The Weather

Stuart McPherson will be installing our wood-laminate floor. Typical Ulster man. The store where we bought the floor ("The Wooden Floor Store") said it would cost 230 pounds to install the floor and they referred us to Stuart. When he measured the rooms, he said he'd charge us 200 pounds. No extra for the quarter-round he'd install to join the skirting board to the floor. He told us not to tell the store he lowered the price. Fine by us.

He is not a typical Ulsterman in that he admitted that he loves Belfast. He loves Portstewart and Portrush, famous for their beaches and golf courses. "Ach it's not a bad wee place to live," he said. Then: "But the weather If you could only get a decent week of weather!!" I pointed out that it has been sunny for nearly a month, often t-shirt weather. And the winter was amazingly mild and dry. He wasn't buying it. Belfast people love to run down Northern Ireland and the weather is always Exhibit One.

I understand that the weather is like a hormone-riddled teenager--up and down, moody, unpredictable. But it never gets terribly cold or scorchingly hot and any bad turn will not have to be endured for long. It is not a bad wee place at all.
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