Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "The City."
I've just returned from a trip to the back forty with GTWD and STWD @ around 2:15 a.m.and I can confirm that it is cold outside. That being said, the current temperature according to the NWS is 32°. Anyone who is a student of science knows that you can have both water and ice @ 32° due to having the requisite number of BTUs, British Thermal Units, present in one gallon of water, 1,200 BTUs. As of right now, we have removed the requisite number of BTUs required for ice.
I am preparing to do some additional highlighting for Mary's indexing project. I'm currently on page 135/395, so that means I am 34% complete. I had to order more pink highlighters, which arrived yesterday so that I can finish this and future highlighting. I believe that the next book requires highlighting in two colors. Every time I do that, I end up with more highlighter ink on me than the pages. I should mention that the book I am working on now is a fascinating description of the various massacres/atrocities and the resultant trials that generally followed. Sadly, the trials like most law-enforcement activities came after the acts that produced the atrocities.
I got some reading and playing with the girls in yesterday. That'as all good. I had to stop playing with the girls when Mary couldn't concentrate. I was playing and singing songs that she knows so that she found herself listening to me and not concentrating on her work. Sigh.
I was able to finish assembling out Gazelle™ with the parts that arrived on Thursday along with some bolts that I picked up at Ace Hardware™. I also hung the newly painted towel bar in the mud room. Looking good.
Today I plan to do as little as possible. I can do some quiet activities, but that's fine with me as I want to finish the book I am reading. It is an older mystery written by Reed Farrel Coleman entitled Walking The Perfect Square: A Moe Prager Mystery. The protagonist is an NYPD police officer who was forced to retire due to an injury. Although h is not a private investigator, he has been tasked with finding a person who is missing but who may only have decided to disappear. It too is an interesting read.
The current temperature as I previously noted is 32° per the NWS, but my DTWS is now displaying nearly 36°. I never changed the batteries on the FPMS, so it must have been knocked out by the wind the other night. We anticipate a high later today of 39° with rain/showers in the morning and then not much is happening after that. However, the winds will stay strong @ about 15 - 20 mph.
The sun will rise today @ 8:16 a.m. and set later @ 5:19 p.m. Ciao.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Friday, December 30, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 5:00 a.m. in "The City."
I hadn't planned to be up now, but since I am, I'll endeavor once again to follow the KISS principle. As you may recall from a past life, the KISS acronym stands for "Keep it simple, stupid." The principle purportedly originated with the U.S. Navy in 1960 when they decided that a system works best when a design is kept simple rather than more complicated. So, KISS it is.
At any rate, the current temperature is 30° but it feels like 17° due to the windy conditions that blew the snow shovel on the front porch over for the umpteenth time. The falling shovel scared STWD once again and impelled me to go downstairs and confirm what I knew to be true. The NWS has issued a winter weather advisory until 10:00 a.m. this morning with a forecast for lake-effect snow hitting our fair city. However, a furtive look out the WW tells me that that forecast is wrong in our little corner of the Tri-Cities area in spite of the weather radar which shows that snow band, it is not falling here, just the snow shovel. Go figure.
Saturday the windy conditions will continue to prevail as the temperature rises to a high of 39° with only a slight chance of precipitation, That's good for the 2nd annual Grand Haven New Year's Eve Ball Drop. Since GR has inexplicably canceled their ball drop this year, we should see an uptick in attendance. Mary and I will make a game-time decision whether to attend or to simply watch the accompanying fireworks from her office window.
Speaking of Mary, she and her brother Ed, had a nice conversation late yesterday. Ed is wintering in TX to be near some of his grandchildren and his daughter. While not the warmest place, TX is generally warmer than here at this time of year. Whenever I am outdoors with GTWD, I think warm thoughts.
I did get to do some trainspotting yesterday. At 10:37 a.m., the southbound run of locomotives 2019 and 2057 passed by. In tow were 10 CHCs, six DWTCs, and seven DBTCs, all empty. I did not witness the northbound passage of the train on the RSTL, as I was at the veterinarian's office with STWD for her annual checkup and vaccinations. Mary had headed home with GTWD by the time the train rolled through @ about 1:50 p.m., but further details were unavailable as she only heard its passage.
In a perfect segue, Adam is making progress on his own rail layout. He sent some pictures of the bridge that he hand crafted to complete his model of the Chicago "L" near their home. Stephany is like Mary in that she indulges his hobbies that include a portion of their home.
At any rate, Adam continues to demonstrate his prowess as a train/trestle builder, as he did a great rendition of the Wells St. bridge over the river that is used by the "L" to traverse the Chicago River. Here is a link to a picture of that bridge.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Street_Bridge_(Chicago)#/media/File:Wells_Street_Bridge.jpg
I thought his bridge was store bought but he said no, it shows what a man can do with a jigsaw and some simple tools. He can both envision his ideas and then carry them through to fruition. To borrow from the British, "Well done you!"
Today I have a few things to do around the PE and then I can settle in until our appointment at the chiropractor later this afternoon. Mary has vowed to get to her indexing in earnest today, so I'll have to highlight more to stay ahead of her. I am trying to avoid extended stays in my office chair to save my baking yak. The sun will rise later this morning @ 8:16 a.m. and set @ 5:19 p.m., so we are gaining daylight hours every day. So much for the KISS principle. Ciao.
I hadn't planned to be up now, but since I am, I'll endeavor once again to follow the KISS principle. As you may recall from a past life, the KISS acronym stands for "Keep it simple, stupid." The principle purportedly originated with the U.S. Navy in 1960 when they decided that a system works best when a design is kept simple rather than more complicated. So, KISS it is.
At any rate, the current temperature is 30° but it feels like 17° due to the windy conditions that blew the snow shovel on the front porch over for the umpteenth time. The falling shovel scared STWD once again and impelled me to go downstairs and confirm what I knew to be true. The NWS has issued a winter weather advisory until 10:00 a.m. this morning with a forecast for lake-effect snow hitting our fair city. However, a furtive look out the WW tells me that that forecast is wrong in our little corner of the Tri-Cities area in spite of the weather radar which shows that snow band, it is not falling here, just the snow shovel. Go figure.
Saturday the windy conditions will continue to prevail as the temperature rises to a high of 39° with only a slight chance of precipitation, That's good for the 2nd annual Grand Haven New Year's Eve Ball Drop. Since GR has inexplicably canceled their ball drop this year, we should see an uptick in attendance. Mary and I will make a game-time decision whether to attend or to simply watch the accompanying fireworks from her office window.
Speaking of Mary, she and her brother Ed, had a nice conversation late yesterday. Ed is wintering in TX to be near some of his grandchildren and his daughter. While not the warmest place, TX is generally warmer than here at this time of year. Whenever I am outdoors with GTWD, I think warm thoughts.
I did get to do some trainspotting yesterday. At 10:37 a.m., the southbound run of locomotives 2019 and 2057 passed by. In tow were 10 CHCs, six DWTCs, and seven DBTCs, all empty. I did not witness the northbound passage of the train on the RSTL, as I was at the veterinarian's office with STWD for her annual checkup and vaccinations. Mary had headed home with GTWD by the time the train rolled through @ about 1:50 p.m., but further details were unavailable as she only heard its passage.
In a perfect segue, Adam is making progress on his own rail layout. He sent some pictures of the bridge that he hand crafted to complete his model of the Chicago "L" near their home. Stephany is like Mary in that she indulges his hobbies that include a portion of their home.
At any rate, Adam continues to demonstrate his prowess as a train/trestle builder, as he did a great rendition of the Wells St. bridge over the river that is used by the "L" to traverse the Chicago River. Here is a link to a picture of that bridge.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Street_Bridge_(Chicago)#/media/File:Wells_Street_Bridge.jpg
#/media/File:Wells_Street_Bridge.jpg){kind=link}
I thought his bridge was store bought but he said no, it shows what a man can do with a jigsaw and some simple tools. He can both envision his ideas and then carry them through to fruition. To borrow from the British, "Well done you!"
Today I have a few things to do around the PE and then I can settle in until our appointment at the chiropractor later this afternoon. Mary has vowed to get to her indexing in earnest today, so I'll have to highlight more to stay ahead of her. I am trying to avoid extended stays in my office chair to save my baking yak. The sun will rise later this morning @ 8:16 a.m. and set @ 5:19 p.m., so we are gaining daylight hours every day. So much for the KISS principle. Ciao.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 12:30 a.m. in "The City."
I'm going to stay with the KISS formula once again,
Yesterday was a pleasant day here in GH. We took a nice long safari with the fur-children down to the newspaper office, but something spooked STWD when we reached our destination and she began to shake like a leaf in a gale and we were off to the races. We made it home in record time and then Mary went to Health Hut and I stayed outside to rake leaves. The fur-children stayed inside. I thought I was done raking leaves, but it seems as though I was wrong.
I did get the butterfly puzzles removed from the newspaper I had used to protect the table top when I sealed them and then I finished cutting them out and spraying them with a final coat of matte finish. They should be fully dry later today. Mary did some preliminary indexing work before we went out to our local Restore™ store for a towel rack for the mud room. I have to change the color of that today, but it was a bargain and we like to buy things and repurpose them whenever possible.
We made a short stop at Sporty's and then home for dinner for us and the fur-children. Speaking of the fur-children, I was just outside with them and the current temperature is a very comfortable 38° albeit a tad windy. Laer today, the high temperature is forecast to be lower @ 35° with a 60% chance of snow showers with windy conditions. We have to take the fur-children to their doctor for a visit this afternoon and we had planned to walk, but the walk may be replaced by a car ride if the weather is less than desirable.
Otherwise, I have more highlighting to do and I'll be getting to more of that in a few minutes. Mary has more indexing to accomplish on this 400 plus page tome.
I almost forgot, in 46 days, the first pitchers and catchers report for the start of spring on February 12, 2017when the Mets pitchers and catchers report. The Cubs have not yet set a date.
The sun will rise later today @ 8:16 a.m. and set @ 5:18 p.m. Ciao.
I'm going to stay with the KISS formula once again,
Yesterday was a pleasant day here in GH. We took a nice long safari with the fur-children down to the newspaper office, but something spooked STWD when we reached our destination and she began to shake like a leaf in a gale and we were off to the races. We made it home in record time and then Mary went to Health Hut and I stayed outside to rake leaves. The fur-children stayed inside. I thought I was done raking leaves, but it seems as though I was wrong.
I did get the butterfly puzzles removed from the newspaper I had used to protect the table top when I sealed them and then I finished cutting them out and spraying them with a final coat of matte finish. They should be fully dry later today. Mary did some preliminary indexing work before we went out to our local Restore™ store for a towel rack for the mud room. I have to change the color of that today, but it was a bargain and we like to buy things and repurpose them whenever possible.
We made a short stop at Sporty's and then home for dinner for us and the fur-children. Speaking of the fur-children, I was just outside with them and the current temperature is a very comfortable 38° albeit a tad windy. Laer today, the high temperature is forecast to be lower @ 35° with a 60% chance of snow showers with windy conditions. We have to take the fur-children to their doctor for a visit this afternoon and we had planned to walk, but the walk may be replaced by a car ride if the weather is less than desirable.
Otherwise, I have more highlighting to do and I'll be getting to more of that in a few minutes. Mary has more indexing to accomplish on this 400 plus page tome.
I almost forgot, in 46 days, the first pitchers and catchers report for the start of spring on February 12, 2017when the Mets pitchers and catchers report. The Cubs have not yet set a date.
The sun will rise later today @ 8:16 a.m. and set @ 5:18 p.m. Ciao.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just before 1:00 a.m. in "The City."
Let me endeavor to follow the KISS formula on this edition of my blog
The cable tech came out and resolved our channel missing problem. However, there may be a problem with the wiring that was used in the original installation. Part of that wiring was in the house when we moved in five years ago and may need to be replaced. I can't do it because of its routing.
I spotted the northbound run of the train on the RSTL @ 2:56 p.m. I believe that the southbound run may have happened before the recent holiday weekend. At any rate, locomotives 2057 and 2019 were pulling 12 CHCs, nine DBTCs one GTC, and seven DWTCs.
Once the cable tech had departed, we traveled to Spring Lake to have my glasses adjusted and to pick up some bolts @ Ace Hardware™. Both stops went expeditiously and we were quickly on our way back to GH. We stopped at Tip-A-Few for dinner and then came home to enjoy some R & R.
I sealed the butterfly puzzles so they will be ready to display later today. We also received the replacement parts for our Gazelle™ exercise machine yesterday, but at this time, the sidewalks are clear and we are able to walk the fur-children around town. I'll be installing the new pieces tomorrow if time permits.
I've just finished my first highlighting session for the latest indexing project. The book is very interesting. I'll have more to say as time goes by.
The fur-children were glad to get out of the backyard for a walk yesterday. We'll be taking them on safari again today. It is good for us too.
We have a current temperature of 29° under cloudy skies. Later today, the high temperature will reach 51° under partly cloudy skies. There is only a 10% chance of precipitation. The sun will rise @ 8:16 a.m. and set @ 5:17 p.m. Ciao.
Let me endeavor to follow the KISS formula on this edition of my blog
The cable tech came out and resolved our channel missing problem. However, there may be a problem with the wiring that was used in the original installation. Part of that wiring was in the house when we moved in five years ago and may need to be replaced. I can't do it because of its routing.
I spotted the northbound run of the train on the RSTL @ 2:56 p.m. I believe that the southbound run may have happened before the recent holiday weekend. At any rate, locomotives 2057 and 2019 were pulling 12 CHCs, nine DBTCs one GTC, and seven DWTCs.
Once the cable tech had departed, we traveled to Spring Lake to have my glasses adjusted and to pick up some bolts @ Ace Hardware™. Both stops went expeditiously and we were quickly on our way back to GH. We stopped at Tip-A-Few for dinner and then came home to enjoy some R & R.
I sealed the butterfly puzzles so they will be ready to display later today. We also received the replacement parts for our Gazelle™ exercise machine yesterday, but at this time, the sidewalks are clear and we are able to walk the fur-children around town. I'll be installing the new pieces tomorrow if time permits.
I've just finished my first highlighting session for the latest indexing project. The book is very interesting. I'll have more to say as time goes by.
The fur-children were glad to get out of the backyard for a walk yesterday. We'll be taking them on safari again today. It is good for us too.
We have a current temperature of 29° under cloudy skies. Later today, the high temperature will reach 51° under partly cloudy skies. There is only a 10% chance of precipitation. The sun will rise @ 8:16 a.m. and set @ 5:17 p.m. Ciao.
Monday, December 26, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 10:30 p.m. in "The City."
We made it to Holland to pick up some grocery items and then to exchange that supposedly defective cable box. Guess what? The new box still can't receive just one of the dozens of channels that are available. The cable company says it must be something wrong with the wiring or something unknown, perhaps in the house or outdoors. However, that specific channel is working on the two other boxes downstairs. The only channel not working in the media room is this one channel. So, the cable company is sending a technician out tomorrow to hopefully resolve the problem. Naturally, the cable company had me unplug the box etc., just in case. They also sent strong signals to reboot the box. Same result as the last time that was tried.
I once saw a cartoon that showed the training session for technical people at an internet service provider. The lesson went something like this, "Tell the customer to unplug the box, wait 30 seconds and then plug the box back in." Sure, one channel is not coming in, so that will fix it. Not!
It is very windy outside tonight. GTWD and STWD and I have been out multiple times tonight and @ 9:30 p.m., we experienced lift-off. Phew.
We had a high-temperature today in the lower 50s as predicted by the NWS. Right now, the temperature is 35° and falling. The high for Tuesday is supposed to reach up to 29° with continued windy conditions plus snow showers. Other than taking the fur-children outside, I plan to stay inside and read and do some indoor chores. That, and wait for the technician from the cable company.
Mary has finally received the latest indexing project and the concept of the book looks fascinating. Plus, I only have to highlight in one color. But first, Mary has to print out the pages. Our printer has been flashing alerts for low toner for weeks now, and I have a spare cartridge, but I am willing to bet that the latest book will not be the last printed on the low toner cartridge.
I finally finished all of the butterfly puzzles last late Monday night. I took a picture of the completed butterflies to commemorate my achievement. Mary thought the butterflies would be smaller, but she still plans to strategically place them in the mudroom and on the wall of the kitchen near our calendar once they are sealed with puzzle sealer.
I nearly forgot to mention that during our various stops yesterday, I received a 2016 Cumberland Gap Quarter in change. This one was the coveted "P" series, "P" for the Philadelphia mint where it was struck, that I had not been able to find until now, and which I needed for my America the Beautiful Collection. All good.
We got up late on Monday and since we were downstairs, Mary reheated some of our Christmas dinner dishes for a brunch. It still tastes great. I didn't have jellied, cranberry sauce, though. We finished the last of the green bean casserole and I am going to miss it.
The sun will be rising on Tuesday @ 8:15 a.m. and it will set @t 5:16 p.m. Ciao.
We made it to Holland to pick up some grocery items and then to exchange that supposedly defective cable box. Guess what? The new box still can't receive just one of the dozens of channels that are available. The cable company says it must be something wrong with the wiring or something unknown, perhaps in the house or outdoors. However, that specific channel is working on the two other boxes downstairs. The only channel not working in the media room is this one channel. So, the cable company is sending a technician out tomorrow to hopefully resolve the problem. Naturally, the cable company had me unplug the box etc., just in case. They also sent strong signals to reboot the box. Same result as the last time that was tried.
I once saw a cartoon that showed the training session for technical people at an internet service provider. The lesson went something like this, "Tell the customer to unplug the box, wait 30 seconds and then plug the box back in." Sure, one channel is not coming in, so that will fix it. Not!
It is very windy outside tonight. GTWD and STWD and I have been out multiple times tonight and @ 9:30 p.m., we experienced lift-off. Phew.
We had a high-temperature today in the lower 50s as predicted by the NWS. Right now, the temperature is 35° and falling. The high for Tuesday is supposed to reach up to 29° with continued windy conditions plus snow showers. Other than taking the fur-children outside, I plan to stay inside and read and do some indoor chores. That, and wait for the technician from the cable company.
Mary has finally received the latest indexing project and the concept of the book looks fascinating. Plus, I only have to highlight in one color. But first, Mary has to print out the pages. Our printer has been flashing alerts for low toner for weeks now, and I have a spare cartridge, but I am willing to bet that the latest book will not be the last printed on the low toner cartridge.
I finally finished all of the butterfly puzzles last late Monday night. I took a picture of the completed butterflies to commemorate my achievement. Mary thought the butterflies would be smaller, but she still plans to strategically place them in the mudroom and on the wall of the kitchen near our calendar once they are sealed with puzzle sealer.
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| Looking good, I think. |
We got up late on Monday and since we were downstairs, Mary reheated some of our Christmas dinner dishes for a brunch. It still tastes great. I didn't have jellied, cranberry sauce, though. We finished the last of the green bean casserole and I am going to miss it.
The sun will be rising on Tuesday @ 8:15 a.m. and it will set @t 5:16 p.m. Ciao.
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 5:00 a.m. in "The City."
Well, we made it. Another Christmas has come and gone, but this one was extra special. Mary spent hours in the kitchen, from where I've just returned after finishing the final cleanup post early morning sojourns for the fur-children. It always seems as though every holiday dinner takes hours in preparation, minutes to devour and hours to clean up. But in between, this was the best Christmas dinner I've ever eaten. We both came away stuffed, me especially because I enjoyed the canned jellied cranberry sauce all by myself.
Let's go back to the fantabulous dinner that Mary prepared. I had a small part in the production, retrieving food and cooking items from the top shelves and shaking the garlic to remove the peels/skins. I also participated in the consumption of the meal as I previously noted. Mary took some pictures to commemorate the process and consumption, so I'll include them here and try to appropriately add captions.
Well, we made it. Another Christmas has come and gone, but this one was extra special. Mary spent hours in the kitchen, from where I've just returned after finishing the final cleanup post early morning sojourns for the fur-children. It always seems as though every holiday dinner takes hours in preparation, minutes to devour and hours to clean up. But in between, this was the best Christmas dinner I've ever eaten. We both came away stuffed, me especially because I enjoyed the canned jellied cranberry sauce all by myself.
Prior to dinner, Mary had made cinnamon French toast for breakfast and chopped cheese and vegetables for the mid-afternoon pre-dinner snack. I spent time finishing my latest novel, and Mary spent time reading her latest too. I forget the title, but it deals with time travel. I also spent time with the butterfly jigsaw puzzles I'm working on and I am nearing completion. I have three more to go.
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| What's a Christmas without a puzzle and me in the hat that Mary knitted for me? |
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| The pre-dinner snacks. |
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| The beginnings of the green bean casserole. Mary carmelized the onion for the topping. |
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| Sauteeing the mushrooms for the dressing. |
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| The croutons that Mary had prepared on Friday before the addition of the mushrooms and onions. |
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| The vegan roast in its early stages. |
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| Sauteeing the onions for the green bean casserole. |
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| The green bean casserole prior to baking. |
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| The garlic smashed potatoes, pre-smashing.. "And I helped!" |
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| Pre-consumption. |
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| Post-meal. |
Mary did the majority of the final clean up and I completed the balance when I was downstairs with the fur-children around 4:30 a.m.
Tangentially speaking of the fur-children, when I was outside, the temperature was fine albeit in our back forty, the winds are blocked so I didn't experience the current weather conditions that make that 41° as reported by the NWS, feel like 33°, nor did I notice the foggy conditions that they are reporting. The NWS has once again issued a gale warning for the "Big Lake." Later today, the temperature is forecast to rise to 53° with a possibility of T-storms in the early morning. Yes, T-storms in December!
Tomorrow, the winds continue to blow strongly and the precipitation will change to snow showers with the high temperature reaching no higher than 29°. By Tuesday, we return to 41° with strong winds still prevailing. The sun will rise in a few hours @ 8:15 a.m. and set exactly nine hours later @ 5:15 p.m. The same for Tuesday. However, Wednesday, the days begin to get longer as the sun will rise @ 8:15 a.m., but set @ 5:16 p.m.
Today. I have to deal with the cable company to resolve the channel that doesn't come in on the upstairs cable box. For some reason, one channel does not appear on the TV in the media room. I'm hoping to avoid a trip to Holland for a replacement cable box, but so far I've done the usual things, such as unplugging the box with no change. I'm guessing that the cable people will want me to try again.
Otherwise, we have no specific plans. Ciao.
Sunday, December 25, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just before 1:00 a.m. in "The City."
Well, like Buckles the Dog, a character from the comic strips, I missed Santa Claus again. I was awake with GTWD and STWD, but alas, I must have been tending to them when the Jolly Old Elf came to our house. Oh well, I'll get him next year.
Our current temperature is 35° per the NWS and 37° per the DTWS. Later today, after the sun has risen @ 8:15 a.m. and well before it sets @5:15 p.m., the high temperature is forecast to reach 36°. The good news is that there is no serious threat of precipitation in the forecast until around 7:00 p.m. tonight. Then the forecast from the NWS calls for the chance of precipitation to rise from a low of 15% to a high of 95% by 6:00 a.m. on Monday with rain and winds @ 22 mph plus. The precipitation quickly ebbs on Monday to 15%, @ 10:00 a.m., but the winds continue throughout the day. However, the forecast also calls for a high of 52°. I'm not sure how typical the 52° forecast for Monday is, but I'll take it. By Tuesday, as the sunrise and sunset begin to slowly edge apart in minute increments, the high temperature will be no more than 29°. We'll bounce around in the low to mid-30s until at least New Years Day.
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that I consider the first day of spring to be the dates that pitchers and catchers report to the annual MLB spring training camps. The Cubs and the Tigers do not have dates posted yet, but my beloved Red Sox are asking their pitchers and catchers to report by February 13, 2017. That's just 50 days away, but who's counting? The Caps, AKA the West Michigan Whitecaps, open their season on April 6, 2017, with a game @ 6:35 p.m. against the South Bend, IN Cubs.
We had a good day yesterday reading, working crossword puzzles, piecing together the butterfly jigsaw puzzles, and enjoying the light traffic here in the Tri-Cities area as we traveled to Spring Lake and then to our favorite watering hole for dinner. Mary noted that many people in the greater Tri-Cities area have an annual ritual of going to the Tip a - Few Tavern for a pre-Christmas gathering so this may become our annual pre-Christmas activity too.
I took a picture of the jigsaw puzzles in progress to give you a feel for the difference in this type of puzzle that has no formal edges to help with assembly. Eight puzzles of the original 19 remain to be assembled, some small and some larger.
Today we plan to stay inside with the exception of the trips outside to take GTWD and the intrepid one to their backyard area. I'll be assisting Mary in the kitchen as she chops, makes various sauteed ingredients, and bakes, boils and mixes many ingredients for our Christmas dinner. I'll continue reading my pulp-fiction novel when I'm not otherwise engaged. Dinner will be later in the day.
Otherwise, there are no specific plans for today. Mary will be in her kitchen enjoying life with her sous dogs and yours truly underfoot. I believe that a new book will be arriving today or soon for the next indexing project. I only have to highlight in one color for this one. Ciao.
Well, like Buckles the Dog, a character from the comic strips, I missed Santa Claus again. I was awake with GTWD and STWD, but alas, I must have been tending to them when the Jolly Old Elf came to our house. Oh well, I'll get him next year.
Our current temperature is 35° per the NWS and 37° per the DTWS. Later today, after the sun has risen @ 8:15 a.m. and well before it sets @5:15 p.m., the high temperature is forecast to reach 36°. The good news is that there is no serious threat of precipitation in the forecast until around 7:00 p.m. tonight. Then the forecast from the NWS calls for the chance of precipitation to rise from a low of 15% to a high of 95% by 6:00 a.m. on Monday with rain and winds @ 22 mph plus. The precipitation quickly ebbs on Monday to 15%, @ 10:00 a.m., but the winds continue throughout the day. However, the forecast also calls for a high of 52°. I'm not sure how typical the 52° forecast for Monday is, but I'll take it. By Tuesday, as the sunrise and sunset begin to slowly edge apart in minute increments, the high temperature will be no more than 29°. We'll bounce around in the low to mid-30s until at least New Years Day.
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that I consider the first day of spring to be the dates that pitchers and catchers report to the annual MLB spring training camps. The Cubs and the Tigers do not have dates posted yet, but my beloved Red Sox are asking their pitchers and catchers to report by February 13, 2017. That's just 50 days away, but who's counting? The Caps, AKA the West Michigan Whitecaps, open their season on April 6, 2017, with a game @ 6:35 p.m. against the South Bend, IN Cubs.
We had a good day yesterday reading, working crossword puzzles, piecing together the butterfly jigsaw puzzles, and enjoying the light traffic here in the Tri-Cities area as we traveled to Spring Lake and then to our favorite watering hole for dinner. Mary noted that many people in the greater Tri-Cities area have an annual ritual of going to the Tip a - Few Tavern for a pre-Christmas gathering so this may become our annual pre-Christmas activity too.
I took a picture of the jigsaw puzzles in progress to give you a feel for the difference in this type of puzzle that has no formal edges to help with assembly. Eight puzzles of the original 19 remain to be assembled, some small and some larger.
Today we plan to stay inside with the exception of the trips outside to take GTWD and the intrepid one to their backyard area. I'll be assisting Mary in the kitchen as she chops, makes various sauteed ingredients, and bakes, boils and mixes many ingredients for our Christmas dinner. I'll continue reading my pulp-fiction novel when I'm not otherwise engaged. Dinner will be later in the day.
Otherwise, there are no specific plans for today. Mary will be in her kitchen enjoying life with her sous dogs and yours truly underfoot. I believe that a new book will be arriving today or soon for the next indexing project. I only have to highlight in one color for this one. Ciao.
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 12:00 a.m. in "The City."
I hadn't intended to be up now, and in fact, I was in bed by 9:00 p.m. awaiting the arrival of the Jolly Old Elf when GTWD jumped down from the bed. So I took her out and shoveled some snow. What's that you say? If I went to bed @ 9:00 p.m. last night, then I was one day too early for Santa Claus' arrival. Oops, my bad. I guess that I was just too eager or that GTWD was too early. Either way, I'll be ready for the arrival of Old St. Nick later tonight.
Speaking of snow, the snow that fell was about three inches of heavy, wet snow, and I do mean heavy. Just moving it from the deck was a real chore. But, when you take your time, anything is possible. At any rate, the snow will be over soon. The NWS forecast indicates that the 100% chance of precipitation will fall to 5% by 4:00 a.m.
With today's high temperature of 37°, all of that snow will soon be just a memory, especially if the 36° predicted for Sunday, Christmas Day and the 49° predicted for Monday, Boxing Day, come to pass. However, the forecast for Boxing Day also includes an 80% chance for rain/wind. We have a current temperature of 33°.
Yesterday I finally got to spend some time with one of the girls, Susannah, my ganjo, as Mary likes to think of her, or my banjitar. By either designation, we sounded good. I also spent some time revising some music that I had previously typed out for my books. I like to type out the lyrics and add the chord notations in the appropriate places since it is rare that I actually play the music from the actual sheet music. However, I did play some jigs and reels from actual sheet music that we use @ our Irish Jam session too.
No trains to spot yesterday. I worked some crosswords and did some indoor chores. Mary did some invoicing for previous indexes and then did some reading in addition to talking to Adam on the phone. Mary prepared lunch which consisted of extraordinary beest on toasted bread with mustard and a side of my soon to be famous Coleslaw. When I have tart apples and carrots in addition to the cabbage for my Coleslaw to grate into the mix, it turns out great with just the addition of vegan mayo and rice vinegar.
We made it to our chiropractic appointment on time and then to JWs for adult libations. Finally home for a dinner of extraordinary beest sandwiches with sweet potatoes on the side.
Otherwise, not much was happening yesterday. That's all good as far as I am concerned. The sun will rise later this morning @ 8:14 a.m. and set @ 5:14 p.m as we put the winter solstice in the rearview mirror. Ciao.
I hadn't intended to be up now, and in fact, I was in bed by 9:00 p.m. awaiting the arrival of the Jolly Old Elf when GTWD jumped down from the bed. So I took her out and shoveled some snow. What's that you say? If I went to bed @ 9:00 p.m. last night, then I was one day too early for Santa Claus' arrival. Oops, my bad. I guess that I was just too eager or that GTWD was too early. Either way, I'll be ready for the arrival of Old St. Nick later tonight.
Speaking of snow, the snow that fell was about three inches of heavy, wet snow, and I do mean heavy. Just moving it from the deck was a real chore. But, when you take your time, anything is possible. At any rate, the snow will be over soon. The NWS forecast indicates that the 100% chance of precipitation will fall to 5% by 4:00 a.m.
With today's high temperature of 37°, all of that snow will soon be just a memory, especially if the 36° predicted for Sunday, Christmas Day and the 49° predicted for Monday, Boxing Day, come to pass. However, the forecast for Boxing Day also includes an 80% chance for rain/wind. We have a current temperature of 33°.
Yesterday I finally got to spend some time with one of the girls, Susannah, my ganjo, as Mary likes to think of her, or my banjitar. By either designation, we sounded good. I also spent some time revising some music that I had previously typed out for my books. I like to type out the lyrics and add the chord notations in the appropriate places since it is rare that I actually play the music from the actual sheet music. However, I did play some jigs and reels from actual sheet music that we use @ our Irish Jam session too.
No trains to spot yesterday. I worked some crosswords and did some indoor chores. Mary did some invoicing for previous indexes and then did some reading in addition to talking to Adam on the phone. Mary prepared lunch which consisted of extraordinary beest on toasted bread with mustard and a side of my soon to be famous Coleslaw. When I have tart apples and carrots in addition to the cabbage for my Coleslaw to grate into the mix, it turns out great with just the addition of vegan mayo and rice vinegar.
We made it to our chiropractic appointment on time and then to JWs for adult libations. Finally home for a dinner of extraordinary beest sandwiches with sweet potatoes on the side.
Otherwise, not much was happening yesterday. That's all good as far as I am concerned. The sun will rise later this morning @ 8:14 a.m. and set @ 5:14 p.m as we put the winter solstice in the rearview mirror. Ciao.
Friday, December 23, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City."
The current temperature is 36° on both the NWS report and the DTWS. That temperature is under cloudy skies, and with a quick trip outdoors with GTWD and STWD, I can affirm that report. Later today, the high temperature is expected to reach 39° per the NWS with a 70% chance of precipitation, hopefully in the form of rain. Tomorrow we'll see a high of 37° with only a 20% chance of additional precipitation. Sunday looks about the same. However, Monday, Boxing Day, the high temperature is forecast to rise to a very unseasonal 47°. with a light rain and winds @ 27 mph.
By way of information, Boxing Day is celebrated in Great Britain and much of the former British Empire. The origins are somewhat murky, with some saying it was a day set aside for postmen and other servants and errand boys to receive a Christmas box. A Christmas box may have meant a gratuity from a donor. One source notes that it was the day that serving people or tradespeople were given a gift for having to work serving their "Masters" on Christmas Day. In other words, it is a holiday whose origins have been lost through time.
Our stop @ the podiatrist yesterday was uneventful. I'll see them in another three months. Lunch was everything we'd hoped for as the hospital salad bar had all of the good things yesterday. Romaine lettuce, chickpeas, fruit, beets, and fat-free dressing. What's not to like?
We were then off to the big-box everything store for some additional groceries and that stop was also uneventful. Given that the majority of people in the store were there in a frenzied effort to buy last-minute gifts for giving and groceries for holiday dinners, that was a surprise to us. Once again, what's not to like?
Returning to the weather, I spent about one hour yesterday after we returned from our errands clearing the snow cover from the driveway in front of the garage, off of the deck, and in front of the manse. I moved the larger piles to open spaces to make way for the additional snowfall that will inevitably come. I also cleared a place for the trash bin to sit as it awaits the trash pickup at the curb. How long that space will last in the face of the city plows is unknown.
Since I had an entire bunch of bananas to use, Mary suggested that I make two loaves of my world famous banana nut bread, one for freezing. With two baking pans, that was possible and it also allowed me to use my new hand mixer, which worked as I'd hoped. However, the latest flour sifter that we got not that long ago was consigned to the trash. I've ordered a new one that may or may not be better. I do know that the one we had gotten at an antique store and that I gave to the thrift store worked better.
I spent some time reading after my outdoor efforts and as I awaited the finish of my loaves. Then I just sat and vegged. Mary got us up and out for a trip to JWs around 3:45 p.m.
Today, I want to stay in until it is time for our chiropractor's appointment. One of us will have to walk the fur-children to the back forty for their outdoor activities. In spite of my efforts @ clearing the snow, the city sidewalks around the PE are still ice and snow covered so that will preclude any real walking with the fur-children. I am finally going to spend some quality time with the girls here in the music room. Mary is going to hit the sewing machine before she chats with her indexing colleagues.
The sun will rise @ 8:14 a.m. and set @ 5:14 p.m. Ciao.
The current temperature is 36° on both the NWS report and the DTWS. That temperature is under cloudy skies, and with a quick trip outdoors with GTWD and STWD, I can affirm that report. Later today, the high temperature is expected to reach 39° per the NWS with a 70% chance of precipitation, hopefully in the form of rain. Tomorrow we'll see a high of 37° with only a 20% chance of additional precipitation. Sunday looks about the same. However, Monday, Boxing Day, the high temperature is forecast to rise to a very unseasonal 47°. with a light rain and winds @ 27 mph.
By way of information, Boxing Day is celebrated in Great Britain and much of the former British Empire. The origins are somewhat murky, with some saying it was a day set aside for postmen and other servants and errand boys to receive a Christmas box. A Christmas box may have meant a gratuity from a donor. One source notes that it was the day that serving people or tradespeople were given a gift for having to work serving their "Masters" on Christmas Day. In other words, it is a holiday whose origins have been lost through time.
Our stop @ the podiatrist yesterday was uneventful. I'll see them in another three months. Lunch was everything we'd hoped for as the hospital salad bar had all of the good things yesterday. Romaine lettuce, chickpeas, fruit, beets, and fat-free dressing. What's not to like?
We were then off to the big-box everything store for some additional groceries and that stop was also uneventful. Given that the majority of people in the store were there in a frenzied effort to buy last-minute gifts for giving and groceries for holiday dinners, that was a surprise to us. Once again, what's not to like?
Returning to the weather, I spent about one hour yesterday after we returned from our errands clearing the snow cover from the driveway in front of the garage, off of the deck, and in front of the manse. I moved the larger piles to open spaces to make way for the additional snowfall that will inevitably come. I also cleared a place for the trash bin to sit as it awaits the trash pickup at the curb. How long that space will last in the face of the city plows is unknown.
Since I had an entire bunch of bananas to use, Mary suggested that I make two loaves of my world famous banana nut bread, one for freezing. With two baking pans, that was possible and it also allowed me to use my new hand mixer, which worked as I'd hoped. However, the latest flour sifter that we got not that long ago was consigned to the trash. I've ordered a new one that may or may not be better. I do know that the one we had gotten at an antique store and that I gave to the thrift store worked better.
I spent some time reading after my outdoor efforts and as I awaited the finish of my loaves. Then I just sat and vegged. Mary got us up and out for a trip to JWs around 3:45 p.m.
Today, I want to stay in until it is time for our chiropractor's appointment. One of us will have to walk the fur-children to the back forty for their outdoor activities. In spite of my efforts @ clearing the snow, the city sidewalks around the PE are still ice and snow covered so that will preclude any real walking with the fur-children. I am finally going to spend some quality time with the girls here in the music room. Mary is going to hit the sewing machine before she chats with her indexing colleagues.
The sun will rise @ 8:14 a.m. and set @ 5:14 p.m. Ciao.
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 5:00 a.m. in "The City."
If I ever understand how to predict the trains that ply the rails of the RSTL, I'll be amazed. Yesterday, @ 4:55 a.m., the northbound run of the train passed through our fair city on the rails outside the manse. I must have missed the earlier southbound run when we were out. At any rate, locomotives 2057 and 2019 were moving up the rails, accepting that a northward direction is up, towing the following cars, all fully loaded: 33 DBTCs, one GTC, and four DWTCs.
We had gone to the grocery store to gather the supplies for our Christmas dinner and then traveled to the New Ewe Yarns and Quilt shop in Newaygo so that Mary could retrieve her Christmas stocking filled with craft type goodies.
We had planned to have lunch near there, but when we exited the store, snowflakes were beginning to fall, so we made an executive decision to head for home. We did make a stop at a kitchen supply store in Newaygo so that I could get an additional bread pan, an oil sprayer for my bread baking, and some bamboo stirrers. Then we skedaddled towards home. We did make some additional stops along the way in search of a hand mixer which we ended up getting at the Dollar General in Spring Lake. By the time we had gotten closer to home, the snow had stopped.
We stopped @ the Tip - A - Few Tavern for a late lunch and there I had a sample of a whiskey named Rebel Yell Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey distilled in Louisville, KY. Like all Kentucky bourbons, it had been distilled for 10 years. It had an amazing root beer taste/flavor that would be superb in an alcoholic root beer float. I may have to seek more.
I took GTWD and STWD outside @ 3:45 a.m. and the weather was windy but mild. The current temperature is 38° under partly cloudy skies. We have only a 10% chance for precipitation later today. However, that will increase to 50% by Friday with rain/snow showers in the evening. Christmas Day, the chance of showers increases to 30% as the temperature also stays the same. By Monday, Boxing Day, the high temperature is forecast by the NWS to reach a zenith of 47° before plunging back to a more wintry 27° on Tuesday. Much like Chicago, if you don't like the weather, wait an hour.
While we were out yesterday, I received a 2016 National Parks Quarter in change that depicts our 26th president, Teddy Roosevelt. As a driving force for creating our national parks, it is appropriate that he be on one of the quarters. However, it is ironic that his quarter is for N. Dakota, as this has been and continues to be, the site of the protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline that would threaten the water supply for millions of people if it leaks into the aquifer or the river that it would pass under.
The safety record for all oil pipelines and their owners is not good and the company that is building this one has a similar record. Despite studies, there is no such thing as a 100% leakproof pipeline. Clean up efforts/technology never remove all of the contamination after a spill/leak. Just ask the people who live along the Gulf of Mexico or near the Kalamazoo River here in Michigan and numerous other places. The pursuit of profits for the short term would risk the water supply for decades if a leak occurred. The Army Corps of Engineers has called a halt to the project, but what will happen in the future is unknown.
Today, I am planning on baking some of my world famous banana nut bread in our new bread pan. Both of our Sous Dogs will be at the ready, I'm sure. I'll get a chance to try out my new hand-held mixer on the bread ingredient mixing. Mary plans to get to work on the valences for my music room/weather office. She has the time right now, so I hope she can get them done. I do know that she has some kitchen activities in her plans too, but I get first dibs.
Otherwise, the fur-children will need their regular outdoor activities and the girls still await my caresses. I have a routine doctor's appointment this morning which will necessitate a stop at the hospital salad bar for lunch. I won't have to twist Mary's arm to accompany me to this appointment. Is it just me, or does time go faster as we get older? No matter what, the sun will rise today @ 8:14 a.m. and set @ 5:13 p.m. Ciao.
If I ever understand how to predict the trains that ply the rails of the RSTL, I'll be amazed. Yesterday, @ 4:55 a.m., the northbound run of the train passed through our fair city on the rails outside the manse. I must have missed the earlier southbound run when we were out. At any rate, locomotives 2057 and 2019 were moving up the rails, accepting that a northward direction is up, towing the following cars, all fully loaded: 33 DBTCs, one GTC, and four DWTCs.
We had gone to the grocery store to gather the supplies for our Christmas dinner and then traveled to the New Ewe Yarns and Quilt shop in Newaygo so that Mary could retrieve her Christmas stocking filled with craft type goodies.
We had planned to have lunch near there, but when we exited the store, snowflakes were beginning to fall, so we made an executive decision to head for home. We did make a stop at a kitchen supply store in Newaygo so that I could get an additional bread pan, an oil sprayer for my bread baking, and some bamboo stirrers. Then we skedaddled towards home. We did make some additional stops along the way in search of a hand mixer which we ended up getting at the Dollar General in Spring Lake. By the time we had gotten closer to home, the snow had stopped.
We stopped @ the Tip - A - Few Tavern for a late lunch and there I had a sample of a whiskey named Rebel Yell Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey distilled in Louisville, KY. Like all Kentucky bourbons, it had been distilled for 10 years. It had an amazing root beer taste/flavor that would be superb in an alcoholic root beer float. I may have to seek more.
I took GTWD and STWD outside @ 3:45 a.m. and the weather was windy but mild. The current temperature is 38° under partly cloudy skies. We have only a 10% chance for precipitation later today. However, that will increase to 50% by Friday with rain/snow showers in the evening. Christmas Day, the chance of showers increases to 30% as the temperature also stays the same. By Monday, Boxing Day, the high temperature is forecast by the NWS to reach a zenith of 47° before plunging back to a more wintry 27° on Tuesday. Much like Chicago, if you don't like the weather, wait an hour.
While we were out yesterday, I received a 2016 National Parks Quarter in change that depicts our 26th president, Teddy Roosevelt. As a driving force for creating our national parks, it is appropriate that he be on one of the quarters. However, it is ironic that his quarter is for N. Dakota, as this has been and continues to be, the site of the protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline that would threaten the water supply for millions of people if it leaks into the aquifer or the river that it would pass under.
The safety record for all oil pipelines and their owners is not good and the company that is building this one has a similar record. Despite studies, there is no such thing as a 100% leakproof pipeline. Clean up efforts/technology never remove all of the contamination after a spill/leak. Just ask the people who live along the Gulf of Mexico or near the Kalamazoo River here in Michigan and numerous other places. The pursuit of profits for the short term would risk the water supply for decades if a leak occurred. The Army Corps of Engineers has called a halt to the project, but what will happen in the future is unknown.
Today, I am planning on baking some of my world famous banana nut bread in our new bread pan. Both of our Sous Dogs will be at the ready, I'm sure. I'll get a chance to try out my new hand-held mixer on the bread ingredient mixing. Mary plans to get to work on the valences for my music room/weather office. She has the time right now, so I hope she can get them done. I do know that she has some kitchen activities in her plans too, but I get first dibs.
Otherwise, the fur-children will need their regular outdoor activities and the girls still await my caresses. I have a routine doctor's appointment this morning which will necessitate a stop at the hospital salad bar for lunch. I won't have to twist Mary's arm to accompany me to this appointment. Is it just me, or does time go faster as we get older? No matter what, the sun will rise today @ 8:14 a.m. and set @ 5:13 p.m. Ciao.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 2:00 a.m. in "The City."
I have the other half of the trainspotting report from Monday. Apparently, I didn't miss the train's passage on Monday. Instead, the northbound run happened yesterday morning @ 11:25 a.m., as locomotives 2019 and 2057 passed by on the RSTL towing 22 CHCs, seven DBTCs, and three DWTCs, all fully loaded. Will there be another passage today? I don't know. Since this is the RSTL, I have no control. If this were Adam's model train layout, I could more accurately predict the passage, but alas, I am merely a trainspotter, not a train controller/conductor.
I accomplished just a few things yesterday, the completion of several crossword puzzles, the partial assembly of our new exercise machine, and a visit to my barber. Mary was far more productive, as she completed her indexing project and sent it on its way. She also made a new recipe for dinner, a vegan version of macaroni and cheese. I liked it, but she seemed more tentative. I was hungry, but I still think it was good. I did drop off something for Mary @ her hair stylist who is located across the street from my barber.
In the afternoon, I spent some time assembling the exercise machine that Mary ordered so that we can get some exercise when we can't walk outdoors beyond the back forty. Some pieces came broken, so I have to get on the phone later today and call the manufacturer for replacement parts. Sigh.
Today's weather is expected to be warmer than yesterday. We have a current temperature of 35° being reported by both the NWS and my own DTWS. The NWS is predicting a high today of 37° under partly cloudy skies with a 20% chance of precipitation. That is the same forecast thru Saturday, Christmas Eve, and the second day of Hanukkah. The NWS has forecast a high of 40° albeit with a 90% chance of precipitation for Christmas and the third day of Hanukkah.
Now that the winds have died down, the NWS has canceled the winter weather advisory and the gale warnings. There is still a small-craft warning for the "Big Lake." The improved forecast should allow us to get out today and get the various grocery items on our list for Christmas dinner without fear of poor driving conditions. Since she is between indexing jobs for a week or so, I know that Mary wants to go to Newaygo to stop @ a yarn store where she has a Christmas stocking filled with patterns and other sundry items that she has been adding via the internet. I only need to stop @ the library to pick up books.
I go along for the ride and to return the cans that have been accumulating and awaiting redemption. Every time I consider going back to buying canned soda in lieu of using the Soda Stream™, Mary reminds me that the volume of cans to be redeemed would increase dramatically.
I want to get started on the crosswords from the Sunday N.Y. Times along with spending time with the girls. Maybe Mary can take the fur-children out today so that I can have some time to do that. I know that the fur-children don't take much time, but when you have to get dressed for the wintry weather, time spent outdoors seemingly expands exponentially.
I was just outside with GTWD and let STWD out on her tether. The temperature was okay, but the Wonder Dog seemed to not have a true need to go out. She was more interested in barking @ shadows and voices that she heard. I think both she and her big sister, Sugar, just wanted treats. Who can blame them?
So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Playtime with the girls, picking up some books from the library, getting groceries, and possibly going to that aforementioned yarn store. The sun will rise later this morning @ 8:13 a.m. and set @ 5:13 p.m. as the first day of winter arrives. The shortest day will actually be Thursday when the sun rises @ 8:14 a.m. and sets @ 5:13 p.m. We start to have longer days on Monday, Boxing Day, when the sunrise and sunset times begin to be further apart, Ciao.
I have the other half of the trainspotting report from Monday. Apparently, I didn't miss the train's passage on Monday. Instead, the northbound run happened yesterday morning @ 11:25 a.m., as locomotives 2019 and 2057 passed by on the RSTL towing 22 CHCs, seven DBTCs, and three DWTCs, all fully loaded. Will there be another passage today? I don't know. Since this is the RSTL, I have no control. If this were Adam's model train layout, I could more accurately predict the passage, but alas, I am merely a trainspotter, not a train controller/conductor.
I accomplished just a few things yesterday, the completion of several crossword puzzles, the partial assembly of our new exercise machine, and a visit to my barber. Mary was far more productive, as she completed her indexing project and sent it on its way. She also made a new recipe for dinner, a vegan version of macaroni and cheese. I liked it, but she seemed more tentative. I was hungry, but I still think it was good. I did drop off something for Mary @ her hair stylist who is located across the street from my barber.
In the afternoon, I spent some time assembling the exercise machine that Mary ordered so that we can get some exercise when we can't walk outdoors beyond the back forty. Some pieces came broken, so I have to get on the phone later today and call the manufacturer for replacement parts. Sigh.
Today's weather is expected to be warmer than yesterday. We have a current temperature of 35° being reported by both the NWS and my own DTWS. The NWS is predicting a high today of 37° under partly cloudy skies with a 20% chance of precipitation. That is the same forecast thru Saturday, Christmas Eve, and the second day of Hanukkah. The NWS has forecast a high of 40° albeit with a 90% chance of precipitation for Christmas and the third day of Hanukkah.
Now that the winds have died down, the NWS has canceled the winter weather advisory and the gale warnings. There is still a small-craft warning for the "Big Lake." The improved forecast should allow us to get out today and get the various grocery items on our list for Christmas dinner without fear of poor driving conditions. Since she is between indexing jobs for a week or so, I know that Mary wants to go to Newaygo to stop @ a yarn store where she has a Christmas stocking filled with patterns and other sundry items that she has been adding via the internet. I only need to stop @ the library to pick up books.
I go along for the ride and to return the cans that have been accumulating and awaiting redemption. Every time I consider going back to buying canned soda in lieu of using the Soda Stream™, Mary reminds me that the volume of cans to be redeemed would increase dramatically.
I want to get started on the crosswords from the Sunday N.Y. Times along with spending time with the girls. Maybe Mary can take the fur-children out today so that I can have some time to do that. I know that the fur-children don't take much time, but when you have to get dressed for the wintry weather, time spent outdoors seemingly expands exponentially.
I was just outside with GTWD and let STWD out on her tether. The temperature was okay, but the Wonder Dog seemed to not have a true need to go out. She was more interested in barking @ shadows and voices that she heard. I think both she and her big sister, Sugar, just wanted treats. Who can blame them?
So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Playtime with the girls, picking up some books from the library, getting groceries, and possibly going to that aforementioned yarn store. The sun will rise later this morning @ 8:13 a.m. and set @ 5:13 p.m. as the first day of winter arrives. The shortest day will actually be Thursday when the sun rises @ 8:14 a.m. and sets @ 5:13 p.m. We start to have longer days on Monday, Boxing Day, when the sunrise and sunset times begin to be further apart, Ciao.
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City."
Yesterday, a good day was had by all. While the winds blew and that made walking and driving a bit of a challenge, the sunshine was a welcome sight in the run-up to the first day of winter and the subsequent Hanukkah and Christmas holidays. This seems like a good time to describe the weather as it currently exists.
I was just outside with GTWD and STWD and it felt almost balmy by mid-December standards. In fact, although the NWS in GR is reporting a current temperature of 23°, the DTWS shows 30°. One good thing about our back forty is that it is somewhat enclosed on three sides. That means that you have to go to the street in front of the manse to experience what the weather is actually like. It is also worthy of note that the temperatures and other weather conditions are often different here on the shores of the "Big Lake."
The NWS has forecast high winds for today, with gusts that can reach 50 mph. For those of you who read my previous blog, you know that that is equivalent to 57.5 knots. In either case, the NWS has continued the winter weather advisory for today. Walking, driving and other outdoor activities will be made more difficult by the winds as the snow that lies in open areas will be blowing across the roads and fields. The forecast high temperature for today is expected to be 34° with temperatures around 36° through Saturday. No significant precipitation is in that forecast for that period.
Sunday, Christmas Day and the second day of Hanukkah, the temperature will rise to 41° with a 70% chance of rain later in the day. The temperature on Monday, Boxing Day, and the third day of Hanukkah will be 39° with that same 70% chance of rain. Maybe some of the snow covering will be washed away.
The sun will rise later this morning @ 8:13 a.m. and set @ 5:12 p.m. Mary will be working on an index that is due today and I'll be working on some crossword puzzles. I will get some time in with the girls today along with the other activities that we have on tap. I mostly finished reading and sharing the N.Y. Times yesterday while sitting in Mary's office. GTWD and the intrepid one were also there and they just had to occasionally interrupt.
I also observed one-half of the Monday run of the trains on the RSTL @10:47 a.m. Locomotives 2019 and 2057 were headed south towing one CHC, four DWTCs. and five DBTCs. We were somewhere in the north country when the northbound run must have occurred. However, before we left on our errands, I did see a railroad work truck riding the rails, also southbound.
By mid-afternoon, Mary's eyes and lower back were feeling the strain of sitting in her office chair, so we did an uncharacteristic thing, we traveled to the busy mall area to purchase some needed items. We also visited Walgreens near the PE to pick up my first prescriptions under Medicare. The experience went more smoothly than I thought it might. A slight snafu was quickly resolved by the pharmacy staff and after that, everything was great.
We need to go to the grocery store later today after Mary is done with the index to gather the items needed to prepare Christmas dinner on Sunday. We plan to be mostly traditional, with green bean casserole, garlic-smashed potatoes, dressing, canned, jellied, cranberry sauce, a vegan roast beest, and Mary's famous mushroom gravy to pour over everything. I am certain that I will like everything.
Ciao.
Yesterday, a good day was had by all. While the winds blew and that made walking and driving a bit of a challenge, the sunshine was a welcome sight in the run-up to the first day of winter and the subsequent Hanukkah and Christmas holidays. This seems like a good time to describe the weather as it currently exists.
I was just outside with GTWD and STWD and it felt almost balmy by mid-December standards. In fact, although the NWS in GR is reporting a current temperature of 23°, the DTWS shows 30°. One good thing about our back forty is that it is somewhat enclosed on three sides. That means that you have to go to the street in front of the manse to experience what the weather is actually like. It is also worthy of note that the temperatures and other weather conditions are often different here on the shores of the "Big Lake."
The NWS has forecast high winds for today, with gusts that can reach 50 mph. For those of you who read my previous blog, you know that that is equivalent to 57.5 knots. In either case, the NWS has continued the winter weather advisory for today. Walking, driving and other outdoor activities will be made more difficult by the winds as the snow that lies in open areas will be blowing across the roads and fields. The forecast high temperature for today is expected to be 34° with temperatures around 36° through Saturday. No significant precipitation is in that forecast for that period.
Sunday, Christmas Day and the second day of Hanukkah, the temperature will rise to 41° with a 70% chance of rain later in the day. The temperature on Monday, Boxing Day, and the third day of Hanukkah will be 39° with that same 70% chance of rain. Maybe some of the snow covering will be washed away.
The sun will rise later this morning @ 8:13 a.m. and set @ 5:12 p.m. Mary will be working on an index that is due today and I'll be working on some crossword puzzles. I will get some time in with the girls today along with the other activities that we have on tap. I mostly finished reading and sharing the N.Y. Times yesterday while sitting in Mary's office. GTWD and the intrepid one were also there and they just had to occasionally interrupt.
I also observed one-half of the Monday run of the trains on the RSTL @10:47 a.m. Locomotives 2019 and 2057 were headed south towing one CHC, four DWTCs. and five DBTCs. We were somewhere in the north country when the northbound run must have occurred. However, before we left on our errands, I did see a railroad work truck riding the rails, also southbound.
By mid-afternoon, Mary's eyes and lower back were feeling the strain of sitting in her office chair, so we did an uncharacteristic thing, we traveled to the busy mall area to purchase some needed items. We also visited Walgreens near the PE to pick up my first prescriptions under Medicare. The experience went more smoothly than I thought it might. A slight snafu was quickly resolved by the pharmacy staff and after that, everything was great.
We need to go to the grocery store later today after Mary is done with the index to gather the items needed to prepare Christmas dinner on Sunday. We plan to be mostly traditional, with green bean casserole, garlic-smashed potatoes, dressing, canned, jellied, cranberry sauce, a vegan roast beest, and Mary's famous mushroom gravy to pour over everything. I am certain that I will like everything.
Ciao.
Monday, December 19, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 12:00 a.m. in "The City."
Yesterday was a snowy day. We got about three inches of new snow, but it seemed to come when we were both sleeping and awake. I wonder if the Jolly Old Elf knew? Oh well, I was fortunate that our neighbor once again was on the job and cleared the majority of our shared driveway. I spent some time yesterday clearing the snow from the deck, the front porch/sidewalk, and the area in front of the garage. Our neighbor does a good job, but there is always snow left in places that need to be cleared.
Both GTWD and STWD were fortunate too, as that meant that I had the chance to clear their area in the back forty. Speaking of the fur-children, Mary took a couple of pictures of them in a rare moment of repose. They are only in these positions when they are not engaging in a scrum that is their preferred form of play.
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| Ginger and I in the La-Z-Boy |
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| The fur-children asleep on the couch |
The 9 - 5 Lions didn't fare any better, as they fell to the 10 - 4 New York Giants by a final score of 6 - 17. The Lions have to play the 12 - 2 Cowboys next week and then close out the season against the 8 - 6 Packers. The NFC Central Division is up for grabs.
Yesterday I spent some time working on some music while Mary worked on an index. She says she is making good progress. Most importantly, this index does not require my assistance. I'm good with that.
Today, I plan to do some of the crosswords from the N. Y. Times that Mary picked up downtown yesterday. That was one of the reasons that I had to clear the driveway so that she could get the car out and go to the news agency. She would prefer to walk, but the sidewalks are just too ice covered and treacherous for safe walking. We are not getting enough exercise this winter due to the ice and snow unless you count the shoveling and snow blowing that I am doing.
Otherwise, the fur-children will need to go out later this morning. GTWD is okay with going to the cleared area in the backyard and I suppose STWD is too, but as I said, no one in the household is getting enough exercise this winter.
The current temperature is 15° according to the NWS. On my DTWS, the temperature is 16.9°. In either case, that's cold. In addition, the NWS has issued a small craft warning that is in effect now, to be followed by a gale warning later today. A gale warning in December? High winds ranging from 15 - 25 knots will produce waves tonight from 3 to 5 feet. As the wind speeds climb to 40 knots, the waves will build to 6 to 10 feet later today and 7 to 12 feet on Tuesday as the winds increase to gale force.
According to the warning notice, a gale warning is issued when winds are from 34 knots to 47 knots. Any small craft operators are advised to stay off the "Big Lake." By way of information, a knot is 1.15 nautical miles, so to get the conversion to mph, you multiply the number of knots by 1.15 to get the miles per hour. For example, 10 knots equals 11.508 mph. therefore, a 47-knot wind speed is equal to 54.087 mph. Convoluted I know, but that's how it works.
Later today, the high temperature will reach 24°. By Tuesday when the sun warms the air, we are supposed to reach 34°. The sun will rise today @ 8:12 a.m. and set @ 5:12 p.m. Ciao.
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:00 a.m. in "The City."
Yes, I have been hibernating. Well not exactly, but I have been enjoying some extra time in a nice warm bed. When I sprang to the WW earlier to see what has been happening while I slept, I was not surprised to see that there has been significant snow accumulation, although it is not snowing right now. The NWS in Grand Rapids has issued a winter weather advisory for the major portion of Michigan from Kalamazoo north. Snowfall in our little corner of the world is anticipated to cause slippery driving conditions, likewise walking conditions, along with a need for extra caution in all outdoor activities.
I received an email yesterday that my Irish Jam session that was scheduled for today was canceled due to the accumulating snow which is expected to add an additional four to seven inches through tonight. However, that advisory is in effect until 7:00 a.m. Sunday, so more accumulation is likely.
I have to be sure to thank our neighbor for his efforts on our shared driveway. He is trying to stay ahead of the snow so that his significant other can get out and go to work, but the city snowplows keep piling the snow back into the driveway. I'll give him an assist later this morning when I decide it is time to go outside, or at least when the fur-children decide it is time to go out.
We have a current temperature of 16° per the NWS or 20° according to the DTWS. I like my temperature better. We are approaching the shortest day of the year, Wednesday, December 21, 2016, the annual winter solstice. After that, the days will begin to get longer and spring training will not be far behind. For the Cubs, their pitchers and catchers should be reporting to Mesa, AZ around February 17, and the position players a few days later. No official dates are published @ this time, with the exception of the date for the first game against the Oakland As on February 25, 2017.
Not unlike the mythological Persephone, who returns from the netherworld each year to signal the start of spring, I too am reborn each year when spring training begins and the players are on the field in Mesa. This year, I can feel even better because the Cubs are the 2016 World Series champions. First baseman Anthony Rizzo says he wants more rings. I concur.
Mary returned to the kitchen yesterday where she interpreted a recipe for vegetable stew that turned out great. It is a keeper. In fact, it was so good and so voluminous, that we had it for both lunch and dinner. Each time, the stew was accompanied by a slice of our latest bread for sopping up the gravy. Sadly, the stew is all gone now. Mary finished one index yesterday and she has another to do this weekend, but she has vowed to spend more time in her various domains, the kitchen, her craft/sewing room, and the La-Z-Boy where she is still working on the tree skirt. As I recall, she is doing this in cross-stitch, nee needlepoint. Or, is it the other way around?
At any rate, I am making progress on the latest jigsaw puzzles. While there are only 500 pieces in this one, those pieces are for 15 separate, smaller, butterfly puzzles. Each puzzle has somewhere between 15 and 40 pieces with no edge pieces, so it is harder than I first anticipated to assemble each butterfly. Mary has done some of the smaller ones as she passed through. I have to be careful because GTWD likes to taste anything that drops to the floor. She likes to lay beneath the puzzle table when I'm working, so any piece that I don't place has to be accounted for or it will be fair game for the wonder dog.
Other than snow removal and walking GTWD to her spot in the back forty and letting STWD out on her tether, I have no plans. I must get to the Bookman for a Sunday N.Y. Times, as they have a great crossword puzzle section in this edition, plus there are also other sections, such as the Book Review, that are worth reading too.
The sun will rise today to reveal the extent of the snowfall @ 8:11 a.m. and set a scant nine hours later @ 5:11 p.m. Ciao.
Yes, I have been hibernating. Well not exactly, but I have been enjoying some extra time in a nice warm bed. When I sprang to the WW earlier to see what has been happening while I slept, I was not surprised to see that there has been significant snow accumulation, although it is not snowing right now. The NWS in Grand Rapids has issued a winter weather advisory for the major portion of Michigan from Kalamazoo north. Snowfall in our little corner of the world is anticipated to cause slippery driving conditions, likewise walking conditions, along with a need for extra caution in all outdoor activities.
I received an email yesterday that my Irish Jam session that was scheduled for today was canceled due to the accumulating snow which is expected to add an additional four to seven inches through tonight. However, that advisory is in effect until 7:00 a.m. Sunday, so more accumulation is likely.
I have to be sure to thank our neighbor for his efforts on our shared driveway. He is trying to stay ahead of the snow so that his significant other can get out and go to work, but the city snowplows keep piling the snow back into the driveway. I'll give him an assist later this morning when I decide it is time to go outside, or at least when the fur-children decide it is time to go out.
We have a current temperature of 16° per the NWS or 20° according to the DTWS. I like my temperature better. We are approaching the shortest day of the year, Wednesday, December 21, 2016, the annual winter solstice. After that, the days will begin to get longer and spring training will not be far behind. For the Cubs, their pitchers and catchers should be reporting to Mesa, AZ around February 17, and the position players a few days later. No official dates are published @ this time, with the exception of the date for the first game against the Oakland As on February 25, 2017.
Not unlike the mythological Persephone, who returns from the netherworld each year to signal the start of spring, I too am reborn each year when spring training begins and the players are on the field in Mesa. This year, I can feel even better because the Cubs are the 2016 World Series champions. First baseman Anthony Rizzo says he wants more rings. I concur.
Mary returned to the kitchen yesterday where she interpreted a recipe for vegetable stew that turned out great. It is a keeper. In fact, it was so good and so voluminous, that we had it for both lunch and dinner. Each time, the stew was accompanied by a slice of our latest bread for sopping up the gravy. Sadly, the stew is all gone now. Mary finished one index yesterday and she has another to do this weekend, but she has vowed to spend more time in her various domains, the kitchen, her craft/sewing room, and the La-Z-Boy where she is still working on the tree skirt. As I recall, she is doing this in cross-stitch, nee needlepoint. Or, is it the other way around?
At any rate, I am making progress on the latest jigsaw puzzles. While there are only 500 pieces in this one, those pieces are for 15 separate, smaller, butterfly puzzles. Each puzzle has somewhere between 15 and 40 pieces with no edge pieces, so it is harder than I first anticipated to assemble each butterfly. Mary has done some of the smaller ones as she passed through. I have to be careful because GTWD likes to taste anything that drops to the floor. She likes to lay beneath the puzzle table when I'm working, so any piece that I don't place has to be accounted for or it will be fair game for the wonder dog.
Other than snow removal and walking GTWD to her spot in the back forty and letting STWD out on her tether, I have no plans. I must get to the Bookman for a Sunday N.Y. Times, as they have a great crossword puzzle section in this edition, plus there are also other sections, such as the Book Review, that are worth reading too.
The sun will rise today to reveal the extent of the snowfall @ 8:11 a.m. and set a scant nine hours later @ 5:11 p.m. Ciao.
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 1:00 a.m. in "The City."
We have yet to receive much snow in Ottawa County, but the entire West Michigan area is under a winter weather advisory that will be in effect until 12:00 p.m. today. Strong and gusty winds will cause blowing snow that will make driving hazardous. The NWS has forecast a 90% chance for snow this early morning, that could produce anywhere from one to four inches of additional snow. We have a current temperature of 14° that feels much colder due to the steady winds in the mid-20 mph range and gusts in the 30 mph range.
Late last night, I stood outside with GTWD in the area that I cleared in the back forty but she seemed more fascinated by the winds and the few blowing leaves that passed her nose. STWD knew where she wanted to be, inside, and didn't have to be asked to come inside twice when she was out earlier.
We originally adopted GTWD as a lap dog and "cuddle bug" for Mary, but we also got a watch dog who sits on the back of the sofa and barks at any person or dog in her field of vision. She especially barks at people on the sidewalk in front of the manse. The UPS drivers and the USPS carriers are also not welcome since they come on her porch. STWD used to be like that too, so we are hoping that Ginger will grow tired of this activity.
I'm sitting here in the Weather Office, WO, and the winds are blowing quite strongly outside the WW, Weather Window. We have a canvas awning on the front of the manse and the winds are making it sound like I'm in a bass drum.
With some assistance from Mary, I got my bread baked yesterday. The first and second rises went well, and then I placed the dough into the baking pan for the final rise before placing it into the oven. That was supposed to take from 1 1/2 to 2 hours, so we went out to the grocery store for some things. When we came back, we found that the yeast had proven even more active than expected and the dough had expanded way over the top of the pan. Mary made an administrative decision and trimmed it back some and then it went into the oven.
It baked for a shade over one hour, but it wasn't quite done, so back in the oven, it went. We couldn't get it out of the pan, so we went out to dinner. When we got back, it easily came out easily and the finished loaf was everything I had hoped for. Mary took some pictures of the bread in progress to memorialize our efforts.
In addition, since the camera was downstairs, Mary took a picture of me in the La-Z-Boy with both of the fur-children in my lap.
Today, Mary has to revise a previous index. I spent a few hours last night highlighting the manuscript so that she could recreate her previous efforts. Since I wasn't commenting this time, the process went relatively quickly.
There were no trains yesterday, so I don't know what to expect today. I plan to sit in my chair and do some reading and TV viewing. I want to spend some time with the girls in my music room too. I can't play and sing too loudly while Mary is working.
The sun will rise into cloudy skies @ 8:09 a.m. and set @ 5:10 a.m. Ciao.
We have yet to receive much snow in Ottawa County, but the entire West Michigan area is under a winter weather advisory that will be in effect until 12:00 p.m. today. Strong and gusty winds will cause blowing snow that will make driving hazardous. The NWS has forecast a 90% chance for snow this early morning, that could produce anywhere from one to four inches of additional snow. We have a current temperature of 14° that feels much colder due to the steady winds in the mid-20 mph range and gusts in the 30 mph range.
Late last night, I stood outside with GTWD in the area that I cleared in the back forty but she seemed more fascinated by the winds and the few blowing leaves that passed her nose. STWD knew where she wanted to be, inside, and didn't have to be asked to come inside twice when she was out earlier.
We originally adopted GTWD as a lap dog and "cuddle bug" for Mary, but we also got a watch dog who sits on the back of the sofa and barks at any person or dog in her field of vision. She especially barks at people on the sidewalk in front of the manse. The UPS drivers and the USPS carriers are also not welcome since they come on her porch. STWD used to be like that too, so we are hoping that Ginger will grow tired of this activity.
I'm sitting here in the Weather Office, WO, and the winds are blowing quite strongly outside the WW, Weather Window. We have a canvas awning on the front of the manse and the winds are making it sound like I'm in a bass drum.
With some assistance from Mary, I got my bread baked yesterday. The first and second rises went well, and then I placed the dough into the baking pan for the final rise before placing it into the oven. That was supposed to take from 1 1/2 to 2 hours, so we went out to the grocery store for some things. When we came back, we found that the yeast had proven even more active than expected and the dough had expanded way over the top of the pan. Mary made an administrative decision and trimmed it back some and then it went into the oven.
It baked for a shade over one hour, but it wasn't quite done, so back in the oven, it went. We couldn't get it out of the pan, so we went out to dinner. When we got back, it easily came out easily and the finished loaf was everything I had hoped for. Mary took some pictures of the bread in progress to memorialize our efforts.
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| Before Mary's "Surgery." |
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| Just out of the oven. |
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| Out of the pan and cooling. |
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| It tasted even better than it looked. |
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| Looking Good. |
There were no trains yesterday, so I don't know what to expect today. I plan to sit in my chair and do some reading and TV viewing. I want to spend some time with the girls in my music room too. I can't play and sing too loudly while Mary is working.
The sun will rise into cloudy skies @ 8:09 a.m. and set @ 5:10 a.m. Ciao.
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:30 a.m. in "The City."
Well, here we go again. I was just starting to enjoy the respite from the wintry weather and then the NWS issued a Winter Weather Advisory that is in effect from 10:00 a.m. today until 4:00 a.m. Thursday. Blowing winds that will cause drifting snow, hazardous driving conditions and wind chills in the lower single digits are in that forecast. The current temperature is 22° but it feels like 8° with the over 20 mph winds under cloudy skies. The snow is expected to begin in earnest around 3:00 p.m. this afternoon. Time to get that snowblower and those shovels ready, again.
Yesterday, I took the fur-children for a walk to the cleared space in the backyard. I could tell that they wanted more, but I just didn't share their desire. Mary was hard at work on the current index, which we finished up after 7:00 p.m. last evening, while I was busy in the kitchen. I started another loaf of bread, this one from that book that I mentioned, Kneadlessly Simple, by Nancy Baggett.
I started the dough in the kitchen and then moved it to the mud room for its initial resting period in the refrigerator-like conditions present there. Last evening, Mary gave me an assist by moving the dough back into the kitchen and giving it a vigorous stirring in preparation for its second rise that takes from 12 to 18 hours. The next step will be later today when I fold the dough and then place it into the baking pan. If all goes well, and I follow the instructions, the bread will go into the oven around two hours later and then bake in two steps. I know why bakers have to get up early and get the bread dough ready. I may go back to my English muffin loaf or beer bread, which are both excellent and much easier to prepare.
Somewhere in there, I took everything out of the refrigerator and gave it a thorough cleaning. We always mean to get to that, but during the spring, summer, and fall here in GH, the outdoors beckoned more than the refrigerator.
I took some pictures yesterday to memorialize the all too infrequent appearance of sunshine and blue skies. One picture was looking west from Mary's office window over the public safety building just west of the PE, while the others show the blue skies and clear streets outside the WW Weather Window to the north.
Too bad it won't last. We need to get out to the grocery store, the post office, and one or two other stops this morning before the weather goes bad. We should have a window until about 3:00 p.m. today. The wind chills and icy sidewalks will preclude an extended walk with the fur-children. Sorry girls, but that's winter in Michigan.
Mary has to get an invoice ready for one of her clients and that may be a stiff learning curve as I believe she has to use a specific system required by the client. I have some indoor chores today that involve the aforementioned bread baking and some laundry in the very cold mud room.
It was three years ago that the washing machine wouldn't drain because its drain tube had frozen solid. A repairman showed us how to add some heat from a portable space heater, which I brought up from the man-cave on Monday while I was down there, to solve that problem. Thanks to Adam and Steph for the inherited space heater that we got when they dissolved their getaway place.
The sun will rise into cloudy and threatening skies @ 8:09 a.m. and set @ 5!0 p.m. Ciao.
Well, here we go again. I was just starting to enjoy the respite from the wintry weather and then the NWS issued a Winter Weather Advisory that is in effect from 10:00 a.m. today until 4:00 a.m. Thursday. Blowing winds that will cause drifting snow, hazardous driving conditions and wind chills in the lower single digits are in that forecast. The current temperature is 22° but it feels like 8° with the over 20 mph winds under cloudy skies. The snow is expected to begin in earnest around 3:00 p.m. this afternoon. Time to get that snowblower and those shovels ready, again.
Yesterday, I took the fur-children for a walk to the cleared space in the backyard. I could tell that they wanted more, but I just didn't share their desire. Mary was hard at work on the current index, which we finished up after 7:00 p.m. last evening, while I was busy in the kitchen. I started another loaf of bread, this one from that book that I mentioned, Kneadlessly Simple, by Nancy Baggett.
I started the dough in the kitchen and then moved it to the mud room for its initial resting period in the refrigerator-like conditions present there. Last evening, Mary gave me an assist by moving the dough back into the kitchen and giving it a vigorous stirring in preparation for its second rise that takes from 12 to 18 hours. The next step will be later today when I fold the dough and then place it into the baking pan. If all goes well, and I follow the instructions, the bread will go into the oven around two hours later and then bake in two steps. I know why bakers have to get up early and get the bread dough ready. I may go back to my English muffin loaf or beer bread, which are both excellent and much easier to prepare.
Somewhere in there, I took everything out of the refrigerator and gave it a thorough cleaning. We always mean to get to that, but during the spring, summer, and fall here in GH, the outdoors beckoned more than the refrigerator.
I took some pictures yesterday to memorialize the all too infrequent appearance of sunshine and blue skies. One picture was looking west from Mary's office window over the public safety building just west of the PE, while the others show the blue skies and clear streets outside the WW Weather Window to the north.
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| You take your sunshine when you can get it. |
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| Same here. |
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| The clouds are a nice touch in this photo. |
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| Yes, clear streets and not many cars. |
Mary has to get an invoice ready for one of her clients and that may be a stiff learning curve as I believe she has to use a specific system required by the client. I have some indoor chores today that involve the aforementioned bread baking and some laundry in the very cold mud room.
It was three years ago that the washing machine wouldn't drain because its drain tube had frozen solid. A repairman showed us how to add some heat from a portable space heater, which I brought up from the man-cave on Monday while I was down there, to solve that problem. Thanks to Adam and Steph for the inherited space heater that we got when they dissolved their getaway place.
The sun will rise into cloudy and threatening skies @ 8:09 a.m. and set @ 5!0 p.m. Ciao.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Good evening Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships @ sea. Breaking news, it snowed in "The City."
Well actually, it snowed throughout West Michigan and all over the Midwest too. In addition, the temperatures warmed just enough late last night to allow sleet to fall and make everything slippery, or is that slipperier? At any rate, the current temperature here is either 29° or 31°, depending on the source. I'll go with my DTWS as it gets its input from the FPMS. Here in the Weather Center of the PE, the current temperature is a cool but comfortable 69°.
I moved a lot os snow over the last two days. With help from our neighbor, the driveway was cleared until the city plows came by and pushed the snow back into the driveway entrance. Since we share the driveway with that neighbor and since his significant other had to go to work this morning, he had to go out very early this morning and clear that area once again along with the entire length of the driveway. All I had to do was clear the area in front of our garage and the sidewalk in front of the manse.
Which leads me to the first of my many pictures. When I was out front clearing the sidewalks, I did a perfect gainer into the nearby snow pile. I just had to lay there and laugh for a minute or so before I arose and looked to see if anybody had seen my effort. I like to believe that the Russian judges would have given me good points for style, but I didn's stick the landing so I would have averaged a 7.2/10.
We'll be having the bread for breakfast tomorrow. I am getting into this baking thing, so Mary has me reading a book about baking no-knead bread, entitled Kneadlessly Simple: Fabulous, Fuss-Free, No-Knead Breads, by Nancy Baggett. My next foray into bread making will likely come from that book. I already make killer banana nut bread and I have baked beer bread and various fruit pies, so I am no stranger to an oven. I have a lot to learn, but I am making progress.
Mostly today, I sat around and read the Grand Haven Tribune and did the Monday crossword, which is very easy. Like nearly all newspaper crossword puzzles, they get more difficult as the week progresses.
I did get out with STWD to walk to the Bookman for that newspaper and that was a challenge. The sidewalks were so slippery, that I came home via the streets with the intrepid one. The challenge for Sugar was finding a place where the snow was not too high so that she could do her business. That's why I cleared more snow to allow for more room in the yard and beside the deck so that she can go out on her tether and do her business close to home so to speak.
While Sugar and I were out, we saw tire impressions from a railroad work truck. I am guessing that the workers were checking the rails on the RSTL for any obstructions. That would explain why the first trainspotting didn't happen until 1:32 p.m. as locomotives 2019 and 2057 headed south at the head of three CHCs, four DWTCs, and four DBTCs.
At nearly 5:15 p.m. those same locomotives signaled their passage as the headed north. In tow were 17 CHCs, five DWTCs, and eight DBTCs. The snow had slowed automobile traffic in West Michigan and closed the schools, so it was no surprise that the trains were delayed. All of the cars were snow covered.
Today, I'll be in charge of walking the fur-children as Mary continues the indexing. I am relatively certain that the fur-children will make it no farther than the cleared space in the back yard. The sidewalks are just too slippery for me and my old bones. I have to put on my editor's hat tomorrow too, so that will largely fill my day.
There is still a 40% chance of additional snow in the forecast from the NWS, but right now the view out the WW is only cloudy with no snow falling. The sun will rise tomorrow morning @ 8:06 a.m. and set @ 5:09 p.m. In between, Mary will be finishing the index and I'll be editing. Ciao.
Well actually, it snowed throughout West Michigan and all over the Midwest too. In addition, the temperatures warmed just enough late last night to allow sleet to fall and make everything slippery, or is that slipperier? At any rate, the current temperature here is either 29° or 31°, depending on the source. I'll go with my DTWS as it gets its input from the FPMS. Here in the Weather Center of the PE, the current temperature is a cool but comfortable 69°.
I moved a lot os snow over the last two days. With help from our neighbor, the driveway was cleared until the city plows came by and pushed the snow back into the driveway entrance. Since we share the driveway with that neighbor and since his significant other had to go to work this morning, he had to go out very early this morning and clear that area once again along with the entire length of the driveway. All I had to do was clear the area in front of our garage and the sidewalk in front of the manse.
Which leads me to the first of my many pictures. When I was out front clearing the sidewalks, I did a perfect gainer into the nearby snow pile. I just had to lay there and laugh for a minute or so before I arose and looked to see if anybody had seen my effort. I like to believe that the Russian judges would have given me good points for style, but I didn's stick the landing so I would have averaged a 7.2/10.
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| My landing spot. |
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| The end of the driveway as cleared by our neighbor. |
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| The city comes by with a small tractor mounted plow to clear the sidewalks, but they are unable to clear the ice. |
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| Somewhere under this pile are the outer doors of the man-cave. |
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| Freshly cleared for any future travel plans. |
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| In the foreground is the cleared area for our small fur-child, GTWD, as well as her big sister, STWD. |
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| Once I came in from snow removal, I started a loaf of English muffin bread. Here it is as it was rising. |
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| About 35 minutes later, it was out of the pan and looking good. |
Mostly today, I sat around and read the Grand Haven Tribune and did the Monday crossword, which is very easy. Like nearly all newspaper crossword puzzles, they get more difficult as the week progresses.
I did get out with STWD to walk to the Bookman for that newspaper and that was a challenge. The sidewalks were so slippery, that I came home via the streets with the intrepid one. The challenge for Sugar was finding a place where the snow was not too high so that she could do her business. That's why I cleared more snow to allow for more room in the yard and beside the deck so that she can go out on her tether and do her business close to home so to speak.
While Sugar and I were out, we saw tire impressions from a railroad work truck. I am guessing that the workers were checking the rails on the RSTL for any obstructions. That would explain why the first trainspotting didn't happen until 1:32 p.m. as locomotives 2019 and 2057 headed south at the head of three CHCs, four DWTCs, and four DBTCs.
At nearly 5:15 p.m. those same locomotives signaled their passage as the headed north. In tow were 17 CHCs, five DWTCs, and eight DBTCs. The snow had slowed automobile traffic in West Michigan and closed the schools, so it was no surprise that the trains were delayed. All of the cars were snow covered.
Today, I'll be in charge of walking the fur-children as Mary continues the indexing. I am relatively certain that the fur-children will make it no farther than the cleared space in the back yard. The sidewalks are just too slippery for me and my old bones. I have to put on my editor's hat tomorrow too, so that will largely fill my day.
There is still a 40% chance of additional snow in the forecast from the NWS, but right now the view out the WW is only cloudy with no snow falling. The sun will rise tomorrow morning @ 8:06 a.m. and set @ 5:09 p.m. In between, Mary will be finishing the index and I'll be editing. Ciao.
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "The City."
The snow, like Olympus, has finally fallen. I took a look out the Weather Window (WW) and sure enough, just as the NWS and their disciples have been predicting, the street in front of the Palatial Estate (PE) is snow covered. That means that when it comes time for Ginger the Wonder Dog (GTWD) to go out and do her business, I'm not going to like it as much as she does. Oh well, that's the love/hate thing we Michiganders have with the weather. The spring is almost always wet and the summers are generally comfortable, while fall can be unpredictable. The current fall, which doesn't actually end until midnight on December 20, has been mostly warmer and dry. While I will have to perform snow removal duties, that's the extent of my outdoor chores at this time of year.
We have a current temperature of 24° per the NWS, or 25.3° according to the DTWS and its FPMS. Oddly, the usual indicators on the display of the DTWS that indicate precipitation are not showing. Go figure. At any rate, there is a "Winter Weather Advisory" in effect for our county, Ottawa, along with many of the other counties along the shores of the "Big Lake." Snowfall amounts are forecast to exceed five inches and may be more than 10 inches, depending on local conditions. Since we live so close to the shores of the "Big Lake" our local conditions either allow us to dodge a storm or get slammed by one. It looks like we are going to be slammed. So much for the "Sweet Spot" that we have been enjoying
I guess that the chance to continue reading is upon me. I checked out a book from the library that is about Teddy Roosevelt, The Bully Pulpit, written by Doris Kears Goodwin. In the large-type format, this book is 1,264 pages in length. I know from looking @ Amazon, that this book is over 900 pages in paperback form and in regular size typeface, it must exceed 800 pages. I also know that in that format, it weighs in @ a hefty 1.6 pounds. This large-type format probably weighs more. I've decided to read specific chapters or I'll have to spend six years reading this book, not unlike the amount of time it took Goodwin to write it. I just don't have that much reading in me anymore.
I had a very productive day yesterday. I accomplished several indoor chores and also made lunch for Mary and yours truly. Mary was hard at work on the current indexing project which will continue today so I will be on my own for safaris and meals. Once the fur-children are walked and the snow has been removed, I'm in for the duration. The Lions are surging while the Bears are experiencing another year of futility.
Speaking of meals, I made a new recipe yesterday that required the chopping of sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery, which when combined with chickpeas, tomato paste, fresh parsley, and several spices, yielded a savory stew. Since it was supposed to be a side-dish type of food with from one to three servings, when accompanied by a large slice of flatbread, Mary suggested that I double the recipe amounts as we were having it as a main meal. Seemingly a good idea, but we have copious amounts of leftovers. Oh well, once again the chief cook and vegetable chopper pronounced my efforts excellent.
Mary loves chopping vegetables and things while I love eating those vegetables. For her, a chance to chop is pure ecstasy, while for me it is work. Plus, the pot that she recommended was way too small and the one I ended up using, while large enough, literally boiled over on the stovetop requiring a lot of clean-up time. At least that gave me the chance to also do a lot of serious scrubbing of the various pots and pans used in preparation along with the stovetop itself. I have a renewed respect for what she loves. I retired to my music room afterward to play with the girls for about one hour.
I did get to enjoy one of my favorite activities while I was chopping/cooking, listening to Christmas music on the radio in the kitchen. I don't get the chance to listen to Christmas music 11 months of the year, so I enjoyed my time in the kitchen doing the chopping and listening. In fact, right now, I am listening to Christmas music on iHeart.
I have no plans for today other than snow removal and the morning and afternoon safaris with the fur-children. I'll probably spend some time watching football and listening to Christmas music while I read.
The sun will rise today @ 8:06 a.m. and set @ 5:09 p.m. as the snow continues to fall until early Monday morning. Ciao.
The snow, like Olympus, has finally fallen. I took a look out the Weather Window (WW) and sure enough, just as the NWS and their disciples have been predicting, the street in front of the Palatial Estate (PE) is snow covered. That means that when it comes time for Ginger the Wonder Dog (GTWD) to go out and do her business, I'm not going to like it as much as she does. Oh well, that's the love/hate thing we Michiganders have with the weather. The spring is almost always wet and the summers are generally comfortable, while fall can be unpredictable. The current fall, which doesn't actually end until midnight on December 20, has been mostly warmer and dry. While I will have to perform snow removal duties, that's the extent of my outdoor chores at this time of year.
We have a current temperature of 24° per the NWS, or 25.3° according to the DTWS and its FPMS. Oddly, the usual indicators on the display of the DTWS that indicate precipitation are not showing. Go figure. At any rate, there is a "Winter Weather Advisory" in effect for our county, Ottawa, along with many of the other counties along the shores of the "Big Lake." Snowfall amounts are forecast to exceed five inches and may be more than 10 inches, depending on local conditions. Since we live so close to the shores of the "Big Lake" our local conditions either allow us to dodge a storm or get slammed by one. It looks like we are going to be slammed. So much for the "Sweet Spot" that we have been enjoying
I guess that the chance to continue reading is upon me. I checked out a book from the library that is about Teddy Roosevelt, The Bully Pulpit, written by Doris Kears Goodwin. In the large-type format, this book is 1,264 pages in length. I know from looking @ Amazon, that this book is over 900 pages in paperback form and in regular size typeface, it must exceed 800 pages. I also know that in that format, it weighs in @ a hefty 1.6 pounds. This large-type format probably weighs more. I've decided to read specific chapters or I'll have to spend six years reading this book, not unlike the amount of time it took Goodwin to write it. I just don't have that much reading in me anymore.
I had a very productive day yesterday. I accomplished several indoor chores and also made lunch for Mary and yours truly. Mary was hard at work on the current indexing project which will continue today so I will be on my own for safaris and meals. Once the fur-children are walked and the snow has been removed, I'm in for the duration. The Lions are surging while the Bears are experiencing another year of futility.
Speaking of meals, I made a new recipe yesterday that required the chopping of sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery, which when combined with chickpeas, tomato paste, fresh parsley, and several spices, yielded a savory stew. Since it was supposed to be a side-dish type of food with from one to three servings, when accompanied by a large slice of flatbread, Mary suggested that I double the recipe amounts as we were having it as a main meal. Seemingly a good idea, but we have copious amounts of leftovers. Oh well, once again the chief cook and vegetable chopper pronounced my efforts excellent.
Mary loves chopping vegetables and things while I love eating those vegetables. For her, a chance to chop is pure ecstasy, while for me it is work. Plus, the pot that she recommended was way too small and the one I ended up using, while large enough, literally boiled over on the stovetop requiring a lot of clean-up time. At least that gave me the chance to also do a lot of serious scrubbing of the various pots and pans used in preparation along with the stovetop itself. I have a renewed respect for what she loves. I retired to my music room afterward to play with the girls for about one hour.
I did get to enjoy one of my favorite activities while I was chopping/cooking, listening to Christmas music on the radio in the kitchen. I don't get the chance to listen to Christmas music 11 months of the year, so I enjoyed my time in the kitchen doing the chopping and listening. In fact, right now, I am listening to Christmas music on iHeart.
I have no plans for today other than snow removal and the morning and afternoon safaris with the fur-children. I'll probably spend some time watching football and listening to Christmas music while I read.
The sun will rise today @ 8:06 a.m. and set @ 5:09 p.m. as the snow continues to fall until early Monday morning. Ciao.
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 6:00 a.m. in "The City."
I was just out with GTWD and the snow is trying to fall. So far just a dusting, but the forecast from the NWS as conveyed by Chief Meteorologist, Bill Steffen, of WOOD-TV & Radio, is for only light snow throughout today, but three to five inches tomorrow. We shall see. Our current temperature is 26°, which is coincidentally the anticipated high for today. Since it is approaching sunrise @ 8:05 a.m., I'll add that here. Oh, I guess I can also add that the sun will set this evening @ 5:09 p.m.
I was busy yesterday. I made my first loaf of "Beer Bread" from a recipe I found on the internet. Since I have baked my world famous banana nut bread before, I thought I was up to the challenge. I was right and the bread was pronounced delicious by the chief cook and vegetable chopper herself.
I have to agree, the bread tastes delicious. From now on, we won't need to run out of bread, I can always make another loaf like this one. My next try is using yeast instead of beer. I had Mary take some pictures to memorialize my efforts
Elsewhere in the world, we traveled to the local big-box home center in search of a new hinge for one of the kitchen cabinets. While the store had some of a similar style by the same manufacturer, they didn't have the one I needed. A short journey to Rycenga Building Center and we were able to have the kitchen person order a replacement that should be in by next Thursday. The cabinets are about 20 years old, but they came from Rycenga originally, so they had no problem ordering a replacement.
There were no trains to spot yesterday.
Later today I have no specific plans, but Mary has to work on the current indexing project. I want to spend some time with the girls after the morning safari. I am finding that my days are filled in spite of having extra time. Perhaps it is just a matter of perspective, but when you are young, time seems to stretch out forever, while as you get older, time seems to be more fleeting and finite, so to speak. Just saying.
When we are on safari this morning, I need to get some additional postage stamps if there is not a crowd @ the post office. If there is, we can do it early next week. That is one thing that I do find as I get older, I am less inclined to want to spend time standing in lines. That applies to waiting on hold on the telephone for a person to come on the line.
That looks like enough for today. Ciao.
I was just out with GTWD and the snow is trying to fall. So far just a dusting, but the forecast from the NWS as conveyed by Chief Meteorologist, Bill Steffen, of WOOD-TV & Radio, is for only light snow throughout today, but three to five inches tomorrow. We shall see. Our current temperature is 26°, which is coincidentally the anticipated high for today. Since it is approaching sunrise @ 8:05 a.m., I'll add that here. Oh, I guess I can also add that the sun will set this evening @ 5:09 p.m.
I was busy yesterday. I made my first loaf of "Beer Bread" from a recipe I found on the internet. Since I have baked my world famous banana nut bread before, I thought I was up to the challenge. I was right and the bread was pronounced delicious by the chief cook and vegetable chopper herself.
I have to agree, the bread tastes delicious. From now on, we won't need to run out of bread, I can always make another loaf like this one. My next try is using yeast instead of beer. I had Mary take some pictures to memorialize my efforts
 |
| It looks great and tastes even better! |
 |
| We each tried a piece of the end and of one inner slice with vegan margarine. |
There were no trains to spot yesterday.
Later today I have no specific plans, but Mary has to work on the current indexing project. I want to spend some time with the girls after the morning safari. I am finding that my days are filled in spite of having extra time. Perhaps it is just a matter of perspective, but when you are young, time seems to stretch out forever, while as you get older, time seems to be more fleeting and finite, so to speak. Just saying.
When we are on safari this morning, I need to get some additional postage stamps if there is not a crowd @ the post office. If there is, we can do it early next week. That is one thing that I do find as I get older, I am less inclined to want to spend time standing in lines. That applies to waiting on hold on the telephone for a person to come on the line.
That looks like enough for today. Ciao.
Friday, December 9, 2016
Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 4:30 a.m. in "The City."
I believe that the weather is a good place to begin. The ginormous snow storm that was supposed to dump copious amounts of snow on GH never really materialized. We have gotten some snow, but the amounts are less than three inches, so far. We have a current temperature of 31/32° depending on the source consulted, under cloudy skies. The NWS is forecasting three to eight inches of additional snowfall but unless it starts to snow more heavily. and soon, that seems unlikely. In addition, the windy conditions will produce wind chill conditions of 10° to 15° above zero.
It is worthy of note that parts of Southwest Michigan have gotten hit much harder than our fair city. Mary likes to say that we are often in a sweet spot and the snow seemingly goes around our fair city. Additionally, near Lansing, which is east of GH, there was a major auto/truck crash involving over 40 cars and trucks. That crash was reported on the national news. Tragically, three people lost their lives when black ice and whiteout conditions caused the cars and trucks on I-96 to tangle according to authorities.
Mary and I took separate safaris with the fur-children yesterday morning. Sugar has bonded with GTWD, so she does not like to leave her sister behind. However, the lure of a treat @ The Bookman was enough to propel her out and back. Mostly I stayed in as did Mary. I read and watched TV while Mary worked on an index.
Mary announced @ about 4:00 p.m., that we should go to the store to stock up for the coming storm and so we did. However, as previously reported, that storm has yet to arrive. I watched the city plow go by about 15 minutes ago, so we should be able to walk on the streets with the fur-children on today's morning safari if the sidewalks are not to our liking. I have officially started using my winter boots and also my heavier coat. My old bones are just not as amenable to the cold as they once were and both Mary and I break more easily than I used to do.
Today, Mary continues to work, I continue to read and do crosswords, and also to do more of the puzzle that I/we started yesterday. In this case, the puzzle with which I started the winter season, is actually 18 separate puzzles of various butterflies. Collectively, there are 500 pieces. I believe that Mary has plans for placing the finished butterflies in the mudroom.
I may or may not spot some trains today. After the meager traffic last Wednesday, there may be none.
The sun will rise today @ 8:05 a.m. and set @ 5"09 p.m. Ciao.
I believe that the weather is a good place to begin. The ginormous snow storm that was supposed to dump copious amounts of snow on GH never really materialized. We have gotten some snow, but the amounts are less than three inches, so far. We have a current temperature of 31/32° depending on the source consulted, under cloudy skies. The NWS is forecasting three to eight inches of additional snowfall but unless it starts to snow more heavily. and soon, that seems unlikely. In addition, the windy conditions will produce wind chill conditions of 10° to 15° above zero.
It is worthy of note that parts of Southwest Michigan have gotten hit much harder than our fair city. Mary likes to say that we are often in a sweet spot and the snow seemingly goes around our fair city. Additionally, near Lansing, which is east of GH, there was a major auto/truck crash involving over 40 cars and trucks. That crash was reported on the national news. Tragically, three people lost their lives when black ice and whiteout conditions caused the cars and trucks on I-96 to tangle according to authorities.
Mary and I took separate safaris with the fur-children yesterday morning. Sugar has bonded with GTWD, so she does not like to leave her sister behind. However, the lure of a treat @ The Bookman was enough to propel her out and back. Mostly I stayed in as did Mary. I read and watched TV while Mary worked on an index.
Mary announced @ about 4:00 p.m., that we should go to the store to stock up for the coming storm and so we did. However, as previously reported, that storm has yet to arrive. I watched the city plow go by about 15 minutes ago, so we should be able to walk on the streets with the fur-children on today's morning safari if the sidewalks are not to our liking. I have officially started using my winter boots and also my heavier coat. My old bones are just not as amenable to the cold as they once were and both Mary and I break more easily than I used to do.
Today, Mary continues to work, I continue to read and do crosswords, and also to do more of the puzzle that I/we started yesterday. In this case, the puzzle with which I started the winter season, is actually 18 separate puzzles of various butterflies. Collectively, there are 500 pieces. I believe that Mary has plans for placing the finished butterflies in the mudroom.
I may or may not spot some trains today. After the meager traffic last Wednesday, there may be none.
The sun will rise today @ 8:05 a.m. and set @ 5"09 p.m. Ciao.
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