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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

is this witchcraft?

74 replies

BeesAndChiscuits · 02/02/2018 16:50

Dh made me a cuppa. I had just come into the house and he poured the water into my mug.

I couldn’t see the water at that point, but I could hear it being poured, and I said to DH “did you boil that?” because it didn’t sound hot.

DH checked and it turned out he hadn’t boiled the kettle, but is concerned that a few hundred years ago I would be burned at the stake for being a witch: he argues that it is impossible to determine the temperature of water by the noise it makes when poured.

Who’s right? I think very hot water sounds more tinkly and cold water sounds splashy. Am I hallucinating this? Am I a witch? Or is it a thing?

OP posts:
UrsulaPandress · 02/02/2018 19:12

Sorry you are not special.

Purplehammer · 02/02/2018 19:17

I can smell broken glass.

rockduck · 02/02/2018 19:20

Thinking about it I agree with you. I think t sounds more “bubbly” is the only way I can describe

NoFuckingRoomOnMyBroom · 02/02/2018 19:25

Yes definitely sounds different.

donquixotedelamancha · 02/02/2018 19:39

Different density different sound (quick sciency explanation) ice also sounds different

Boiling water has lower density and lower viscosity.

I would hypothesise that water's properties are similar to alcohol at 100oC, and all the people who can hear the difference are probably big drinkers :-)

monkeysox · 02/02/2018 19:44

I can hear the difference too. 🌟

AnachronisticCorpse · 02/02/2018 19:56

I can’t do the bath thing though. Many a time I have stepped into a cold bath. It’s literally the worst thing that can ever happen to anyone ever.

NorbertTheDragon · 02/02/2018 19:57

Ooh well, I have never noticed a difference. I wonder if it's because I don't drink hot drinks so don't often use the kettle.

You're all witches!

AnachronisticCorpse · 02/02/2018 19:57

But I can tell by sound if it’s a short measure of alcohol. Witch!

Felixandtheflippers · 02/02/2018 20:35

don I am a drinker- maybe that’s it!

ReinettePompadour · 02/02/2018 20:40

Don't worry you are not a witch. A very long time ago on a tv programme called 'you bet' a lady won her prize for correctly guessing whether they were pouring hot or cold water.

Another lady won her bet for correctly identifying all 20 horses at her riding school only by seeing their hooves. I loved that programme. Grin

postingherefortraffic · 02/02/2018 20:42

Funny, I was musing over this only today. You can definitely hear the difference. Boiling water sort of 'fizzes', non-boiled sort of 'plops'

FluffyFerrets · 02/02/2018 21:11

Soubriquet
I'm deaf so can't hear water, but I can smell when the heating is on
As is my sister and she says the same. I (hearing) can feel it before I smell the warmth.

I've never gave it much thought Witchy OP :) I will try to 'hear' if the kettle has boiled from now on though.

Swirlingasong · 02/02/2018 21:17

Of course they sound different!

TheLastMermaid · 02/02/2018 21:20

Yes, here too. Our tap water takes ages to heat so I run it and do something else til I hear it go warm.

I can also hear when DH has a thought. Even if I have my back to him. It's like the quality of the air changes. Perhaps it's his breathing? Perhaps I'm a witch. He looks at me sideways but I'm never wrong. Shock

Original poster
BeesAndChiscuits · 02/02/2018 21:24

UrsulaPandress Sorry you are not special

I think that may be the most cutting comment I’ve ever had on mn

Grin
OP posts:
bobstersmum · 02/02/2018 21:29

It does sound different but also I can tell when I lift the kettle if it's just boiled or stone cold (it's one that doesn't get hot to touch) I'm not a witch either!

Snausage · 02/02/2018 21:37

You're not alone, OP! Hot water definitely sounds different to cold water. So does a teaspoon in coffee with sugar sound different vs. without sugar.

CantChoose · 02/02/2018 21:41

I can smell the heating too. Is that not normal??
I can hear whether kettle water is hot but I'm not sure I would know for a bath, though I don't really have baths.

frieda909 · 02/02/2018 21:43

I watched a geeky video on YouTube about this recently. The guy reckoned everyone could do this, they just don’t all realise it until they hear the two one after the othe.

RainbowGlitterFairy · 02/02/2018 21:51

I have just boiled the kettle to check. Either I am a witch or the water does indeed sound different, as I have yet to discover any other witchy powers I'm going with the water just sounds different.

TheAntiBoop · 02/02/2018 21:59

How did he not notice the lack of steam when he poured it?

It looks and sounds different as well as feels different when you pour it

underneaththeash · 02/02/2018 22:20

Yes hot water sounds different to cold. Occasionally I forget to boil the kettle and can tell instantly I start pouring the water that I've forgotten.

Hohofortherobbers · 02/02/2018 22:22

Time for a randomised controlled trial? Test your powers and report back. I'm with you, hot water would hit the tea bag with a 'sssssss', with some bubbling up at the kettle spout

QuestionableMouse · 02/02/2018 22:26

Surely you're also noticing the lack of steam from the hot water?