Tag Archives: weather

Zippers

Right now it’s -2 degrees outside and with wind chill, -21.

I’ve had a great Marmot down jacket for years and the zipper started breaking down. I fixed it for tomorrow’s morning dog walk but I’ll need long underwear, ski pants, boots, jacket, vest, cossack hat and heavy gloves for the morning. Plus Zoe will need her coat because of the cold mixed with high winds.

We’ll work things out and I’ll make sure to wear something with tread, like hiking or snow boots so Zoe cannot pull me over. Even with a full fur coat and extra non-fur coat I don’t think she’ll want to be outside tomorrow, she would rather sleep. That’s my gal.

Beauty sleep 20 hours per day and she’s a gorgeous older gal. Think Cyd Charice. Shirley MacLaine is beautiful. Audrey Hepburn. Zoe only has to eat twice and go for a walk a few times per day. Not cook three meals and clean and pay the bills. Zoe has not a wrinkle and everyone says she looks like a pup albeit well-behaved as any great aunt would be.

That is a tribute to her temperament, DNA (as a mutt, who knows where that came from), diet, exercise and folks that care for her. She pulled me over two years ago, early morning, clearly not her fault. I tried to keep her from all four legs going out on serious icy sidewalks (county) and succeeded but fell myself and no-one was there to help. I had that bruise for eight months.

All I can say is that there may be a few weeks for the ice fishers once the ice comes in, and we like to reward one lucky bunch, chosen at random each year, to give coffee and pastries and a six-pack of local beer for later. Cheers! Dee

 

 

Weather Report

I’m supposed to drive two hours each way to pick up my husband Christmas eve. Of course the local weather predicted devastating snow storms that would paralyze all the major airports east of the Mississippi. Yes, I was a spelling champion in grade school.

They do this for ratings, because they don’t have anything else to report but murder, arson, protesters stopping traffic and really bad weather.

I got my own report today. The geese told me something’s brewing. Great gaggles gathered (alliteration) near shore. They did not speak. They’re all feeding to hunker down for a killer storm. Also strange little black birds, like the crazy ones in Texas that sit on the power lines, not Grackles, have been by. We already have alternate plans, train or hotel and he’ll be home for Christmas dinner.

When the squirrels are up in their tree apartments (I saw one that had a plastic grocery bag atop, a nuisance to humans but the only waterproof squirrel apartment I’ve ever seen) we need to see to roads and sidewalks, heat and enough food and water to get us through.

We’re hurricane-proof, see my blogs through Ike, a storm like I’ve never seen that my husband and dog slept through and I blogged through. Every other loft was damaged. Not ours. Our hurricane gear is a block away and I’ve enough coats, hats, gloves and winter boots to get me there on foot to retrieve The Hurricane Box. Yes, we even have a hand-powered radio.

I may have a purpose in this life and may have lived it and may be living it still. I’ve saved people and animals, someone must have a use for me to be here. The bird (capon) has landed and is in the freezer until 12/23, my husband’s birthday. Saving a capon is not my life’s goal, as we and our guests are going to eat it. It’s Christmas here with a tree and everything magical. Dee

Gingerbread Town

Yesterday started with a barrage of hard rain, which later in the afternoon turned to snow. Fat, wet snow propelled by high winds and an angry lake.

All in all, I think we got about an inch of the white stuff, just enough to coat the grass and parks and nearby rooftops. While it is still wet and windy, it does look pretty for the holidays though I heard more sirens yesterday than in any day here.

In our neighborhood, it’s nearly impossible to park on the street. Even if one does get a space, it usually must be vacated in an hour or two and the parking police are nothing short of vigilant. While I’ve thought paying to park two cars underground for a tidy sum is outrageous, I’m beginning to see the beauty of it. I can get in my car, park underground for free at the local grocery store, and never shovel or scrape the windshield or get my feet wet. Nifty!

Are there any new ideas out there for holiday menus? I’m thinking of a couple of pepper-crusted steaks, baked potatoes and perhaps brussels sprout gratin. Mincemeat tarts, to bring friends who are having us over for dessert. Now all I have to do is brave the weather to clean the grill.

OK, ladies. After tomorrow my husband is off work until next year! Any projects you can think of? We’ll definitely try a couple of museums, and get his snow tires put on, maybe take a day trip or two. Any ideas? Thanks, Dee

Creative Meteorology

This morning, the serious Storm Team 4 weather news called for “Filtered Sunshine.”

Correct me if I’m wrong, but where I come from, those are called “Clouds.” It’s a cloudy day here in the Great Lakes, high in the mid-forties. Back to you, Laura.

Perhaps we can get into Investigative Meteorology (who is filtering that sun and how many times?) or Forensic Meteorology (it appears that the sun was poisoned by arsenic in its iced tea, which caused cloudiness in the sky).

Veterinary Meteorology (we’re awaiting cats and dogs falling from the sky but not for a few days. Today it’s just cloudy.)

Culinary Meteorology (It’s definitely a soup day today, French Onion to be exact, Julia Child’s version of course, overcast with highs in the mid-forties).

Nerd Meteorology (autmated tests have failed leading to a glitch between SIT and UAT and feature creep is on the rise. Expect clouds and a high of 44 degrees).

Cheers, I’m feeling silly today. Dee

The National Weather Forecast

Picture a map of the US of A. OK if you’re under age 30 when geography was no longer taught in school, look at a map of the USA. Most weather comes in off the Pacific, sweeps across the western states with mostly rain, changes to snow in the mountains and if it’s a strong enough storm heads towards the midwest and beyond. This was taken May 2, this year.

Planters May 2, 2010

We hear “danger to the Oregon and California coasts.” Then two days after it blasted us, we hear “it’s threatening Chicago and Indianapolis and the East Coast.” Its as if the left coast is one ear and the east coast is the other and there’s nothing in between, which is a supremely arrogant position to take on what is supposed to be national news.

Is it just that so few people live out here that the weather can’t be reported? We got dumped on with rain or snow or sleet or hail and one requires chains to drive and heavy equipment to even get out of the driveway. But nationally, the only concern is California, Chicago and the East Coast. Texas and Louisiana only get play in hurricanes. Yes, we’ve lived through those, running from them and facing them head on. Still you didn’t get the story right on Ike.

It seems as if we’ve made a life of choosing second cities, which have so much potential and better livability than a 500 sf place in Manhattan with a Coleman stove and frying pan. Please, Mr. Al Roker who I admire so much, give a break to us in the mountain states and know that weather has to hit somewhere between California and Chicago. It hits us.

I must give my own weather report. Temperatures are plummeting from the low 60’s and snow is forecast for tomorrow morning. Yes, this is May. Hope your weather is less volatile and you can plant flowers and herbs. Cheers, Dee