues are the windows, lack of insulation and having a basement. My floors stay cold due to the heat loss to the basement. This year I will invest in new storm windows on my north and north west side windows eventually working around the whole house. The walls will just have to do and Ill keep accumulating nice wool sweaters to wear around the house. Coming home to a 45F home is not unusual for me, that is what sweaters are for.

I have to say I bought this house on the way it felt the first time I walked into it. It felt familiar and some of the doors had glass door knobs still. To me that is a house with potential to be a home.

**tpa** · 14th March 14, 03:25 PM

That was a much more detailed response than I expected, Paul, thank you for that. I'll keep my fingers crossed for everyone in your area that you don't have any more abnormal winters and that any very cold spells you do have are short lived. Having grown up in houses where glasses of water froze overnight, I can sympathise with your predicament, but hopefully your winter spells are not as long as our Scottish and English ones.
PS: A basement can be a blessing because it can allow easy access to the underside of the floors which you can insulate. It also keeps the wine and beer cool in the summer.

**brewerpaul** · 14th March 14, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by tpa

PS: A basement can be a blessing because it can allow easy access to the underside of the floors which you can insulate. It also keeps the wine and beer cool in the summer.

I fully agree a basement can be a nice addtion to a home. My basement isnt finished out so it isnt, as many people refer to them as, my man cave. I hate that reference. What I do use my basement for is fermentation. In spring 5 crocks holding 5 gallons of cabbage are turned to 60+ quarts of saurkraut and in the fall the same crocks make my Kim Chi with Chinese cabbage. In between I brew the occasional ale. My basement is insulated to the floor above but even with that it stayed below freezing this year. I spent one week without water due to freezing and then repaire the busted pipes after the thaw. It is easier in a basement than a crawl space. This winter i even had to put a heater in front of my ale to get it to ferment at a proper 65 degrees F. All is well and the beer taste great. Such is the trials of owning a home over 100 years old. I know that is quite young compared to some of the homes in the UK>