Funny - in 24 years of marriage the longest we have ever been separated is 3 weeks when I went to India. whenever we are together, sex is very regular. Never more than a few days between so 4 weeks was torture.

Have you even tried a rabbit?

What have you been up to with WH?

The country of Saudi Arabia is generally 220V, 50 Hz power like most of the world. The town/camp/city where I live is an island of 120V 60 Hz power or, more specifically, is wired like houses in the USA where most things run on 120V except for major appliances like the oven, clothes dryer and the AC.

Electricity is actually transferred around any country at very high voltage and in three phases. The higher the voltage, the lower the voltage drop or power loss in the lines. Before it enters your home, it is transformed down to the voltage your house needs. In the USA (and in my house) two out of the three phases are wired into the house and each one is 220V. But in the USA (like here) those two 180 degrees out of phase (one phase has to be shifted 60 degrees in the transformer as the three phases are 120 degrees out of phase). Each of the two 220V phases is wired to one side of your breaker box. Then it is wired into the house in reference to ground which cuts the 220V in half to 110V (120V).

Some places set the voltage a little higher than others because there is additional loss in the house wiring from the breaker box to your electrical device. The amount of voltage drop depends on the amperage of the device, the length of the wiring between the breaker panel and the device and the size of the wire (AWG). For example, if you are working in your garden and trying to operate an electric lawn mower (who would?) with a 100 foot extension cord but you were too cheap to buy a good 10 or 12 AWG cord and bought a 20 AWG cord instead, your poor little lawn mower would be hobbling along at about 80 volts and really struggling to work.

I think NEMA standards require any electrical device to operate correctly within 10% of its rated voltage. So a 120V appliance should operate correctly anywhere from 108V - 132V by that standard.

Now the fact that we are a 120V enclave in a 220V world means it is difficult to get appliances and we generally import. One good thing about electronics (TV's, computers, stereos, etc.) here is that manufacturers always put in a switching power supply. This costs about $5 more but means you can plug the thing in without having to worry about the voltage. This is one of my grievances with the USA. They never ever do that there.

As far as whether appliances work better on 120V or 220V, there is really no difference. 220V is more dangerous to work with and has a slightly better chance of killing you if you get shocked. The difference is that 220V appliances suffer less voltage drop in the wiring because they have half the amperage of their 120V counterpart.

Frequency is another matter. The difference between 50Hz and 60 Hz is important when things run with electric motors. Whether the motor is synchronous or asynchronous, it's operating speed will be in direct proportion to the power frequency. Trying to run a 220V motor on 120V (using a stepdown transformer to correct the voltage) can burn the motor up because it will run hotter due to the higher speed. It depends on the case. Sometimes I do it and sometimes not. Depends what the motor is and also how long I need to run the motor.

Now, Saudi Arabia is hot. But we have unlimited fossil fuels and power is cheap. So everything is air-conditioned. My office is generally somewhere between 61-63 farenheit. We have to keep the house cool and the upstairs gets a lot of sun. At night, after sunset, the temperature goes way down and it gets cold. So I use an electric blanket so I can adjust it in the night rather than add/remove blankets as the need arises. I did fold the blanket over onto my side before gemela got home but she folded it back. It has stayed on the bed. Nobody here pays for electricity so we just cool the heck out of everything. It is the only way to survive the summers here.

Once again, feel free to rub it in!!! You're killin' me here! I'm about ready to make a phone call to WH...

No, I haven't tried a rabbit, I never had the need. I was plenty satisfied with the real thing!

I haven't been up to much with WH. But he's why I wasn't on here very long last night. We went shopping last night, talked for a little while on the phone tonight...I vented about work and he listened. I plan on driving from Illinois to Florida in February and he doesn't like the idea of me doing that by myself. It made me feel good to hear that he worries about me still. But I still plan on doing it. He knows he can't stop me if I really want to go (and I do).

Hopefully you will be able to do that road trip together Stef. And stop switching threads dammit.
<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

No, the road trip won't be together, unfortunately. I'll be going to visit my grandparents and we won't be near ready for him to face my family in 4 months.

And pay attention to where I'm at and don't ignore my other thread dammit!

What exactly does this mean?

Your other thread goes to sleep when I do whereas TKO is always on page 1 dammit.

Ummmm, my family doesn't really think too highly of WH right now.

And he's so ashamed of what he's done, he doesn't want to face them.

We're a close-knit family and everyone knows what he's done...another issue WH has about getting back together with me.

So I'm not important enough to look for??? Dammit.

It's not my fault nobody else wants to post on my thread. Sorry I'm not as entertaining as TKO... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

(((Stef)))

It's OK, I'm used to my lonely world...WH doesn't want me, BigK doesn't want me <sniffle, sniffle>. LOL.

Good night all.

steph, don't worry about them worrying about you getting back together.

When all's said and done, you and WH are all that matters.

Pio, that was simply FASCINATING about electrical currents. At least I think it must have been. I only read the first sentence.

I was going to agree with Booka, the technical stuff is what keeps me on TKO. (Yeah, right)

He will get over it at some point. It would be a bad sign if he had no shame.

Jen - you missed the point - the current thing was about the electric blanket.

Sheesh

Women.

Kiwi Women.

Larousse, you really are so sweet.

You call me charming, well, I call you charming. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Kiwi <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

By the way I enjoyed the lyrics of the U2 song.

Hi Everyone,

Just a really quick visit to ask everyone for prayers for my brother inlaw and every other fireman on the face of this earth. They are such brave souls.

We have a really bad wildfire near Palm Springs and the Santa Ana winds are still blowing. So sadly, four firemen were lost and another is critical when the wind changed direction on them.

Hope it is okay for me to do this request here but I believe strongly in the power of prayer.

Thanks, Beth

Hummmmm.....watched my CSI then fell asleep....and missed my 'window of opportunity'... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Hi Larousse!

I was worried about you...where have you been?

I agree with Dr. Harley....making 'angry outbursts' a non-option would force us to seek out more healthier means of communicating...

Geesh....between Todd, Booka, 2much and Larousse.... I really feel I am missing out on these 'liquid painkillers'..... (while having a little sip of my little old GM, that would be Grand Marnier!) ...I see I gotta a lot of catching up to do. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

BigK???!! Would you mind stop rubbing it in with the SF, please!!! ...although in a few weeks I am in fact going to SF...LOL! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

uhmmmm....stph20...how much do you know about cars?

Some venting: My big boss has had health issues in past couple of years...so been doing some 'handholding'...that would be in addition to dealing with his 'anxiety issues'....

Now I found out that his re-appointment maybe questioned... and expect this to do nothing to improve his high 'anxiety' level.... I may be required to increase the 'handholding'.... the only problem is.... his reappointment comes up in TWO years! ....so...I am a little discouraged.... when I took the job... nowhere did it say anything about 'handholding' your boss....

...in case any of you may be reading anything into the 'handholding' part (why would I think that?)...let me clarify...my male boss has a same sex life partner

Pio...thanks for the explanation about the electrical stuff in SA... it will be very helpful to know the day I move out to SA! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Will do, Beth... please keep us up to date!

Ah... on second thoughts..... pass....