Good morning, emmie, it must be officially morning because all my antique clocks just struck 12 times:) We're back in the deep freeze here at -29, so I think I'll stay home today. I did a small grocery shopping today, and my sister will bring me more items on Saturday.
Remember the other night when I mentioned that when it gets this cold the structural-steel I-beams in the building contract with a sound that sounds like a gun-shot? Well it just happened and I sort of jumped and spilled some coffee...I kid you not, the sounds are quite loud!
Yes, when some materials become heated there is a resulting sound, but that's caused by expansion not contraction, and you're right, it can be quite startling...It sounds like we're back in a high-school physics class:)
I've forgotten most of what I learned in physics, I guess what's of more importance is what you learn after your school days. In general, our weather becomes more tolerable in late March and early April. And that won't be too long coming seeing as how the the older you get the faster time zooms by!
Opal is a gem, and like diamonds has different grades, the higher the better. Australia is the world's main source of opal, and I wouldn't be surprised if Mrs Steptoes store was located right on top of a active opal mine:)