Thread: Eagles and Turkeys -- USA 2015 Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 
Bald eagles and Wild turkeys, that is. A nod to our national bird and to Ben Franklin's candidate for the honor.

The old year is winding down here, and I am no way going to make it to midnight. I'm usually up at about 4 am to work an early shift at BurgerPalace, so midnight isn't part of my world anymore.

It's cold here in the Bay Area: morning temps have been in the 30sF or low single digits C. The last time we had temps this low several homeless people froze to death. A local paper worried about the same thing happening again; there are apparently about 7500 people in the Silicon Valley sleeping rough on a regular basis. I'll be praying for them as I go to sleep tonight.

Happy New Year to everyone here!
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
The eagle might, just might, become edible in the slow cooker after a decent marinade in a bottle or 2 of red - then add lots of speck, garlic, onions and so forth into the cooking. A hindquarter of the turkey would probably be good roasted in an oven bag, with carrots and leeks with it.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Happy new year to all my chums to the south!
 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
Who you calling a turkey, bub?

We were invited to a big party and jam session, and The Fella was very excited. I was just not feeling it. I am crabby and cranky and want to read my goddamn book and get-off-my-lawn. Thankfully the Fella was completely understanding and went out to party without me. I'm so lucky to have a guy who is okay with that.

And frankly I'm thrilled... THRILLED!!! To have my first NYE in probably 10 years where I'm not working. Screw parties, I'm vegging with the cat!

Here's to 2015 being our year, gang!
 

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Posted by duchess (# 2764) on :
 
First post from me in a long time on the ship.
And first post from me in 2015!
Wanted to say its still very cold still here in the Bay Area...my car said 38 F but my coworker said it was 20 F when he left for the train on his bike.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Yikes. No wonder I keep retreating to the duvet.
 

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Posted by Ye Olde Motherboarde (# 54) on :
 
All quiet on the southwest front. COLD here and snow coming. 2014 closed and hello 2015!

Hope you all have a great year.
 

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Posted by Mamacita (# 3659) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by comet:
Here's to 2015 being our year, gang!

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quote:

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Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Yikes. No wonder I keep retreating to the duvet.

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quote:

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Originally posted by comet:
... My winter total of shovelling so far amounts to 10 minutes.

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That's 10 minutes more than I've done, Comet, and long may that continue!

It's forecast to be a tad chilly here tonight: at the moment it's -14°C (8°F) with a wind-chill of -27 (-16). That's quite cold enough for me, and I'm no sun-worshipper.
 

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Posted by Ye Olde Motherboarde (# 54) on :
 
Hey, California shipmates, was anyone near the earthquakes today? JB said 4.5 isn't huge, but it will shake you a bit.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Hm... only ones I could track down were well south of here. SoCal Mates?
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Whilst away this weekend I read Joseph Hansen's excellent Living Upstairs and the characters are all complaining about the cold in Los Angeles - I thought SoCal was generally warm, I didn't realise it could be cold and wet and miserable as well.
 

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Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 
Angelenos have a different idea of cold and wet than the rest of the world.

My brother married a woman who was born in Michigan. They met in San Francisco and moved to LA. After a year or so, D. would complain bitterly about the cold in SF when they came back to visit. Michigan was only a memory.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Usually the coastal climate hovers between 45-70 degrees Fahrenheit. When temps drop below 40," we'e freezing to death!" And above 80, "We're melting!" ( add about 5 degrees to each number for SoCal.)

Up here (and I hear in the southern inland valleys) the temps a couple weeks ago dropped into the mid-20s, which is unusual. i was driving on Stevens Valley Road ( close to Duchessland) and passed a cliffside in the woods that had apparently been in the shade all day-- an underground spring runoff had become a frozen waterfall overnight, and stayed that way all day. That's just weird, around here.

[ 05. January 2015, 15:35: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by basso:
Angelenos have a different idea of cold and wet than the rest of the world.

My brother married a woman who was born in Michigan. They met in San Francisco and moved to LA. After a year or so, D. would complain bitterly about the cold in SF when they came back to visit. Michigan was only a memory.

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True. Though my mother (a Michigander) used to tell us SoCal kids the usual exaggerated stories about how horrible it was. Until she came to St. Louis and lived in our humidity for a weekend.

No more Michigan stories.

Sadly, no more family visits, either.
 

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Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Ye Olde Motherboarde:
Hey, California shipmates, was anyone near the earthquakes today? JB said 4.5 isn't huge, but it will shake you a bit.

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quote:

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colder than a well diggers hind end...

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Bess, you made me laugh. My father used to say that, and, growing up out on the plains as he did, he knew cold!

We'll be in single-digits here today with it dipping below zero. I don't even want to think about the wind chills. I'm going downtown tonight so as not to waste an expensive theater ticket. I can park within a block of the place, but it still means walking across a bridge over the Chicago River, and I'm not looking forward to that!
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
It's a beautiful, clear day and 77 degrees here in Central Arizona.

 

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Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 
84 F today, 55 F on New Years Day. That's SoCal in January.
 

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Posted by irish_lord99 (# 16250) on :
 
My pipes froze last night, and it's getting colder tonight. I have got to get a decent job so I can insulate this house!
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
The temperature here this morning was 1°F. I intend to stay home all day.

Moo
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
It's been snowing steadily here since the middle of the night - we've now got about 8 inches and rising.

At least I got a snow-day from w*rk.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
It looks like early summer (from my childhood in the North) in my backyard right now! The laurel oak is all decked out in its new bright green leaves! And it smells so nice outside! (The neighbor isn't smoking in his backyard, so very nice for me!)

Love this time of year!
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I saw a wonderful exhibit of pictures of Mary while I was in Washington over Christmas.

It's going to be around until April. I recommend it very highly.

Moo
 

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Posted by Sipech (# 16870) on :
 
I am currently considering a short trip to New York next month. Have never been further west than Ramsey Island before, just off the coast of Pembrokeshire.

Do you lot have any recommendations for things to do, places to go in New York?

Also, I'd quite like to arrive at Grand Central station. Can you arrive there from any of the local airports? All I could find were journeys that got you to Penn Station which is a bit of dump by all accounts.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Everything depends on how much $ and time you have and are willing to expend. In NYC the sky is the limit.
If you are arriving by air and taking a train into the city, then you are going to have to accept where the train stations go. Do not let the alleged crappiness of Penn Station faze you; it's tons better than it was 20 years ago and is nothing to worry about. Grand Central has been beautifully renovated and can be visited separately if that's what you want to see. (Be sure and look up at the constellations on the ceiling!)
The one thing I do urge visitors to the city to take is the Circle cruise boat that goes around Manhattan. Weather permitting, you can see all the iconic sights without bucking traffic or investing a huge time: the Statue of Liberty, the World Trade Center site, the Empire State Building, the bridges, the Chrysler Building. Don't do it if it is bitterly cold or raining, but if conditions allow don't miss it.
 

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Posted by Ye Olde Motherboarde (# 54) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Moo:
I saw a wonderful exhibit of pictures of Mary while I was in Washington over Christmas.

It's going to be around until April. I recommend it very highly.

Moo

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quote:

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Originally posted by Nicolemr:
... Ellis Island...

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We did Ellis Island when we were in NY, because my maternal grandparents were married there. We typed my grandfather's name (which was luckily unusual enough to make him easy to find) into one of the computers, and got a print-out of the manifest of the ship he travelled on, with the date, his occupation (joiner) and nationality ("Scotch" ).

Although they didn't stay (I think my grandmother either became unwell or didn't take to the climate, so they went back to Scotland), it was a fascinating place; I could imagine my grandmother's apprehension, arriving with hundreds of others and looking for my grandfather in the crowd in the arrivals hall.

If you're interested in churches/cathedrals, St. John the Divine is worth a look, for its vastness if nothing else.
 

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Posted by Sipech (# 16870) on :
 
Thanks.

I'd try to do some normal touristy things try to avoid too many cliches. I get annoyed by tourists in London who clog up the pavements, stand on the left side of the escalator, etc. I know you're considered stingy if you tip anything less than 15% and that most prices are stated exclusive of VAT, but am not sure what other foibles I need to watch out for.

Had in mind to visit the museum of maths and try to find some lovely bookshops. Cathedrals aren't really my thing, Piglet. I'm much more of a "churches are people, not buildings" kind of person. Plus, nothing can compare the might of Durham cathedral!
 

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Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :
 
Brit jumping in, with all the experience of six fun-filled days (to quote 'Splash') in NYC!

If coming from JFK by subway, bear in mind that express trains only stop at certain stations. If you are a London Tube veteran you may get confused by those little white circles on the map, as we did. Had to walk 9 blocks in the snow, with luggage, to find our hotel. And didn't care, because we were in NYC baby!

I can recommend a shipmeet with Nicole! And perhaps a walking food tour. We did the Village one which was wonderful and has given me a lifelong desire for cannolis...
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
[tangent ON]

quote:

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Originally posted by Sipech:
... nothing can compare the might of Durham cathedral ...

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I'll go along with that, especially as it was built by the same people that did this place.
[/tangent OFF]

[ 15. January 2015, 14:44: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :
 
I've been away from NYC for some time now but would assume that certain scams aimed at unsuspecting tourists are still found.

Beware of anyone who hails a taxi for you, or opens a taxi door for you, or offers to put your luggage in the taxi for you, and then asks you to pay him the fare. (This does not apply to uniformed doormen at upscale hotels, who will expect only a tip in return for their services.)

Beware also of drivers of private cars who try to pass themselves off as taxi drivers.

Also, in taxis, the fare shown on the meter when you arrive at your destination is the fare you pay (plus tip), regardless of how many passengers may be in your party. Beware of any attempt to charge each passenger the full fare separately.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Remember than many of the museums in NYC charge money for admission, sometimes quite a hefty sum.
 

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Posted by Palimpsest (# 16772) on :
 
Sadly New York no longer has many notable bookstores. One remaining one is The Strand, which is a used bookstore near Union Square. If you are extremely fond of a particular author you can often find used review copies that appear before publication.

Penn Station is a sad hole in the ground. If you are a train fan, the subway from Penn Station ( uptown on the IRT to 42 and then a shuttle) will give you a sense of the complexity of the system.
Grand Central has been thoroughly renovated and a lot of food courts have been crammed into what used to be lobby space for huge numbers of passengers. It's an amazing building in how it weaves spaces together for human, train and auto flow. My nostalgic favorite is the Grand Central Oyster Bar which is a relic of a time when New York shipped Oysters all over the country.

Central Park is worth a look on your way to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There's also the much newer highline park, a park conversion of an old elevated freight train line that is quite popular.

I'm fond of the Lower East Side where you still can find a few holdouts like Katz Delicatessen and Yonah Schimmel Knish Shop left over from the early 20th century. I haven't been yet, but the tenement museum is a amaller snapshot of the immigrant experience if you don't want to go to Ellis Island.

Things in New York tend to be expensive. There are over 10,000 restaurants ranging from cheap to more expensive than you can imagine in every possible ethnicity. There's a whole block of Cuban Chinese restaurants to give an example.

Much of the younger generation has been priced out of Manhattan, and you might want to find a reason to visit Brooklyn for craft beers.
 

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Posted by duchess (# 2764) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Kelly Alves:

Up here (and I hear in the southern inland valleys) the temps a couple weeks ago dropped into the mid-20s, which is unusual. i was driving on Stevens Valley Road ( close to Duchessland) and passed a cliffside in the woods that had apparently been in the shade all day-- an underground spring runoff had become a frozen waterfall overnight, and stayed that way all day. That's just weird, around here.

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Duchessland...hehe. That is fairly close to me. And it has been beautiful to see some water there. I think of a bunny with an axe whenever I go near So. SF...even SFO.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
That was a gorgeous drive. Wish my car wan't acting up. I love driving down there.
 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
Hello lovely people! Sorry for being an absentee Shippie, I don't promise it will get any better before March. My team is qbout to go to the State competition and my hours are FULL.

And getting fuller. I came to crow! I just accepted a REALLY COOL JOB! (which makes job #4, but #3 i have to resign, so it's still a net of 3 jobs) this one is going to be a blast and a good fit for me, and... it will actually be enough to pay the bills! (the highest salary I've ever gotten, TBH)

I'm the new assistant director for the Southeast Alaska State Fair. It's a big job, but totally suited to my skills. And let's be honest- they want to pay me to throw parties all year. What's not to love?

My boss is super cool, and she LOVES employees who are involved in the community, so I can work my schedule around hosting morning news and coaching the kids.

I feel so blessed!

And now The Fella is putting in for a job he is equally suited to, and would get him away from a very toxic working atmosphere at the school. It's a bigger "If" with his situation: the field is extremely competitive. So prayers would be appreciated. If he gets that, not only would we both be doing work we're passionate about, and making enough money to eat; we'd also both be in range to walk to work. Which would be a beautiful bonus!

Woohoo!

[ 02. February 2015, 21:34: Message edited by: comet ]
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 

 

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Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 
That's terrific, comet. Congratulations!
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
What basso said!


 

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Posted by M. (# 3291) on :
 
Yes, congrats, Comet!!

M.
 

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Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
Comet, that sounds great! Congratulations to you and the decision makers at the Alaska State Fair.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Huge congratulations, Comet, and best of luck to The Fella with his new job application.


 

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Posted by Mamacita (# 3659) on :
 
YAY Comet -- what fabulous news. The job sounds like a great fit for you and vice-versa. And good luck to The Fella! (And to your team.)
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Comet! That sounds awesome! Congrats!
 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
Thanks, everyone!

First real work day today and my head is full. Nothing I haven't managed before in different settings. Just a much bigger organization with a fairly massive mission. Whew!
 

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Posted by BessLane (# 15176) on :
 
Congrats comet!

I saw my first true sign of spring today...you can keep your flowers, and your robins...I saw a farmer in a spray rig...

Slow moving farm equipment means it's gonna get warmer sooner rather than later
 

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Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
Can someone here tell me what is going on with soda and cream/milk ? It sounds awful, but has been mentioned in the 2 most recent books that I have read (by different authors) as if everyone drinks this.
 

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Posted by neandergirl (# 8916) on :
 
Only time I've ever heard of it was on the old sit com Laverne and Shirley. I'd assumed it was either a quirk of Laverne's or a regional thing, but ....
 

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Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :
 
Are you referring to the egg cream?
 

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Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
Interesting, but no. The characters took a soda (sometimes diet Pepsi) and either a slosh of milk or cream cartons.
 

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Posted by RuthW (# 13) on :
 
I can think of two things that both seem similar but not really the same thing.

It sounds a little like an Italian cream soda -- carbonated water, some kind of flavored syrup (I like strawberry or raspberry), and cream.

It also sounds a little like an ice cream float -- you take the soft drink of your choice (Coke, root beer, 7Up) and add vanilla ice cream.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Yeah, sounds like a regional variation of the above. If it was really heavy whipping cream, I can see it coming out like a poor man's egg cream.

Damn, was the storm that was beating the hell out of us yesterday beating the hell out of the rest of the Left Coast?

I dozed off in my car after work and awoke to a BAM!. The BAM! was the sound of wind hitting my car and shaking it back and forth. I was actually worried it would be strong enough to flip it. It took me about a half hour to gather the nerve to drive home.

Totally gone today, but it packed a lot of concentrated oomph.

[ 07. February 2015, 16:20: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
 

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Posted by neandergirl (# 8916) on :
 
http://www.popsugar.com/food/Pepsi-Milk-Recipe-129792
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
That does look strangely tempting. Mmmm, what about Cherry Coke?
 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
There's a sub-group up here that swears by Dr Pepper and chocolate milk, 50/50. It's strangely delicious. I'm afraid if I made a habit of it my pancreas would be asking for asylum in another body.
 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
As for storms, Kelly, we've been getting our asses handed to us the last few days also. One gust clocked at 128, for effs sake. And the system goes all the way up as far as Anchorage, so I think it's one hellacious big'un.

No damage here but it's colder than hell and all ferries and planes cancelled.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Dr. Pepper sounds good, too.

And I could totally believe 128 about yesterday. I saw a couple desperate little sparrows trying to find shelter in a tree that was being tossed all over hell and gone, and they were being tossed all over the sky, as well The tree branches they managed to cling to weren't much better than the sky as far as protection.

The chickens in our school are kept in a cage that is set into a cement foundation, but otherwise only has the cyclone fencing, one Plexiglas half-wall, and a fiberglass roof to protect them. when I went home in the early afternoon, I saw they were huddled under their lowest perch and bawking pitifully to each other. Poor things. I'm sure the closing people fortified the hutch somehow, though.

And then you think, there are people living on Golden Gate Avenue who were looking for a stairwell to hide in during all that...
 

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Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by neandergirl:
http://www.popsugar.com/food/Pepsi-Milk-Recipe-129792

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Ah ha! Thank you.

Those winds sound scary - keep safe all of you.

[ 07. February 2015, 22:05: Message edited by: daisydaisy ]
 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
While I don't see any other birds out, the ravens keep playing in the winds.

I figure you won't find that surprising at all, Kelly.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 


The ravens around here are still MIA, so far. Namby-pamby Bay Area softies. Too used to moderate weather I guess.
 

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Posted by Ye Olde Motherboarde (# 54) on :
 
Kelly, we have ravens flying here. The other day in Los Alamos, I watched 2 dipping and diving like they were having a ballet in he wind. Husband said it was a couple mating. It was just lovely.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Tis the season. They have been chasing each other around here, too.

My recent trips to the zoo has given me the opportunity to witness some scandalous behavior, among all species. Otters are absolute little sex fiends, did you know that? Can't keep their horny little paws off each other. Groom, groom, groom.

Last spring, my favorite mating observation was watching a female seagull ( mooching at the hot dog stand) declining the overtures of a very insistent male seagull. He kept cooing at her and climbing on, and she would basically turn her tail feathers into a slide and walk out from under him. Wasn't aggressive about it or anything, she just kept giving him butt-slide.

He finally gave up and just stared mopily after her as she waddled away, then suddenly he looked over at me staring at them. (well by this time I was laughing at him, specifically.) I swear to God he gave me the most ferocious stink eye.

[ 08. February 2015, 05:00: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I'm reminded of watching a peacock in the Isle of Man putting on an absolutely spectacular display, which was cordially ignored by the peahen he was trying to woo. We assured him that we were impressed, even if she wasn't ...
 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
The sad tale of Studley Dudley:

Years ago while in Fairbanks, i picked up a friend at the airport early in the AM- something like 5. I lived way out of town down a one-mile "pioneer road" (AK poli speak for dirt road with ruts and no maintenance) we were about 2/3rd of the way down when I had to stop for a strutting ruffed grouse. He was dancing up a strom in the middle of the road. On the side were 5 hens. While Dudley danced, they all watched him very closely. When he'd stop and look at them, all five would quickly look away and pretend they didn't know he was there. Then he'd resume his boogie, and they'd all turn to watch, he'd look, they'd quickly glance away and look disinterested.

This continued for 15 minutes before he moved far enough to the side to where we could get by. By then my friend and I were cheering him on and booing the ladies for being so heartless.

I have no idea if he ever won one (or all) of their hearts, but he sure worked for it!
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
That's what's nice about the otters-- they are forever on the same page. Which is "yes."

.
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I think that's true for a lot of mammals, humans included.

...humans especially?
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
I had the occasion to watch a frisky pair of zebras recently. He was trying to mount her and she was kicking him in the face. Then she went over and nipped his flank. The little hussy!

We have hawk mating dances in the air here. They are beautiful to watch, but the screeches are pretty unmusical.

Is Spring in the air?
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
The zebras at the SF Zoo were penned in the Naughty Corner a couple weeks ago. (we have a mini veldt for the Giraffes and zebras and ostriches.) When the zebras go into heat they discharge their frustration by harassing the ostriches.

Last week the two youngest giraffes though ostrich- chasing was fun, too. A mightily pissed- off ostrich is quite a sight to see.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
And the crows came back yesterday!
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
My son just sidled in and said one of those terrifying sentences: "Don't go in the kitchen, Mom, there's been a tomato accident."
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 


I like that boy's style!
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
(sigh) I suppose it's too late to beg for pics,huh?
 

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Posted by sophs (# 2296) on :
 
Anyone coming over to the uk any time soon? A us website has some nappies I'd like, but won't post internationally and I wondered if I ordered them there might be space for a nappy and wetbag in luggage!

Figured it was worth a shot!
 

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Posted by neandergirl (# 8916) on :
 
Sadly not travelling that way any time soon but potentially up for "forward posting".
 

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Posted by sophs (# 2296) on :
 
Forward posting would be awesome, but I'm not sure how expensive it would be! Still, for the wetbags I want it will be pretty cheap so I shall message you
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
(sigh) I suppose it's too late to beg for pics,huh?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Lamb Chopped:
... He was on a roll that night ...

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Was it a cheese and tomato roll?
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
No, i think it was something to do with buns
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
"Don't knock it till you've tried it, kid."
 

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Posted by BessLane (# 15176) on :
 
2-3 inches of sleet and freeznig rain followed by 2-3 inches of snow over it. My little backroad is twisty and hilly, and my driveway entrance is in the middle of a hill. Slid by that sucker twice this afternoon trying to get into my drive
 

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Posted by Mamacita (# 3659) on :
 
Yikes! Be careful out there, Bess! I have a friend who was in a multi-car pileup on the interstate in Michigan yesterday (no injury TBTG, but car is totaled). These are not unheard of in MI and IN, where they get the lake-effect snows on the eastern edge of Lake Michigan. But yesterday there was also a 40-car pileup on the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago during heavy snow-squall and icy conditions.

Can't imagine what the folks in Boston are going through - 7 feet of snow so far and 11 inches away from an all-time record.
 

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Posted by Josephine (# 3899) on :
 
Oh, I just saw your news, Comet. Congratulations! I hope you have a blast!
 

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Posted by Ye Olde Motherboarde (# 54) on :
 
Hey, Comet!

Quote from you:
"a one-mile "pioneer road" (AK poli speak for dirt road with ruts and no maintenance) "

The above quote is my road there, sister! I don't want to the county to fix it because our taxes will go up, so when we do get rain, I take the tractor to try to fill in the ruts. It's a losing battle, though.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Those of you still in Shrove Tuesday may like to observe the day correct;y, bu following these rituals, courtesy of Anglicans Online:

Shrove Tuesday

We were shriven yesterday and are now in Lent.
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
We are in the middle of a record cold wave. Our predicted high temperature today is 5°F, and our predicted low is -8°F. The average high for this date is 46°F, and the low is 24°F. We also have about eight inches of snow on the ground.

It got much colder when I lived in New Hampshire, but everyone was prepared for it and knew how to handle it. The schools here are closed for the third day in a row, and all the Senior Center activities are cancelled. The Shrove Tuesday pancake supper at our church was cancelled, and the early Ash Wednesday service was cancelled also. I didn't make it to church yesterday; at that point the young men who were supposed to shovel my driveway hadn't arrived.

It's not supposed to reach normal temperatures anytime soon.

Moo
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moo:

It's not supposed to reach normal temperatures anytime soon.

---

We're not having normal temperatures here in the Phoenix area either -- we're quite a bit higher than normal and expect to hit 82F today.

 

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Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
We're not having normal temperatures here in the Phoenix area either -- we're quite a bit higher than normal and expect to hit 82F today.

---

Yup. I haven't had my furnace on in weeks, and have been keeping the windows open by day. I'm not sleeping with them open quite yet, though, and I still have the blanket on the bed. Haven't put the screen door in either, but I expect I'll do so in March. Ain't life grand in the Great Southwest? [We need an emoticon for gloat.]
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
I heard on NPR today of a seminary, in New Hampshire, which is postponing Lent because of the cold. Ash Wednesday is now going to be -next- Wednesday. I have no idea how this is going to affect Easter. The person in charge was quoted as saying that they were just following the will of God, and God's will clearly was (given the ambient air temperatures) to bail on Lent.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
It was 45 at my house this morning, and tomorrow will likely be about 32.

All my orchids are in the laundry room (there's a window for light) and enjoying the warmer temps there.

I hope it doesn't freeze. We haven't had one for several years, giving my black sapote a chance to recover and actually give me a few fruits. It's a soft-wood tree and reacts very badly to freezing temps. There will be a lot of leaves and branches on the ground to clean up, I'm afraid.

Sunday will be in the 80's however! Then we'll complain about the heat.
 

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Posted by LutheranChik (# 9826) on :
 
The projected low for our Michigan city tonight is -30 F, which officially makes us colder than Hell (both Hell, Michigan and Hell, Norway).
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Crikey, JJ - 32 today and in the 80s on Sunday! No happy medium, eh?
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
That's pretty typical, Piglet! Cold snaps don't usually last very long. Thank goodness!

Yesterday the temps stayed in the upper 50's. I think it's supposed to get to the 60's today. So, I think that's our gradual warming process!

I don't think it got down to 32 this morning, but there was some frost.
 

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Posted by JB (# 1776) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Crikey, JJ - 32 today and in the 80s on Sunday! No happy medium, eh?

---

25 at 0600, 65 at 1600 - actually typical High Desert day. The afternoons are fine and morning is comfortable if there is no wind. The local expression is "It's a dry cold".
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I understand from people who live in Labrador, where the temperatures are routinely in big minus numbers (it was -45°C and feeling like -55 with the wind-chill a couple of weeks ago) that it's easier to cope with because it's a dry cold.

Being stuck out in the ocean, the cold we get here is much damper, and seems to get into your bones, so it's probably just as well that it doesn't go much below -10°C all that often.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Computer has been acting strange since Christmas. I could sometimes get on the ship and sometimes not. All kinds of strange stuff. I have a new computer and now was able to fix the old one. I can only guess old computer being faced with being replaced decided to shape up. To late. It was way over time for an upgrade so that is all right. Long way of saying I was just now able to read Eagles and Turkeys for the first time this year. So hello all, stay warm for any still in the frost zone, and best wishes to Comet on her new job.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Welcome back, GI, and good luck with your new computer!
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
My son is chasing his cousins around the house with a giant sausage.

I don't want to know.
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I missed church on Ash Wednesday because of a snow storm. I missed church last Sunday because of another snow storm. (I was supposed to read the second lesson.) An ice storm is predicted for tomorrow.

It appears that I am involuntarily giving up church for Lent.

Moo
 

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Posted by ChastMastr (# 716) on :
 
We finally made it to church last night, despite some light rain which tempted us to try to use it as an excuse. I'm so glad we went!
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
The ice storm didn't hit here. I understand it hit other places.

Moo

[ 01. March 2015, 21:56: Message edited by: Moo ]
 

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Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :
 
We are patiently waiting for the torrential rains and massive flooding that were predicted for southwestern Arizona today. But so far it's been an "Arizona rain" at best: a few sprinkles here and there against an otherwise partly cloudy sky.
 

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Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :
 
It's snowing again. It's snowing again! IT'S SNOWING AGAIN!! ARGH! Make it stoooooop!!!!
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
We got to church today for the first time in several weeks. It began sleeting almost immediately, and the roads were icy going home. The church cancelled all evening activities. The snow is partially melted but has a hard shiny glaze on it, something like a baked Alaska. Very pretty, but fearful footing.
 

---

Posted by Josephine (# 3899) on :
 
I feel guilty when people start talking about the weather. We've had a record-breaking winter, too, but our records have been for warm and sunny.

But before you start throwing things at me, remember that the bulk of our water for everything -- drinking water, agriculture, manufacturing, and salmon -- comes from the winter snowpack. This year, there ain't much of a snowpack. We'll have water rationing this summer.

But for now, it's lovely. Daffodils and cherry trees in bloom. Buds swelling on the branches of trees and shrubs. Lots of warm, sunny days.
 

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Posted by cliffdweller (# 13338) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Josephine:
I feel guilty when people start talking about the weather. We've had a record-breaking winter, too, but our records have been for warm and sunny.

But before you start throwing things at me, remember that the bulk of our water for everything -- drinking water, agriculture, manufacturing, and salmon -- comes from the winter snowpack. This year, there ain't much of a snowpack. We'll have water rationing this summer.

---

And, as my more northernly-located brother likes to remind me, here in L.A. we get our water from you when you're done with it. But yeah, right now, we're enjoying the sun.
 

---

Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
I gotcher water right here!

Speaking of record-breaking winters... Went to my first bonfire last night. On the FIRST OF MARCH! Crazy. We've essentially had two weeks of "winter" (meaning, snow) and we're back to bare dirt, grass, and now the birds are singing. Too strange. This weekend was gorgeous, but otherwise it's been raining all winter. They've cancelled and moved dog races. The iron dog (snowmachine race) had to deal with open water on the sea ice pack up at Nome. It's just crazy.

We're talking about wintering Outside next year so we can ski. How's the snowpack in Florida?
 

---

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Last year we were trying to keep things from freezing this year it has been "Spring," for most of the winter. Rain please Lord Jesus. Of course the little rain we did have seemed just enough to let the weeds grow. So this year I am doing a one square foot twice a day weed pull. This is about all my knees can take. At this rate I shall be finished by July 1st.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by comet:
We're talking about wintering Outside next year so we can ski. How's the snowpack in Florida?

---

Snowpack from the last time I was there. Poor freezing people.

Birds desperately looking for sustenance.

But, the skiing is in the blue stuff, not the white stuff. And I don't want any griping about the white stuff looking blue!!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
It sort of does though, doesn't it?
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Shhh, don't tell Piglet! There's enough debate about that subject right now!
 

---

Posted by BessLane (# 15176) on :
 
Ugh! Tuesday, our temps were in the mid-60's. This morning - about 2 inches of ice topped by at least 8 inches of snow - and still coming down.

We have four seasons in Tennessee, sometimes all in the same week.
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
This is the third Thursday in a row that our Senior Center programs have been cancelled because of the weather.

Our Shakespeare class was supposed to meet for six weeks of discussion and a final session watching a movie of the play, The Merchant of Venice. We had planned to make up the lost discussion time with a double session today, but now that's not going to happen. I'm really disappointed.

It's so nice to study something with other people just because you want to, rather than for some external reward.

Moo
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Two bad we can't blend our weather highs and lows together.

It was 81 degrees inside my house when I got home from work about 7:30 tonight. So I broke down. The AC is on. Once upon a time, I refused to turn the thing on until June. Then it was May. Now, March for Pete's sake. Oh, it was 87 outside. A bit too hot. (Tied a record.)
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Just pleasantly warm, I'd say.


 

---

Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 
I almost said something to the bus driver the other day who was complaining -- "it's freezing!" -- about the weather here. It was about 40F.

I could have told him about the number of online friends I have who are suffering through this winter. But I didn't because I might have to ride his bus again sometime soon. Pissing off bus drivers is not a winning strategy.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I suspect that in your part of the world, Basso, 40°F probably does feel like "freezing".

Here it's "ooh, that might be warm enough to melt some of the snow" ...
 

---

Posted by Mamacita (# 3659) on :
 
It was 40 degrees in Chicago today and I went for a walk. It felt SO good to be out in the fresh air and not just rushing from door to door. Plus, Lake Michigan was a wonderful shade of blue today.


ETA: Hmm. It looks like I'm due for a new sig.

[ 08. March 2015, 04:07: Message edited by: Mamacita ]
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
San Francisco Zoo Update:

On Facebook I posted a picture of Snickers, who is currently the dominant Nigerian Dwarf Young Buck in the Petting Zoo paddock, He was was chasing lovely lady goat Lily (Nigerian Dwarf) around the paddock Thursday. A San Clemente Goat got in his face and locked horns with him. The went at it for about half an hour, and in the meantime Lily tiptoed away and went over to huddle with Nutmeg, a slightly older male Nigerian dwarf who was ignoring the whole nonsense and drinking in the sunshine.

Smart girl. Wisdom trumps hormones.
 

---

Posted by Ye Olde Motherboarde (# 54) on :
 
Weather has been quite good here - in the 60's. If I lose my fruit trees because of the warm weather again this year, I will SCREAM. (be glad you won't hear it, it freaks out the horses)
They don't like primal screaming, and neither do the dogs.
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Ok, in celebration of what is left of April Fool's Day ( here, anyway) I have a folklore question-- what does it mean when a black cat crosses your path on April Fool's Day?

In Ojai, CA, which is like the crystal and patchouli capital of the world?
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
It means you will cross water, meet a tall, dark stranger , and end up as CEO of a small plant manufacturing components for the mascara industry just outside of Amarillo.
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Boy, howdy.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
But you would need to get a look at the cat's entrails to be totally sure.
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Another reason to be annoyed it ran away.
( Hi, Campbellite! How ya doin', sweetie!)
 

---

Posted by sharkshooter (# 1589) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
... I have a folklore question-- what does it mean when a black cat crosses your path on April Fool's Day?
...

---

Free lunch.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Ack!~ As Bill the Cat might say.

Even if my title of "Defender of Ship's Cats" is obsolete, I still am!

(Kelly, check the closest violin.)
 

---

Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
What do you get a jazz trombone player for his birthday?

I know, it sounds like a set up for a joke. But I'm legitamately asking. I don't know from mutes. Thinking a piccolo trombone if Ican find one for less than a king's ransom. Ideas?
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
A quick Google yielded this - is that the sort of thing you're after? (I thought it was rather cute)!

If you can't find (or can't afford) a whole trombone, what about a voucher for a music-shop (real or on-line) where he might be able to get one, or a voucher for sheet music (or the sheet-music itself if you know what he likes and what he doesn't have)?

Or maybe a biography of one of the great jazz trombone players (I'm afraid I don't know enough about jazz to know who they are)?

Good luck!
 

---

Posted by Jengie jon (# 273) on :
 
How about

a mini trombone, apparently these actually play well enough to be used by professionals in concert.

I was hoping that nanoblocks did a trombone as well as saxophone.

Jengie
 

---

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
I have wanted a dog for about the last 20 years, after our lab died when the children grew up and moved out. Working full time and then some it did not seem fair to get a dog to stay home alone all day. Then we retired and did not want to be tied down. I decided at 76 it was now or never. Not wanting to have the dog outlive us I went for an adult shelter dog. Unsinkable Molly Brown ( Molly for short ) came to live with us 2 weeks ago. She appears to have had a toy fox terrier mother and a traveling guy with medium long hair who was passing though town as a father. She had been living on the street, had puppies which they never found and was thin and dirty, thus her name. The adventure starts.
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
Graven Image!

You'll be a blessing to Molly, as she will be to you. Congratulations!
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I second that and am madly jealous, in a nice sort of way. It isn't the right time for me [yet] but I long to have a dog again.
 

---

Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
Wow, that piccolo trombone above is even tinier than the one I was looking at. Hmm. Thanks for the tips, everyone!

Tomorrow I go to juneau, but not on the ferry as per usual: I'm going down on the F/V Rustler. Which will be loooong (6ish hours) and probably a blast so long as it's not terrifying. Our fjord is known for it's big winds and big seas. But! Adventure!

We're storming pretty big right now, so if the captain cancels I'll hop the ferry as usual. But I admit I'm kind of excited!
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
Have any of my fellow Americans been deluged with catalogs lately? Usually, except before Christmas, I get two or three a week. Recently I've been getting four or five a day. I can't imagine what's going on.

Moo
 

---

Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
Hmm... Anticipating tax returns, maybe?
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
More likely a change in postal regs. Just before the rates go up people shove stuff into the mail.
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
I've reduced my catalogs to practically none by calling each one and politely asking to be removed. It takes about six months, but what a huge difference!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
For a while I had a weekly phone conversation with our local "flyer" producer, asking them to take me off their list, and they'd say, "certainly, Piglet, no problem", but the following Thursday, sure as night follows day, the hateful red plastic bag would be hanging on our door-handle again.

Eventually we caved in and put a "NO FLYERS - THANK YOU" sign in the window, which seems to be doing the trick.

So far ...
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
Today seven student volunteers came to my house and worked. They washed all my windows, picked up all the sticks that had fallen from the trees during the winter, raked all the leaves, spread thirty-six cubic feet of mulch, and assembled a charcoal grill for me.

And they thanked me for letting them help!

I do like the students.

Moo
 

---

Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
Enjoying my second visit to N.Y in as many months. I'm rather pleased with myself arm, having managed to navigate myself round this particular neighbourhood this morning. Took myself to church , then had a nice veggie lunch at a cafe. I'm now back "home" enjoying the sunshine,breezes and view out over the rooftops, whilst waiting for Mr M, Ms M and her DH to get back from the Five Boroughs Bike Ride. She texted to say they'd all finished, but gather they might be a while getting back from Staten Island. (Mr M refuses to be seen travelling on the subway in his eye-searing blue and orange road club lycras!)
 

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Posted by duchess (# 2764) on :
 
I just realized a lady I reached out to as my inside sales lead...she downloaded a white paper is a sof admin! She even has it on her [career networking website] and is connected to two well respected
Shippies.

Hehe. I love it.

I hope for a sof app someday, logging in on my browser isn't as easy...I should be in here mote often.

[edited to reduce the chance of disclosing real life identities]

Piglet, AS host

[ 17. May 2015, 00:49: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by duchess (# 2764) on :
 
More not mote

 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Today is the first day of Hurricane Season. Since there's already been a tropical storm, we don't have to wait and worry about the first one of the year. That is out of the way, now to see if the genny will start for me this year!

We had a grand storm last night. Lots of booming and wind and rain!!! Hallelujah!! There was 1.2 inches here. Hoping for more today!

All this for a *bump*.
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
We need some of these smart people to invent a way of moving snow. I know that the citizens of Boston would have been happy to donate some of their snow this past winter to the Sierra Nevadas.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
... the citizens of Boston would have been happy to donate some of their snow ...

---

Not just Boston - we usually get considerably more than we need ...
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
We need some of these smart people to invent a way of moving snow. I know that the citizens of Boston would have been happy to donate some of their snow this past winter to the Sierra Nevadas.

---

I think the Sierra Nevadas want clean snow.

Moo
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Ok you people. It may have been June 1, the first day of winter down here, but did you have to move the snow here? See Banner Lady's post in downunder thread. Canberra's minimum last night was apparently -10°C and ice and snow are making many roads dangerous.

Enough, thank you.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Not a sign of snow here
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Go away Wodders.

Can you actually remember what "snow" looks like? It's that wet, cold, white* stuff that Civilised Parts get in the winter.

* At least it's white for the first ten minutes. For the next three months it's a mucky grey, and is called "snirt".
 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Ok you people. It may have been June 1, the first day of winter down here, but did you have to move the snow here?

---

When I was a kid at summer camp, I saw snow in the mountains of Colorado on the fourth of July!
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
When I was a kid in Pennsylvania, snow fell on us on the Fourth of July. We were determined to have our traditional picnic. We didn't go swimming, however.
 

---

Posted by BessLane (# 15176) on :
 
latest I remember from northern Mass was going to easter sunrise service in a snow suit..

I had a very trying day today. My best friend's mom fell a couple of days ago and broke her ankle. She had surgery yesterday and pretty much can't put any weight on her foot for a while. We tried to get the hospital to keep her for long enough so she could qualify to go straight to a nursing home/rehab facility for care, but she has no insurance and the hospital cut her lose today.

My best friend is named Mark, and there are some things he's really not comfortable helping his mom do (go potty for example), so he and I drove 2 hours one way to pick up one of his nieces to come stay with his mom to help. His niece and I then drove another hour to the hospital to pick mom up.

It took two very stout female nurses to get mom out of the chair into the wheelchair, and one big ole male nurse to help us get her into the van to take her home.

We finally got her to her daughter's house, loaded into the wheelchair, up the makeshift ramp, and into the house, when she announces she has to pee...so niece and I have to help.

K. I love my friend. I love his mom, but I've pulled up far too many old lady underpants today.
I'm exhausted. I love his mom, but OMG, I'm in for six weeks of this stuff...

and did I mention that mom weighs in at about 220 lbs? and is a drama queen too boot?

On second thought this should be on the Hell thread, except for the fact that I'm not actually related to her LOL

I hope everyone's day was more relaxing and more fun than mine....
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
There are times you have to recall St Catherine of Siena drinking the water with which she was bathing the sores of lepers, and think: 'Well at least I'm not a mad Italian nun'.
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I do not like our current weather. It's much too hot and humid for this time of year. It also rains unexpectedly when I don't have an umbrella with me.

I had to go to Roanoke today, which has an altitude 1500 feet lower than Blacksburg. It was HOT.

Moo
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moo:
I do not like our current weather. It's much too hot and humid for this time of year ...

---

I was just saying almost exactly the same over on the Brit thread about the weather here today - if it's like this now, what'll it be like when summer properly sets in?
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
We've had summer temps for a couple of months, now. The rains have started, however, and that cools things off so nicely in the afternoon!

The weeds in my yard love it.
 

---

Posted by Mamacita (# 3659) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by BessLane:
I'm exhausted. I love his mom, but OMG, I'm in for six weeks of this stuff...

and did I mention that mom weighs in at about 220 lbs? and is a drama queen too boot?

---

Stars in your crown, girl, stars in your crown!
 

---

Posted by BessLane (# 15176) on :
 
My friend's mom managed to land a bed at one of the best rehab facilities around .
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Almost posted this on FB:

quote:

---

Oh FFS. people. This latest round of fluffybunnycutesy hug memes GAAAH!
If you really need hugs, reassurance etc, post your name here, and I will put it in a number of parenthesis to indicate hugging is happening, thusly : ((((lonelyone)))).
I will not pass on memes that guilt my friends into sending the meme along, Friends do not send friends guilt memes. Make a meme of that if you want.

---

... and then realized I was far too lazy to follow through on that promise.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Let it all out, Kelly dear. Do you feel better now?

**hug**
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Thanks. I needed that.
 

---

Posted by Niteowl (# 15841) on :
 
Only 100 degrees today instead of 108. Should be cooler the rest of the week. Color me relieved.

I took a very long shore leave to recover from a lengthy illness that left me in organ failure for a while. Still recovering, with surgery still a possible, but I wanted back on the ship. Missed being here.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Good Heavens, Niteowl!!
I hope your recovery is speedy. Surely that heat is no help to your healing?
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Niteowl, I hope your recovery is swift and hassle free.

[ 18. August 2015, 01:27: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
What Loth and JJ said - welcome back, Niteowl, and get well soon.

108°??? We're expecting a high of 86° here tomorrow, and that's well above my comfort zone ...
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Indeed, get well SOON!

Thankfully, although it is generally warm here in Fahrenheit terms we rarely go above 95 - currently about 85.
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Welcome back, Niteowl! Hope we can keep you company while you recuperate.
 

---

Posted by Niteowl (# 15841) on :
 
Thanks for the warm wishes, it definitely helps the recovery. I've been wandering around All Saints catching up a bit.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
We've recently been getting some terrific downpours, and since our area is supposed to have a lot of rain every year, it's not a problem. Most of the time. Standing water makes new gator highways. So, one might see a gator where one might not normally expect to.

For instance, a couple of days ago, I was tooling down the interstate, and was just getting off my exit, and there at the side of the exit ramp, just a few feet from the highway, was a good sized dead gator.

Now I don't know about you, but I can't imagine going 70 mph (or higher...you know how some drivers are! ) and lo and behold there's a gator walking right where you want to go. Should you swerve and hope the other drivers see what's going on and accommodate you? Or should you just hit the thing knowing that it's going to do some damage?

This is the second dead gator I've seen on the interstate. The other one was actually on an overpass, so not near grass, water or anything!!
 

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Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
What size were these gators? I know our cars are still typically smaller than yours but a friend's car was written off after hitting a domestic pig estimated at 250lb. Stopped the car pretty much dead, with the airbags inflating. I suppose if you hit a gator with a Hummer or a Ford F150 you could drive away, but smaller vehicles may have trouble.
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
The students are back. They just arrived this week, and they're busy stocking up on everything. Right now the parking lots at Wal-Mart and the grocery stores are full.

Since the students outnumber the townspeople by more than two to one, their arrival has a tremendous impact.

I should have remembered to do most of my shopping last week.

Moo
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
What size were these gators? I know our cars are still typically smaller than yours but a friend's car was written off after hitting a domestic pig estimated at 250lb. Stopped the car pretty much dead, with the airbags inflating. I suppose if you hit a gator with a Hummer or a Ford F150 you could drive away, but smaller vehicles may have trouble.

---

Down here it is a wombat which will wreck a car. Shaped like a tank and heavy too, they cause major damage. Roos are known to do substantial damage too and a National Park south of Sydney has deer which are a menace to cars.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Here in Newfoundland the animal motorists need to be most wary of is the moose - they're really not the brightest of God's creatures. They tend to wander into the road after dark (especially in winter when there's salt on the road, which they like to lick). Moose encounters can be very nasty indeed.

Fortunately I'm not speaking from experience ... so far ...
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Here in Newfoundland the animal motorists need to be most wary of is the moose - they're really not the brightest of God's creatures. They tend to wander into the road after dark (especially in winter when there's salt on the road, which they like to lick). Moose encounters can be very nasty indeed.

---

A doctor who was in charge of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital emergency room wrote an article about what to do when you see a moose in the road. The doctors at that hospital see the victims of many moose-automobile collisions.

He said that if the moose is standing broadside, and you can't stop, aim for his hind legs. The most dangerous scenario is to have your car go between his front and back legs. He will come up on the hood of the car, and go through the windshield.

A friend of my daughters, who was an extremely quick thinker, undid her seatbelt and crouched under the dash when she saw the moose's body coming. She wasn't hurt, but her car was severely damaged.

Moo
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
The gator I saw the other day was 6-7 feet. It was about 12-14" in diameter. The other one on the overpass was a bit bigger. Not huge by any means, but would mess up your alignment at the least!

When I was in Alaska a number of years ago, there were several times we heard about moose vs. car/truck encounters. I think I'd rather see a gator on the road.

But, moose! Yummy yummy!
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
I used to get deer (never actually crashed) but the worst for me was the bumblebees (yeah, I know, how pathetic is that?). They came rushing through the car window and fetched up on the seatback behind me. At which point I'd lean back...
 

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Posted by mark_in_manchester (# 15978) on :
 
Bees off a bike helmet are amazing - they go off with a really loud 'pock' and freak you out no end. A bee in the eye is rather bad news (several times for me, but not yet, I'm relieved to say, stung) and any insect in the ear (somehow tucked in behind all that helmet foam) is infuriating.

And the things you swallow...well. You can tell a happy motorcyclist by the flies in his teeth. I've a front one missing...I ought to yield to spousal pressure and get a bridge, for bee-defence purposes.
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Ewwwwww!
 

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Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 
The paper this morning has a story about an outbreak of seed bugs in eastern California. I'd never even heard of seed bugs, but the photo with the story makes it all look really unpleasant.

Ma Nature is a creative one, isn't she?
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Oh for crying out loud!

The behavior sounded familiar, so I did a google image search. Those little buggers totally took over Lower Pines Campground in Yosemite one year when I was a kid-- come think of it, it was probably one of the drought years.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by jedijudy:
... But, moose! Yummy yummy!

---

Certainly is - moose makes the best possible beef casserole, if you see what I mean.
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Hella interesting.


A detailed examination of a weirdly, geographically specific bit of American idiom.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
That was interesting, Kelly.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

quote:

---

Originally posted by jedijudy:
... But, moose! Yummy yummy!

---

Certainly is - moose makes the best possible beef casserole, if you see what I mean.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by jedijudy:

Everything tasted so good, we children had no idea that we were dirt poor. We also didn't know that we were eating like kings!

---

Reminds me of a story I heard on Islay, in the Hebrides.

Local lad goes to London and does well for himself, so he has his parents down to visit and puts them up in a posh hotel. On their return, the neighbours want to hear all about it.

'Oh it was wonderful. They had the electric lights on all night even when no one was up. And lovely food - but we didn't want to cost Angus too much, so we just ordered the simple things like oysters and salmon and venison...'
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Oysters were reckoned to be the food of the poor in 19th century London, which seems unimaginable now.

When D. was growing up in Colchester (and he's not that old ), the native oysters were a shilling a dozen; now the sky's the limit.

[ 24. August 2015, 14:51: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
When New England was first settled, lobster was very easy to harvest. So easy that servants' contracts had a clause, that they would not be forced to eat lobster more than twice a week.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Oysters were reckoned to be the food of the poor in 19th century London, which seems unimaginable now.

When D. was growing up in Colchester (and he's not that old ), the native oysters were a shilling a dozen; now the sky's the limit.

---

The sawdust restaurants with oyster shells were not the haunts of the well-off. Sawdust to make the floors easier to clean (remember the butchers' shops?); the oysters were cheap.
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I went on a Senior Center trip to The Museum of Country Music in Bristol yesterday. It was fascinating, and I learned a lot about the history of the recording industry as well as country music.

Before the mid-1920s all recordings had to be made in specially equipped studios, which were found only in very large cities. Then someone invented a microphone which did not require such a specialized facility. Up until that time, recordings were made only of music that was known across the country, such as opera and popular songs like, "A Bicycle Built for Two". No one was sure what other music was out there. Some entrepreneurs asked around, and were told that there was a lot of original music in Appalachia, so they headed for Bristol.

They ran advertisements all over the area offering fifty dollars to any individual or group that would come and be recorded. During a period of two weeks they recorded seventy-six songs by nineteen different acts. They reaped a wonderful harvest, including the discovery of the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers.

The records they made sold widely and introduced the rest of the country to mountain music.

I had a very nice day.

Moo
 

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Posted by Ye Olde Motherboarde (# 54) on :
 
Dang, MOO, that wasn't there when I went to college there. You sound like you had a good time at the museum, though. Haven't been to Bristol is what seems like eons.
 

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Posted by Ye Olde Motherboarde (# 54) on :
 
To all my friends in Florida and the Eastern Caribbean islands in the Atlantic.

BATTEN DOWN THOSE HATCHES - it may be still called a tropical storm, but it's a HURRICANE !!!!
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
I think Erika will turn out to be very like our regular afternoon thunderstorms! That's not to say we shouldn't get our supplies in. Oreos and Cheetos are a must!

They (weather shamans) can't seem to make up their minds if she's going to the Atlantic, to the Gulf, to the east coast of FL or the west coast. We've had so many scenarios presented to us over the last five days.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
She got a brief mention on the Weather Channel here this morning, and the track they seemed to be projecting didn't look as if she was likely to head our way, but you never know with these things: it only seems to take a little nudge in wind direction to send them scurrying up the coast to us ...

Either way, I hope you'll all be safe and well, and your houses will still be where you left them.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
I see one neighbor with shutters up, but only on the bigger windows. The others are open to the air! I'll probably get my orchids in, just so a stray gust doesn't send them through a window or smashed on the ground.

Yesterday we had a big thunder-boomer and there was a possible tornado just a mile or so west of me. I remember hearing a funny sound during the storm. It took down big boughs from a venerable sunburn tree and had so many palm fronds on the road that I was looking for Jesus on a donkey!
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
What has happened that this has gone unposted on for a whole freaking MONTH?

Up at night late typing as everybody else snores. We are in possession of one absolutely gorgeous 14 week old puppy who has teeth like a shark and the personality of a two-year-old on coffee. She was given to us as a Chihuahua mix, but then again this is the same community which gave us a "rare Vietnamese jungle fowl" which turned out to be a good old American rooster, so..

The vet says she'll be 50 lbs and is probably mostly pitbull.

The internet puppy calculators say she'll be 20 lbs or so and is possibly staffy or pit bull mixed with ??? Me, I'm hoping they didn't totally lie about the Chihuahua bit. We have no way of tracking down the original giver to see what Mama looks like or how big she is.

She looked like this though a bit older when we got her. Google images just conked out on me, so I can't show you what she looks like older, but it's more deerlike than the standard pit bull. She doesn't have big feet either.

I'm mildly perturbed by the thought of a 50 lb dog with a whacking long tail knocking everything off the tables and shelves all winter long!
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Eagles and Turkeys...one of our favorites has died.

Ozzie and Harriet have raised several broods of eaglets under our watchful eyes here. Ozzie was injured (hit by a train?) a few months ago, and tried to go back to Harriet when he recovered. A younger, handsome stranger had been keeping company with her and apparently took offense at Ozzie's return.

Poor old Ozzie was badly injured and died Tuesday night. We will miss him.

Last week, I saw two eagles soaring over one of our main highways. Perhaps it was Harriet and Handsome Stranger?

Good luck with your puppy, LC!!
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Thank you! So sad about the iggle. We have an eagle rehabilitation place within walking distance--I confess to hoping my son decides to help them out for his Scout Eagle project, because then they show up at the Court of Honor with a live eagle in tow.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by jedijudy:
Eagles and Turkeys...one of our favorites has died.

---

Oh, no!
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lamb Chopped:
...I confess to hoping my son decides to help them out for his Scout Eagle project, because then they show up at the Court of Honor with a live eagle in tow.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by jedijudy:
Eagles and Turkeys...one of our favorites has died.

Ozzie and Harriet have raised several broods of eaglets under our watchful eyes here. Ozzie was injured (hit by a train?) a few months ago, and tried to go back to Harriet when he recovered. A younger, handsome stranger had been keeping company with her and apparently took offense at Ozzie's return.

Poor old Ozzie was badly injured and died Tuesday night. We will miss him.

Last week, I saw two eagles soaring over one of our main highways. Perhaps it was Harriet and Handsome Stranger?

---

This might sound lame, but do you think we owe them a group condolence card? Ozzie was such a prescence around here...
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
I don't think it sounds lame at all. I guess it's a matter of which recipient? CROW does a magnificent job of rehabilitating wildlife (including Ozzie), the family that owns the property where the eagle nest is located has done a true service to us all by maintaining the eagle cam, and of course, there are all of us who have cared. We watched eggs hatch and eaglets fledge, and watchful eagle parents caring for and feeding their young.

But, yes, a very compassionate thought!
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
My first thought was the family that hosted the webcam.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
The family's address can be found on this page, if you scroll down a bit.

I suspect others have had the same kind thought as you, Kelly!
 

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Posted by Ye Olde Motherboarde (# 54) on :
 
Harriett, the eagle, looks so lonely on the webcam.

Visited with the resilient Jedi the other day in Florida. Had a great lunch (the Cracker Barrel waitress just steered clear of us because I warned her we would be rowdy!!!)
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
We are getting some cooler weather! Cool is awesome!

Well, the next few mornings are supposed to be in the high 60s. I'll take it.
 

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Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
I wonder if any bookworms among you on your side of the pond can help me remember the name of a book that I was sent.
It's about a man who tends people's yards, and who has a passion for mazes and labyrinths. I thought it was called the Lawnmower man, but this turns out to be a completely different book/film.
 

---

Posted by lily pad (# 11456) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by daisydaisy:
I wonder if any bookworms among you on your side of the pond can help me remember the name of a book that I was sent.
It's about a man who tends people's yards, and who has a passion for mazes and labyrinths. I thought it was called the Lawnmower man, but this turns out to be a completely different book/film.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by lily pad:

quote:

---

Originally posted by daisydaisy:
I wonder if any bookworms among you on your side of the pond can help me remember the name of a book that I was sent.
It's about a man who tends people's yards, and who has a passion for mazes and labyrinths. I thought it was called the Lawnmower man, but this turns out to be a completely different book/film.

---

I may be way off, but your description reminds me of the book by Canadian author, Carol Shields. It is called, "Larry's Party". A description is found here.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moo:
Don't forget to turn your clocks back an hour tonight ...

---

 

---

Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :
 
For the first time I can remember I was up and doing things with friends when the time changed.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Happy Rain Dance, Some trees we hear are still smoldering from valley forrest fire so this first good rain makes us all feel a lot safer. The down side is some people who lost their homes are still camping out in tents and we have been told to expect flooding in heavy rain, as ground cover has burned away.

I am blessed to be high and dry with a roof over my head, as fire stopped 30 yards from my front door, but my heart hurts for friends and neighbors who have lost so much.

Some moments I can forget about the fire, then I drive down the street and it all comes back. No doubt a bit of survivors remorse going on here.
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I had a unique traffic experience today. I was driving to Lewisburg,WV to attend a 2 PM memorial service. I've driven there often before, and it normally takes me an hour and three quarters. I figured if I left home at noon, I would have plenty of time. I was unpleasantly surprised.

All of the WV part of the trip is made on route 219. It is a well-designed and maintained mountain road. However, it is a mountain road with narrower lanes and one lane each way. Normally, if you get behind something slow, you will be able to pass it sooner or later. Today there was a very wide house trailer being hauled from one place to another. It was much wider than our lane of the road. The driver drove in the middle of the road except when there was oncoming traffic; then he moved over just enough to let the other vehicles past. There was no way the vehicles behind could pass him. The speed limit most of the way was 55; his speed ranged from 20 to 35, except when he came to a sharp curve, when he would slow down to less than 5. He was in front of me for approximately twenty-five miles.

Instead of arriving at 1:45, I got there at 2:10. Fortunately the service didn't start for another five minutes, so I wasn't late.

The whole business was a very frustrating experience.

Moo
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Moo, I felt so much frustration for you as I read what you had to go through. You would think the driver would have turned off on occasion to allow the parade behind him to go past. I'm glad you did get to your destination in time.
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I saw a wonderful production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar last night.

The cast were from the American Shakespeare Company's theater in Staunton. It was very gripping.

Moo
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moo:
I saw a wonderful production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar last night.

The cast were from the American Shakespeare Company's theater in Staunton. It was very gripping.

Moo

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moo:
The theater in Staunton is wonderful. It's the world's only facsimile of the Blackfriars theater. The stage projects much farther forward than modern stages It helps the actors interact with the audience, which they do frequently.

Moo

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
If you are in DC, we should try and organize a Shippie get together.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
Excellent. Pick a day and a time, and put up an invite! If you want advice selecting a meeting place we can discuss.

---

Super! I'm not going until May, so we can post something in the spring. I'll PM you with more details.
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
Today three Tech students came and raked all my leaves. They belong to a group that does yard work for free, but accepts checks made out to the Cancer Society.

They are a spinoff from the Relay for Life. They would rather do some sort of practical work instead of walking around a track.

I'm very glad they feel that way. Whenever I need any help with yard work, I get in touch with them.

Moo
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
That's a great idea, Moo.

When I moved here, i rented a truck and two strapping teenagers from sons' church did almost all the heavy work.

After they had finished , i went to pay them and they refused. Son then explained it was for their youth group fund which went to help disadvantaged young people who came to youth group. In that area, there was no shortage of kids who could benefit from the scheme. I already knew a fair market price for their job and paid them that, to their surprise.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I'm just dropping in to wish y'all a merry and food-filled Thanksgiving.

You'll find some indigestion tablets in the cupboard above the kettle.
 

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Posted by MrsBeaky (# 17663) on :
 
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

The American community here in our town in Kenya gathered today for a big feast at lunchtime but I had to work so am now waiting for my husband to come home and we'll have pretzels and white wine as a token offering.
Will try to talk to my family later on Skype

Hope you all have fun
 

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Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :
 
Happy Thanksgiving all!
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Happy Thanksgiving from over here, too.
 

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Posted by Carex (# 9643) on :
 
While the world may not be perfect, we have a lot to be grateful for today.
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
I just listened to "Alice's Restaurant," so it's officially Thanksgiving. Now off to church...
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Happy thanksgiving to all.
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I am seriously overstuffed.

Moo
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
So am I. However, there are masses of leftovers, which is a good thing. If everything was eaten up then we did not make enough.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
I just listened to "Alice's Restaurant," so it's officially Thanksgiving. Now off to church...

---

Sweet

I passed around the "As God is my witness" clip from WKRP in Cincinatti" and hopefully at some point over the weekend I will view my favorite Thanksgiving film, "Pieces of April."
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
We had a thoroughly delightful Thanksgiving here! For the first time ever, there was no bird in the oven, but ribeyes and salmon on the grill. Cleanup and prep were easier, but there is no carcass for soup.

Happy Thanksgiving!
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
We had a thoroughly delightful Thanksgiving here! For the first time ever, there was no bird in the oven, but ribeyes and salmon on the grill. Cleanup and prep were easier, but there is no carcass for soup.

Happy Thanksgiving!
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Here is a hint for cooking salmon which you may not know.

I don't know what you call it at your neck of the woods, but place the salmon on a piece of baking paper, parchment or whatever, before you place it on grill. This works for grill with bars or a flat surface or a frying pan etc. skin will still brown or go crunchy. Cooking time is the same. When done to your liking, pick up edges of paper to remove or take fish off with an egg slice etc.

No fishy mess to clean off whatever you used to cook it.. Brilliant.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Anyone tried it in the dishwasher?
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Damn!
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Anyone tried it in the dishwasher?

---

If you're on the road then Steak Manifold is an option.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
I'm going to try the parchment trick, Lothlorien!

Oh, and I'm blaming wonky computer number two for the duplicate post.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
It works well. My brother cooks a lit of things like that, but it is good for salmon. Fold paper up at end and all the smelly bits go out with the paper. I usually have salmon marinaded with various flavours and the marinade makes a mess on the pan. No mess this way.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Advent III, and it's been stinkin' hot. Daughter-Unit's mom-in-law and I went on our annual Christmas scavenger hunt yesterday, and it was so hot out, we almost melted!!!

Now, we don't want it to be cold, Heavens, but is a nice 75 degrees with low humidity too much to ask?
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by jedijudy:
... is a nice 75 degrees with low humidity too much to ask?

---

Probably.

That does seem a tad excessive, even for Jedi-land. We had a delightful just-above-seasonal 4°C (39°F) today - if it would stay like that for a while, it would suit me just fine.

[ 14. December 2015, 02:24: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
It is 12.45, lunchtime, here and 28.7C and 80% humidity.

It's a bit cool but might warm up this afternoon.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
It's 77 this morning, but! we are promised cooler weather for the end of the week and the weekend! Sunday is to be 75! Perfect for Jediland! Of course, I'll probably whine Saturday morning if the temp is really 51 as predicted.
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
Here in the "sunny" desert of Arizona we're looking at a cold, wetter-than-usual winter. It's raining now (and his been all night). Towards the end of the week it will be dryer but down to 27F.

I know we need it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Rain rain and more rain. Yah we badly need rain, BUT not all at once hills bare from fire last fall so nothing to hold the soil, so danger of land slides. Gentle rain please God
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
We have had more than the normal amount of rain in November and the beginning of December. Water is standing in the fields and swales. Hopefully this means fewer wild fires this winter.

Big bonus, the wading birds love the little delicious creatures they find in the water! It's almost like going to an aviary when driving down certain roads! Beautiful storks, egrets of all colors and sizes, ibis and herons. The ospreys and eagles are happy, too!
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by jedijudy:
We have had more than the normal amount of rain in November and the beginning of December. Water is standing in the fields and swales. Hopefully this means fewer wild fires this winter.

---

Here in the Desert Southwest, wet winters actually lead to worse wildfires in the summer. The rain encourages the growth of underbrush, weeds, etc. When the dry heat comes, those plants dry up and form fuel for forest fires. We're expecting a very wet, rainy winter this year, so next summer will probably be a bad one for fires.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
It does seem to be a case of "if it's not one thing, it's another" with your weather - either droughts or floods.

Take care.
 

---

Posted by Carex (# 9643) on :
 
The river behind our house is slowly dropping back down - at one point the flow rate was 50% above flood stage. Fortunately the area flooded is mostly farmland and golf courses, with few homes threatened. But more rain is forecast starting tonight - we might get 3 - 5 inches in a day and a half, and twice that in the headwaters of the river.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
Here in the Desert Southwest, wet winters actually lead to worse wildfires in the summer.

---

Our fire season is in the winter. Summer is our monsoon season, and the only summer fires I can remember are started by lightening.

Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy. Which is good! Tonight is Star Wars night!! Don't want to stand out in the rain then sit in a cool theater!
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
We have had a few bits of snow today. I call them bits because they're much too small to qualify as flakes.

The temperature lately has been very mild until today. It's supposed to be cold again tomorrow, but then it will warm up again.

I just hope the weather doesn't interfere with Christmas travel. I'm taking a bus to Washington on Tuesday and coming back the following Tuesday.

Moo
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
We've had frost every morning this week (very unusual around here), but it's getting a little warmer as we go into the weekend. The weather people can't seem to make up their minds about whether we'll have rain for Christmas -- they change their prediction on the weather website at least once a day.

I was totally shocked when I went to the Post Office this morning -- not another customer in the place until I was leaving. I asked the clerk (who knows me) if this was really December 18th, or was my calendar wrong.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
It's cold today! it's only 57 right now. An indicator for temperature is my hair; it's too hot to wear down and unbraided unless the temp is very cool!

I'm keeping my hair long for that future time when ladies are cold all the time. It's very much like a cape.
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
I'm already keeping mine down for the winter. Nice not to have a cold neck.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moo:
We have had a few bits of snow today. I call them bits because they're much too small to qualify as flakes ...

---

That sounds like what my friend M. calls "fat rain", especially if it happens before the beginning of November and she's in denial about the idea of sn*w.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Bump. It was on the verge of being page 2 material.

This will be closed later today, so thinking caps on for a new thread title.
 

---

Posted by RuthW (# 13) on :
 
"It's Trump's country - we just live in it."

Too soon?
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Oy.
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Vespucchiania?

Yankee Doodle Discourse?

The U.S.S ITTWACWS?
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by RuthW:
"It's Trump's country - we just live in it."

Too soon?

---

Unless you're working on a similar principle to putting someone on one's list in the Celebrity Death Pool, in the hope that it doesn't happen ...
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
It's not his country unless we give it to him. Not a single vote has been cast yet. Let's send him down, howling, the Biggest Loser of them all.
 

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