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Six foot two, eyes of blue. kg v lb. cm v ft + ins

(64 Posts)
Grammaretto Sun 21-Apr-24 10:00:16

I know we've lived with decimalisation for a long time now but I find it so unwieldy.
Someone on the radio today described wearing 5inch heels . She wouldn't say 25 centimetre heels.
Likewise we still say he was over 6ft never 180 cm or whatever

As for recipes! Bring back butter in pounds. I know what that looks like.

Urmstongran Sun 21-Apr-24 10:05:37

And I like hearing of a baby who weighs 7 and a half pounds. I can visualise the baby!
👶

keepingquiet Sun 21-Apr-24 10:05:57

I think we've shown in this country how to two methods can sit side by side.

I just wish when we enter our weight they would stick to either metric or stones. I hate it when they ask for pounds- is that American pounds or British pounds?

Astitchintime Sun 21-Apr-24 10:06:20

"As for recipes! Bring back butter in pounds. I know what that looks like."
Yes, those American recipes quoting sticks of butter make my head spin!

Grammaretto Sun 21-Apr-24 10:37:04

American English is a whole 'nother subject!
Cups for goodness sake.

We have got used to it, I agree keepingquiet but it doesn't stop me feeling nostalgic.

About 25 years ago I was in C&A (remember them?) I was trying to buy trousers for my 9yr old DD.
A section by age. So far so good.
Heights were in ft and inches
Waist in metric.
The changover was painful.

Body temperature and temperatures in general sound much hotter in Fahrenheit.
One thing I prefer is body weight . I don't feel overweight in kilos.😂

ExDancer Sun 21-Apr-24 10:39:49

I used to do a lot of dressmaking. Now we buy material by the meter - but its 48" wide.

Grammaretto Sun 21-Apr-24 11:00:55

I used to measure a yard of fabric by holding it out between my left shoulder and my outstretched right hand.
ExDancer
I don't suppose it would work with 48ins

I have a rule of thumb there's another measure
I inch is tip of thumb to first joint.
6 ins = pinkie tip to first finger tip on outstretched hand. (Approximately)

When I am throwing pots on the wheel. I lb of clay is the amount needed to make a mug, a soup bowl, a side plate and anything for one serving. 4lbs for 4 people etc.
A pound of clay is the size of a tennis ball.

Callistemon21 Sun 21-Apr-24 11:05:39

One thing I prefer is body weight . I don't feel overweight in kilos 😂
I think it sounds worse!!
And clothing measurements

How much is a stick of butter?

Even the NHS waiting lists go by lengths of pieces of string now.
Q "How long will I have to wait?"
A "How long is a piece of string?"

M0nica Sun 21-Apr-24 11:20:47

Before DS was born, and also before calculators, i spent a lot of time at work dealing with long tons(UK), short tons(US) and metric tonnes and conversions frorm one to another.

When DS was born (in 1971) I was given his weight, first in kilos and then in lbs and oz, 4.02 kilos, 9lbs 4oz. I knew immediately that the conversion was wrong an spent part of the first hour of DS's life trying to do the maths in my head and wishing I had my slide rule with me!

He actually weighed 8lb 14oz and the nurses had converted 4.2 kilos instead of 4.02. A big baby by any measurements!

Grammaretto Sun 21-Apr-24 11:25:08

That's funny M0nica!
One of my DS was born, rather rapidly, at home. The midwife hung up her portable scales and popped him on complete with a terry nappy.
He was 9lb minus a nappy.

Callistemon21 Sun 21-Apr-24 11:27:54

DGS was 4.82 kilos - I didn't realise at first how large that was!

Theexwife Sun 21-Apr-24 11:27:56

I never seem to be able to remember my European shoe size and have to ask the equivalent of a 5.

M0nica Sun 21-Apr-24 11:39:49

Oh, Callistomon the thought of over 10 and half pounds makes my eyes water.

Witzend Sun 21-Apr-24 11:52:06

For cooking I convert them in my head (100 g = roughly 4 oz) but I still think in lbs/ozs, and use those on my kitchen scales - which do have metric too.

I still think in F rather than C for temperature, too, and as for babies, was glad that Gdcs were all quoted in pounds as well.

Urmstongran Sun 21-Apr-24 11:54:38

About 25 years ago I was in C&A (remember them?)

Ah yes*Grammaretto*. “Coats ‘n’ ‘Ats” 🤣

Urmstongran Sun 21-Apr-24 11:55:45

M0nica

Oh, Callistomon the thought of over 10 and half pounds makes my eyes water.

My late dear mum used to say of big babies “he’s almost ready for work!”.

Grammaretto Sun 21-Apr-24 12:18:36

But they still get it wrong!
DGS was predicted to be enormous and thus a C section was ordered.
He was big but not that big.

Your DM Urms 🤣🤣

BlueBelle Sun 21-Apr-24 14:30:24

Still mentally work in Pounds and ounces and feet and inches can’t after all these years get the hang of it

vegansrock Sun 21-Apr-24 14:39:08

Since my bathroom scales got stuck on kilos I’m ok with them. Also dressmaking, much prefer metres, usually 140 cm wide and seam allowances at 1 or 1.5cm are easier than 5/8ths of an inch or whatever. However, patchwork and quilting tend to use American measures so you have to work in that. I can switch between the 2 reasonably well.

Kim19 Sun 21-Apr-24 14:42:00

Recently whilst reporting local potholes the young lady asked me how deep they were. I responded with two inches and the pregnant pause was followed by 'can you give me that in centimeters, please? My 'not a chance' was instant.

Jaxjacky Sun 21-Apr-24 15:15:35

I just about get kilos and litres, but cm and mm defeat me, I can’t ‘see’ them in my head, I wish I could, drives MrJ nuts me and my ‘What’s…’

fancythat Sun 21-Apr-24 15:19:47

I struggle when the kids say, "my child has a temperature of 38 degrees".
Eh? How much is that?

BlueBelle Sun 21-Apr-24 16:31:45

Now that’s funny because I get the degrees and I think in 10 /20 / 21 in degrees and got a good handle on that……. but cooking and measuring can’t see it at all

Oreo Sun 21-Apr-24 16:34:21

Callistemon21

^One thing I prefer is body weight . I don't feel overweight in kilos^ 😂
I think it sounds worse!!
And clothing measurements

How much is a stick of butter?

Even the NHS waiting lists go by lengths of pieces of string now.
Q "How long will I have to wait?"
A "How long is a piece of string?"

😂

Oreo Sun 21-Apr-24 16:38:34

We still use miles in the UK which has a more poetic feel than kilometres.
‘How many miles to Babylon? Three score miles and ten.Can I get there by candlelight? Yes, and back again.’
And-
‘The woods look lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.’