How Much?

I'm little odd, I know that is true in just so any ways, but the way I am thinking of right now relates to weight.   Most people seem to put on some weight over Christmas and the New Year and lose it again in January and February.   I was congratulating myself over not putting on weight over Christmas only to find that during January I have put on nearly half a stone (7 lbs for the Americans and just over 3 kg for anyone in the 21st Century).   Now I know that this is hardly anything to worry about, but it takes me to over 12 stone (168 lb 76 kg) and that is a bit of a magic number to me, I don't want to be over 12 stone.    I can actually feel a bit of "chub" around my waist and although I am a long way from having any clothes that don't fit I don't want to let it get any worse.

I won't be dieting and I won't be joining a gym, I may just be a little more careful about how many crisps and biscuits I eat, and make sure I am taking some exercise every day, even when I'm not working.

This does all high light a strange relationship I have with units of measurement, in most things I am quite happy using SI units (metric) in many ways I tend to think in meters, kilograms and litres, I adapt quite happily to Kilometres and Kilometres per Hour, however there are some adjustments I struggle with.   I can only relate to fuel consumption in Miles Per Gallon, even though I never buy petrol or diesel in anything except litres, and people are always weighed in stone.  

A while back I tried to explain our old currency system to my daughter, telling her about how there were 12 pennies in a shilling and 20 shillings in pound, she though this odd, but when I went on to explain the notes and coins we had the incredulity just grew. Four farthings or two ha'pence in a penny, then the many sided threepenny bit, the sixpenny bit or "tanner" two of which equalled a shilling or "Bob". The two bob bit, or florin and then the wonderful Half Crown which was two and six (are you all keeping up at the back?), now we did have the half crown but crowns were not in general circulation but could be bought specially like sovereigns.   Since the half crown was the biggest coin we had ten shilling notes, pound notes, five pound note (fivers) and ten pound notes, I don't remember seeing anything bigger than a ten note before we went decimal.   Of course guineas were in regular use but there was ot a note or coin ~ thank goodness!   Needless to say I rejoiced when we abandoned this ludicrous system and adopted our current decimal currency.   Until very recently I expected the UK to join the Eurozone, but that now looks increasing less likely.