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Post by Phalon on Mar 18, 2023 15:58:04 GMT -6
So we're just shy of being a week into the "Spring Ahead" season....and it seems like we "Fell Back" instead! It's been more like mid-January than mid-March. It's snowed nearly every day for more than a week - except for one clear day, and one day of cold wind and rain. Temperatures have been in the mid-teens to low 30s. It's 25F out now, blowing snow, and a blustering, frigid wind off the Lake, making it seem who-the-hell-knows how much colder.
Boss sent out a mass text last Sunday - work was called off for the entire week. Hopefully, we'll be starting this week. Hopefully, the weather will be nicer.
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Post by Joxcenia on Mar 19, 2023 0:51:25 GMT -6
We are getting a light snow at this very moment. It is 27F, but feels like 17F. It is supposed to drop down to 23F, so I have the master bathroom sinks dripping. And I will drip the kitchen sink as well, and open the cabinet doors. And I won't turn the heat down when I go to bed. All suggestions mentioned on a Google search. I don't worry about it too much until it gets down in the low 20s, and more into the teens. That is when I notice my water slowing down and not flowing out in a gush.
3/19: 42 / 26 3/20: 54 / 34 3/21: 53 / 47 3/22: 66 / 60 3/23: 72 / 53 3/24: 60 / 43 3/25: 63 / 49 3/26: 69 / 47 3/27: 58 / 40
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Post by Phalon on Dec 21, 2023 11:45:33 GMT -6
Happy Solstice! Actually, it doesn't occur until tonight, but the girls are coming over today to celebrate - we'll be cooking, decorating our Yule log, and crafting. Wish it was a bit warmer for the bonfire - it's 36F right now, but at least the wind isn't blowing.
And boy, was it blowing the other day - howling is a better word. Though Winter's official start isn't until tonight, the whole week has felt like it was here in full force. Snow, sleet, and high winds - though yesterday was calm, and the snow we had didn't accumulate to much more than an inch (our heaviest snow this year was on Halloween!!! Three inches here, up to six inches nearby - didn't make for a very fun time for the Trick-or-Treaters, though those that did venture out were handsomely rewarded for their effort!)
Welp, gotta run. Hope everyone is doing well, and enjoying these pre-Christmas days!
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Post by Joxcenia on Dec 22, 2023 5:07:38 GMT -6
No snow here yet. Probably won't see any until January. It's usually the coldest month, where temps dip down into the twenties, teens, and below 0F. Sometimes the freezing temps will also stick around during the day, but never for more that a week or so. Most of the time, it warms up during the days, and the nights will go up and down above freezing and below freezing. February tends to warm up and start to feel spring-like, with the peepers crawling out of the mud and croaking their Spring songs. Then it gets cold again for March and April, and then May jumps into Summer temps. Although the last couple of Mays did stay pretty cool.
Merry Christmas!
Just in case something comes up, or happens, and I'm not online Sunday/Monday.
F | 12/22 | 57F/47F | S | 12/23 | 61F/49F | S | 12/24 | 66F/54F | M | 12/25 | 62F/40F | T | 12/26 | 47F/34F | W | 12/27 | 43F/34F | T | 12/28 | 44F/29F | F | 12/29 | 45F/27F | S | 12/30 | 45F/27F | S | 12/31 | 46F/26F |
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Post by Joxcenia on Dec 22, 2023 7:38:23 GMT -6
And the rain is back. Some of it is bypassing us, scattered rain here and there, until Sunday night and Monday. I’d prefer snow on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but them’s the breaks.
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Post by stepper on Dec 24, 2023 0:08:24 GMT -6
We finally got some rain again, and it's supposed to come and go through tomorrow afternoon. We can use all that we can get. The weather guessers are predicting lows in the 30s and 40s for the next several days. That will be a change for us because we've been mostly in the 50's and even some days with lows in the 60's. I am not at all prepared for actual cold temps and neither is anyone else around here. We simply haven't be able to acclimate to cooler temperatures, especially after the past summer. I have all shopping done, which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who knows me, all the mailed stuff was delivered Monday except for one package sent to Tennessee and I suspect the tornadoes are the reason for the extra couple of days. Bro from El Paso is coming the day after Christmas and we'll swap presents then. He always wants to go out to eat at Red Lobster when he's here so I'll have to force myself to go pig out on shrimp. Rain and cooler temps are okay, but it's still not cold enough to remind me of Christmas. The colder systems are staying north but if we continue to get rain, I'll accept the trade off. And congrats on the new system Phalon! If you can't find anything, just use the block in the lower left where it says "Type here to search". One more update. I walked across the street to the mailbox, and then back to the house this evening. It's the first time I've walked that far since the operation in April. I'm slow, and it was tiring, but I made it. Now days you take every accomplishment as progress no matter how small.
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Post by Joxcenia on Dec 24, 2023 2:28:49 GMT -6
Glad to hear you're doing better, Stepper, and that you were able to make it to the mailbox and back. It isn't fun when you go from 66F one day, and a few days later the temps are dropping below freezing during the nights. I would rather it kept to the same temperatures for longer stretches of time. But, it is what it is. I hope you get more rain.
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Post by stepper on Dec 24, 2023 23:30:51 GMT -6
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Post by Joxcenia on Dec 25, 2023 1:05:14 GMT -6
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Post by Phalon on Dec 27, 2023 9:17:28 GMT -6
A little late to the game, but I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!
Our Christmas was...strange. The tree was lit, the house was decorated, but it just didn't feel like Christmas here. We had rain all weekend, and the temperature climbed to nearly 60 degrees. We had the family celebration on Christmas Eve, because LX had to work on Christmas Day (they have a choice between getting off Thanksgiving Day or Christmas). There has been tension between the two couples - LX and her Boyfriend, and BP and her Boyfriend - since they went on vacation together last spring, and unfortunately it escalated during our Solstice celebration, and came to a head on Christmas Eve. It's all due to BP's boyfriend's disagreeable personality and quick-to-flare temper...and I actually had to sit here a minute to think of a polite way to say that; it's not at all the words that I actually was thinking. Sad to say, I think it'll have to be separate family celebrations from this point further. Happy to say though, it hasn't seemed to diminish the Girls' relationship or BP's relationship with LX's boyfriend.
Sigh.
Stepper, that's wonderful!! May those little accomplishments lead to bigger things!
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Post by Joxcenia on Dec 28, 2023 1:20:39 GMT -6
It's over, so I'm good.
Nice to see you pop in. There have been prodigal lurkers lately, who logged in, but didn't post. Well, not on the board. I suppose they could have sent PMs to others. Temperatures are dropping here. Supposed to get some snow Friday, but the temps aren't below freezing, so it most likely won't stick. Hopefully it won't make the roads slick. I have a doctors appointment, and I will have to get out in it. Thankfully, I'll only have to drive 5 minutes away to a Church parking lot, and then my mother's friends will take turns driving my car to the city and back. And then I only need to drive the 5 minutes back home. I should have filled up on gas. I've got a little less than half full. I'm pretty sure it will make it, and the city has plenty of gas stations anyways.
If something comes up. y'all have a happy new year!
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Post by Phalon on Dec 29, 2023 9:32:35 GMT -6
It rained all day yesterday - the perfect kind of day to wrap up in a quilt with a good book, which is exactly what I did. Sort of. Had the wrapping up in a quilt part down, and had a book - two of them actually, but the "good" part was missing. It seems like I've been reading these two books for forever (or at least two months), and struggling to get through either of them; a chapter or two in this one, then a couple chapters in the other, and I've had enough of both for one sitting.
More of the same today - it's been raining all day, thus far. Waiting for BP to get here; I've got a couple of bags of clothing to take to Goodwill and would like her to go through her closet(s) too, so I can be rid of things in my house we don't need. Eventually, I'd like to turn BP's old bedroom into a crafting room - we're kind of getting there. She's currently got both her sewing machines set up, because there isn't room for them in their apartment. There's still so much unneeded stuff in there though - it pretty much turned into a storage room when she went to college. It's just one thing on my long list of winter projects.
Later Taters. Enjoy the day.
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Post by Joxcenia on Dec 29, 2023 21:57:48 GMT -6
It rained here all day too, but I had a doctor's appointment, so I didn't get to curl up under a blanket and read a book. The rain started out as snow for some areas further north to me. The weather report said the roads would be good, but that the bypasses could potentially be slippery. We didn't have any problems, and I never saw any snow, although some mentioned they saw snow at the eye wear place where I picked up my glasses. I'm just glad the temps stayed above freezing, because I didn't want to have to cancel and make a new appointment. I'm glad I got to get out and get it over with. The temps are supposed to drop below freezing several nights starting this weekend into next week. 2024 is almost here. Whoa.
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Post by stepper on Dec 30, 2023 11:22:33 GMT -6
Alas, no rain here but we got cooler temperatures. Fortunately, only one morning got down to freezing temps and the rest have mostly been about 10 degrees above the freeze mark. On the other hand, one of the neighbors had a major water leak in their yard that ended up flooding the street I have to walk across to check the mail. The road has been a muddy mess for two days now. So many things become a challenge to which you have to find a way to adapt! That’s still the story of being a crip – learn to adapt. I had another appointment with the VA and will be having more. They say the spot on my eyebrow is one form or another of carcinoma. Then they numbed it up and cut off an area to test to confirm what I’ve got. The follow up to this one will be a one-day appointment. I thought they’d freeze it or do an excision but they’re going to do a Mohs’ procedure instead. When it was on my arms and back it didn’t bother me that much but this is on my face and is going to leave me scarred. LOL! I’m already ugly and scary enough. I don’t need professional help getting ready for Halloween! Initially they were saying there are more areas of concern. The word I have now is that the other sites ‘could’ in fact be scar tissue resulting from the extensive work done on my body, especially the back. Resolving that question is still pending but no one has said malignant melanoma and while they didn't say what they were doing, they checked my lymph nodes and based on their reaction, I am assuming there's no sign of metastasization. Bro from El Paso came to town the day after Christmas and we all went to Red Lobster. I had endless shrimp and put a serious dent in the shrimp population. Bro will stop here again on the 4th while making the flip-flop trip back to El Paso and that’s going go entail another stop at Red Lobster. Yep, another chance to eat way too much shrimp scampi, but one has a reputation to maintain. Ya know? I hope you are all well and have a great New Year’s celebration. Here they are predicting a cold front bringing windy conditions. The fire departments aren’t going to like that. We can already hear fireworks going off every night – people are getting the fun started early! Phalon: sorry there's a conflict interfering with what should be fun and harmonious celebrations. The fella's are going to need to learn how to adult so they don't ruin things for the rest of you.
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Post by Joxcenia on Dec 30, 2023 22:27:23 GMT -6
I'm well. My great-niece wasn't at our Christmas dinner, as she had COVID. No really bad weather happening here, nor really bad freezing temps. I never got around to getting any sparkling juices, so I probably won't even watch the ball drop. Unless I get invited to my sister's house. I'm not expecting them to have a get together though. Not sure if it's my great niece & nephew's night with their dad. They're 18 & 16. I can't believe they're that old now. I hope everyone has a great 2024. I hope it's far better than the last few years. I'm hoping this year sees the COVID 19 endemic. I think they're predicting COVID will cease being a big worry sometime this year, and becoming just another a seasonally thing like the flu, pneumonia, and cold viruses. It will still be deathly to some, but no more a concern than any other typical virus. I'm looking forward to that. I doubt I'll see another pandemic, and I'm not sad about that.
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Post by Phalon on Dec 31, 2023 11:22:57 GMT -6
Hey, save some for the rest of us, will ya?! Just kidding; I haven't had shrimp since I can't remember when. I do love it though - shrimp scampi, shrimp etouffee, shrimp fried rice, shrimp and cocktail sauce - yum, yum, yum! It's just one of those things though, that is better when you don't have to prepare it yourself, and when we're out, I never think to order it.
Hope your skin tests come back negative, Stepper, and glad the weather cooperated with you for your doctor's appointment, Joxie. It's gotten much colder here - crashed from the high 50s into the mid-30s. No rain yesterday though, and I figured it was the last chance for a while to get the Christmas lights off the front porch; it's supposed to snow off and on this week. Although my hands were numb by the time I got everything down, I'm glad I did - back to drizzling rain today. Bad enough taking the lights down in the cold, but much worse when it's cold and wet!
I am glad for our covered back porch - even in the cold and rain, I go out there with coffee in hand, to watch my yard wake up. This morning, the bird feeders were bustling - perhaps the birds are getting their fill before the snow starts. Out of nowhere, a Cooper's hawk swoops down toward the feeder, and the smaller birds scattered in every direction. The hawk missed them all, and flew into the maple outside the back door, and sat there for quite a while, nurturing its wounded ego, before taking off. Even if he had gotten one of the songbirds, which would have been upsetting to see, I am always grateful to witness nature in the way it's meant to be.
Happy New Year's Eve to all.
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Post by Joxcenia on Dec 31, 2023 22:50:47 GMT -6
The temps are supposed to drop into the 20s a few days this week, but in the mid- to high-20s. I checked my gas tank a couple of weeks ago, and it was 52%. I plan on checking it again this week, and I'll probably call it in when it's around 40%, as a couple of years ago they were so behind it took about a week for them to come, instead of the next day. So, I want to make sure I still have gas when they fill it up.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 6, 2024 15:38:14 GMT -6
Happy New Year to you too, Joxie! Really hard for me to believe it's 2024! Like WTF?! Where did the last year go...heck, where did the last twenty years or so go?!
I had the most wonderful early morning walk on New Year's Day. Hubs wasn't awake yet since he had the day off. I turned on the coffee, and quietly left the house so I didn't wake him. The sun was just coming up, but it was still dark enough and early enough that houses in the neighborhood had their outdoor Christmas lights on. It was lightly snowing and very quiet. Quite magical. Although I took the outdoor lights down last weekend (can't miss the chance to get it done when it's calm, because otherwise that wind off the lake is unforgivingly bitter), as much as I love the Christmas tree all lit up at night, it is my goal to get it down this weekend - such a tedious task! It's taken me hours today to get it halfway denuded of its ornaments, because I keep getting sidetracked with other stuff, (quite possibly on purpose!)
Well, I suppose I should get back to the tree. I vow to get it done today.
Or tomorrow. Maybe.
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Post by Joxcenia on Jan 7, 2024 1:20:17 GMT -6
It seems like yesterday the world was shutting down due to COVID 19, and now we’re nearing the endemic. FINALLY! I don’t like that COVID is here to stay, but as long as it’s much weaker variants/strains than the original ones that hit in the beginning, I’m good. I’m hoping the endemic ends with COVID being more like a cold or flu, and is very rarely causing any deaths. But I think it’s still going to be more serious than the cold or flu. I still haven’t gotten it yet, and as much as I hope I’ll never get it, I know those odds aren’t good. I’ll get it eventually. But hopefully when over the counter medicines are available, and not just prescribed medications.
Next weekend, the temps drop down into the low 20s and high teens. Brrr My gas tank was at 50% when I last checked, so still good. I filled it up February 9, 2023. So, I’m guessing I’ll be needing to fill it up in a few weeks. I hope everyone is staying warm/cold, wet/dry … whatever best fits your needs. We’ve seen some rain, and may get some snow, but my lights are still on, so I’m good. Laters.
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Post by Joxcenia on Jan 7, 2024 1:56:15 GMT -6
Looks like we're going to stay below freezing for a few days. January tends to be the coldest month in my area. Sometimes we have little to no snow, and other times we have to dig our way out of the snow, as in some cases it can drift into huge piles and block the ins & outs of our roads and driveways.
S | 01/07 | 43F/31F | M | 01/08 | 49F/41F | T | 01/09 | 49F/29F | W | 01/10 | 42F/34F | T | 01/11 | 49F/34F | F | 01/12 | 41F/21F | S | 01/13 | 28F/18F | S | 01/14 | 31F/20F | M | 01/15 | 31F/16F | T | 01/16 | 26F/14F |
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Post by Joxcenia on Jan 8, 2024 14:28:24 GMT -6
The propane/gas tank was at 49%, but decided to call in to have it filled, due to the temps staying below freezing for several days. I was told it was good I called it in, because these temps would have my tank dry by Sunday. And also because they’re getting swamped with calls and they should still have time to get to me. I made a note on my calendar to call in at a higher percentage during Winter. And to not only check on snow storms, but on how many days the temps are below freezing. Hopefully my tank gets filled before it runs out.
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Post by Joxcenia on Jan 12, 2024 16:42:33 GMT -6
So, it appears the temps here will remain mostly below freezing for a couple of weeks. There are up to three days during those two weeks when the temps will venture a tad bit above freezing, but will drop below freezing again once the sun sets. Tank has not been filled up yet. Fingers crossed it will be filled this weekend. And I’m hoping the person who answered the phone meant Sunday the 24th, and not this Sunday. Which means my tank won’t go empty before it gets filled.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 14, 2024 18:43:58 GMT -6
Hope your tank gets filled in plenty of time before it runs out, Joxie.
With most of the country in the grips of the winter storm, hope everyone is safe and sound in a cozy warm house. Talked to a co-worker today whose family is in the Dallas area; it's below freezing where they are. Stepper, hope it's not that cold where you are in TX.
It's -2.8F here now, been snowing all week, but it really kicked in yesterday. The wind is ridiculously bitter, and blowing nonstop. Who knows how cold it is with the wind factor; I haven't checked, because we've got no plans to leave the house for the next couple of days (though crap, we may need coffee before then - I've brewed extra the lately, because it's been so cold).
Lots of stuff to keep me busy inside. Maybe I'll even finally finish those books I've been struggling to get through.
Stay warm, everyone. Keep safe.
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Post by Joxcenia on Jan 14, 2024 20:22:56 GMT -6
Right now it's 7F, but feels like -6F. It started snowing late afternoon, and is still snowing. It was supposed to stop at 8pm, but now will stop at 11p. We shall see if that prediction changes. I started dripping my faucets last night, and let them drip all day. The temps were supposed to stay in the teens and 20s for most of this week, but now a few days are going to rise up into the low 30s. So, the daytime faucet dripping can stop on those days, unless the predictions switch back to the low temps they were before.
I checked my tank late afternoon, when the snow started, and it was at 41%. My niece texted me Friday night saying she called in her tank the day before, and her tank was at 20%. I'm more worried about her at the moment. We have my Mom's two kerosene heaters . . . hopefully we won't both need them. Next Tuesday, the temps will be back up in the 50s, but I've seen weather videos on YouTube that state another Arctic breeze will drop the temps again at the end of January, into February. January tends to be the worst time of the Winter season. But there have been exceptions.
Hope everyone is safe & well, and is able to get through whatever weather events are being thrown at them.
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Post by stepper on Jan 15, 2024 12:44:34 GMT -6
It's not as cold here, but we still have freezing temps that are supposed to last until Wednesday morning sometime. We're supposed to get down to 18 tomorrow and Wednesday morning but then it works back up above freezing for a day or two, then back down to freezing again. Steppet was worried about the feral kitty so last night she snagged her and forced her inside. The kitty sat at the door and meowed for a while, but then gave up and is now hiding in a back bedroom. We have food and water out for her but she's ignoring that and us. I think that in spite of the cold, she just wants back outside. We knocked out shopping a couple days ago and I'm glad we won't have to go out for a few days. I feel the cold more keenly than before all the fun with the spinal injury. I don't understand why that would be the case, but it is.
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Post by Joxcenia on Jan 15, 2024 13:03:28 GMT -6
It’s been snowing here most of the afternoon. It’ll be sticking around for a while, since the temps will be staying mostly below freezing. The couple of days it does get a wee bit above freezing probably won’t melt off much. It’ll just make it icy and worse than before. Next week will be above freezing day and night, and it’s a good thing because it’s supposed to rain for several days. That could have been a lot of snow. Now I must bundle up and shovel snow. The cats hate standing on the snow while they eat, and I’ll need to get out tomorrow to take the trash out to the bin for pickup Wednesday. There are no snow days when you’re an adult. Laters.
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Post by Joxcenia on Jan 18, 2024 17:41:03 GMT -6
Today, it warmed up to 33F. And the sounds of dripping water was everywhere. My tank was a teeny bit under 40%. My niece’s tank was at 10%. Thankfully, our tanks got filled just an hour or so ago. The driver said he tried to deliver a few days ago, but the road was too bad for him to get to us. But, the tanks are full now, so no worries as the temps drop into the 20s tonight. Another frigid cold front is moving in sometime tomorrow, so the temps will drop down into the teens and single digits. I’m still dripping my faucets, even though it got barely above freezing, since it’s been so cold for so long. Next week will feel like summer. Temps in the 40s & 50s during the day. Nights staying above freezing. Can’t wait. Just a few more days to go.
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Post by stepper on Jan 19, 2024 12:54:05 GMT -6
The freeze moved out and yesterday they were predicting 70 - we didn't get there but it did warm to the mid 60s and that felt nice. Unfortunately, tonight we're headed back into the mid 20s. Then Sunday it's supposed to start raining, and they're saying that can last through next Saturday. It never rains here continuously for that length of time so I'm guessing they mean chances of scattered showers some of which might be a bit heavy. As horrible as last summer was, we can use the cooler temps and some decent amounts of rain too. My only problem with it is that we have a roadway low spot in front of our home and across the street at the corner. Going out to check on mail is going to be messy - too messy to walk. I'll have to take the car or wade through it, and I'm not interested in putting on hip boots just to check the mail. MIL is approaching 101 in February. We're going to have someone purchase a bunch of lottery tickets for her. She likes scratching the tickets, and said she's never hit a winner above $20 so we're going to try changing that for her. :-)
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Post by Joxcenia on Jan 19, 2024 20:42:59 GMT -6
We're supposed to get rain here pretty much every day next week, so I'm very happy the temps will be above freezing day and night. That would be far too much snow, so glad this week was the arctic freeze, and not next.
I hope MIL has a very happy birthday, and wins big.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 24, 2024 15:27:11 GMT -6
Hi, All. Nice to see everyone survived the winter storm. Is it over? Seems like it is here, at least for the time being. Last week our temperatures ranged from below zero to right around 20 degrees; mostly hovering between 8F and 12F. And I gotta tell you -0F feels a whole lot better than 20 degrees and windy!!! We managed to keep the driveway and sidewalks shoveled, the bottom portion where the plow throws up feet of snow with a little help from the neighbor, who braved below zero temperatures a couple of times to snow-blow not only his drive, but the entrances to five of his neighbors driveways! Gotta love helpful people!!!
Sunday seemed to be our last really cold day at 16F; I spent the day with LX and her Boyfriend at the Humane Society where LX works; she loves, loves, loves her job (adoption specialist), and has been wanting to show us for sometime. Hubs ended up not going because he's got a head-cold...and I have to say, I'm kinda glad he didn't come! Those winding country roads that I normally love driving to get there were absolutely horrible - it was like driving more than an hour on a two-track. Dare not get out of the ruts, or you'd be either stuck in a snowy cornfield, or sliding all over the place. He is such a backseat driver, he would have had me a nervous wreck!!
We had a huge warm-up yesterday, and it got just above freezing at 33F. It was a beautiful evening, with a heavy frozen fog. If you've never seen frozen fog, it's really something to witness - every water droplet is frozen, and suspended in the air, before it lands covering everything in a layer of ice. It's kind of unpleasant to be out in though, as the frozen particles sting exposed skin!
Just finished my on-line course for the week. Blah. Same organization and a lot of the same lecturers as last year when I found the course so engaging. This year, I'm finding it sooo, sooo dry. But I signed up, so I will see it through to the end, and hopefully when it's done, I will have gained something from it. I believe you always gain something by learning, but as I sit through these sessions, it's not quite clear exactly what it is I'm gaining. LMAO. Patience maybe.
You gotta watch Steppette and that feral kitty, Stepper! Yanno that's how LX ended up with three of their (seven) cats! Brought in a feral cat during the last polar vortex; at first it was just in their stairwell, but eventually into their apartment....and then discovered it was pregnant!
Happy Birthday to your MIL! Hope she wins BIG!!!
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