weather – thereisnosanityclause

Too Damn Hot!

Boy, how I wish that we had some clouds in the sky right now.

Like most of the eastern part of America, we are in the oven for a few days now. Yes, I know it’s July, but when the heat index reads 115, well, I’d like to talk to those who don’t believe in global warming.

You know it’s hot out when even the bay water looks like it could be stock for soup! Yet some folks who have their vacation now are ON the beach. How they can actually stand the heat is beyond me. There are more heat advisories than you can shake a stick at, but just seeing that hot sand?**shaking my head**

Kasia and I walk early in the morning on the shadiest street. Once we take care of business, she’ll turn and look at me as to say,” Air-conditioning…NOW!” I can’t say I blame her.

Here’s hoping for cooler weather and that you are staying cool too!

Keep it Coming…

It would appear that they are looking for yet another Nor’easter coming my way.

If memory serves you correctly, yes you did see the above picture in a prior post, dealing with the current Nor’easter.We aren’t proud, either: we’d take snow.

I think it was last winter when my Zush was still with us that was when we had some snow. It’s a case of anything to keep the off-season, the off season.***chuckling***

Hope springs eternal!

Welcome November Weather

The sun is out. I know :understatement of the day.

What the photo fails to convey is that the wind is blustery at 25 to 40 miles per hour. If you didn’t get the memo and you lived here by me at Undisclosed Location, let me confirm for you what you felt when you went out this morning and felt.

“Damn, it’s cold out.”

My buddy Juls who lives on the side of a mountain in another state. Our average difference is usually 15 degrees colder there than here.The clincher here, though,is the bay.

Nice picture, right? The 32 degree temperature puts a little different spin on that picture.

Welcome, November weather!

Long Day

Gentle reader, please keep my Zush in your thoughts and prayers.

She is hanging in there, but I can see the changes starting to come up, which just make me sad, and I’m sure it makes Jim equally as sad.She is just as good as she normally is, but a few little things are making me pray extra hard for her. It’s funny, because I just keep getting up one day at a time, putting two feet on the floor while she puts her four paws down, as does her sister.I think they read off of their “pack” and Zush knows we love each other every day. She tires out, although I try not to walk her too much, but some days I think maybe it’s just the winter weather making her hurt as I do.

Her cataracts in her eyes are starting to come into play: they aren’t totally blocking her vision but you can tell she isn’t seeing as she used to. Then again, neither am I.

Missing our Outings

The girls and I are going through withdrawal.

Zush looks over to me and waits for me to say the magic words that aren’t coming. I think she hears it in my voice and figures, well, Mom is resting so I guess I should too. That’s alright.

Kasia is just as content to be in the yard, bark at everyone and every animal passing by and making her own version of snow angels.

Fortunately we are due for a warm up and even rain later this week, so the three of us will be chomping at the bit until we can get back out.

Slip Sliding Away

What a day.

I woke up this morning at 7am after falling asleep at 4 am, Don’t ask.

There was some snow on the ground and I dressed warm, got the girls out, and we then went out to downtown Cape May,to pick up my “fixed” engagement ring.

Unfortunately,my feet had different ideas.

I fell down.

I went down with my classic lack of grace, but for a different twist on things, my foot bent backwards, as did the rest of my leg. A few guys helped me get up, a classic sign of old age, and once I got on my feet, I was sore, but was able to walk on it.I have my cane out, to make sure my left side sturdies up.The rough part is keeping it iced in this weather.

This is a shot of how deep it was this morning around 8am.

Allegedly we are around 6″-8″, and it is so cold tonight.

Stay warm, folks!

Helena

Carrying on with the last couple of posts about the weather, I had the weather channel on today.

Allegedly, the current “named” weather storm is called Helena. I laughed and thought of my Dad. He’s seen below with my Mom. I believe he’s in heaven laughing at this one.

Let me tell you why.

My Dad and I used to dance all the time at church socials. As I am of Polish decent, well, we did a lot of waltzes and polkas. I used to know ALL the names of the polkas, and I’ll never forget some of our favorites.

Daddy’s favorite polka?

You’ve got it: the “Helena” polka.

Sleep warm, Daddy.

Dreary is as Dreary Does

The girls and I managed to get out for a couple of times walking before the rain came.

We had been doing pretty well until the rain came. We managed to get out a few times and visit some friends, but then, we came in about 2:30pm and within a half hour, the heavens opened up. We are going to try to get out before it gets too dark, because I think the girls look forward to it as much as I do.

So we may tip-toe through the raindrops, but we will go out for one last trip around our neighborhood tonight.After that, I think it’s safe to say we are all kind of sleepy, so we won’t be worth too much.At least us gals can snuggle together! What a treat!

Yes it is July.

By the amount of perspiration coming out of me and the fur girls, all I can say is I am thankful we are out of the city.I hate to imagine what the humidity is up in the city,

We get up,I take my medicine and then give Zush her medicine. Then we go out for a slight walk.Again, as I mentioned earlier in the post about Zush and her boyfriend,I let her lead the way.We don’t do too much,and then we come back and I do some chores and the girls veg.

As for me, I went to the pool Tuesday and got some exercising in.Now, with the humidity so high, well, I am able to get my 10,000 steps in and wait for another hazy, hot and humid day to go by and the time to pull my fall sweaters out!

Spring is Here.

..or so Jim has announced.Today he announced that tonight was the last 30-ish degree night and,our heating bill is supposed to get a respite.

I don’t know about that though. I am sitting here at the computer in my winter bathrobe snuggled up,and thinking maybe, hot tea is the way to go tonight.

Sure, pollen is all around,forsythia is blooming along with the trees, but, hey.Give me a good 50 degree day any day of the week.

Here’s hoping your week gets better!

Pretty Sad

We are sitting around since it is stormy with wind and rain, and watching Moneyball. It is the movies about baseball starring Brad Pitt.

As we live in an area with no baseball, and we are still in mourning for the Philadelphia Phillies who died a few seasons ago, we found ourselves watching this poor replacement for a baseball game.

It doesn’t make things really light here.My mood is matching the weather, and I just can’t seem to shake how tired I feel.I haven’t had the girls out today but once due to the rain.Maybe it’s because I gave my fitbit off.

I sure hope better days are coming.

Major Warming Trend

That’s right.

It was 70 for Christmas Eve and this morning I woke up to snow. Thank you global warming…NOT.

I moved my geraniums out and hopefully managed to save them in time and bring them back in. I don’t know if they’ll have made it.

In the meantime, the bulbs are managing to come out for everyone else. For me? Well, I have Kasia. Put a fence around an area with hyacinth bulbs has proved to be like waving a red flag in front of Kasia…she adores going in there and making a mess. Jim approves, as he doesn’t care for my favorite Easter flower.

I guess it’ll be 80 for Easter.

It Wasn’t Even A Dark and Snowy Night( yet)…

Jim and I went to the local supermarket, where I spent my late spring/early summer working, and decided to rectify the ingredient staple list that was cruising on empty.

Did I mention everyone else was out buying eggs, bread and milk?

With apologies to Simon and Garfunkel, the parking lot at the market was indeed mirroring” a hazy shady of winter.”I got in and picked up my sugar, vanilla and anise, along with a few other staples like coffee creamer, yogurt,eggs,sour cream and Yukon gold potatoes, and managed to escape none the worse for wear.

So for all my friends who read this, please,make sure you have something to keep you cozy and warm, even if it comes in a bottle, and if you have pets, keep them inside, make sure you’re ready for this stretch of weather.

Stay Safe!

A little Chilly

Well, in time for Thanksgiving week, when I got up this morning to get the girls out for their walk, the frost was definitely on the pumpkin.

I believe we actually got down to 34 degrees last night and it sure felt like it. What is really crazy is that I think Thanksgiving day is due to be 60 degrees.We managed to bundle up, and the flip side is it helps the girls relax from the itch of dry skin, since I have added fish oil back into their diet.My friend who passed away way too early, Sue, had a beautiful golden retriever and she would always discuss itchy retriever skin and say that the oil was the only way to go.

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving week and be careful!

Late August Morning

The weather has actually gotten a little cooler,and for me, that’s a good thing.

The girls and I had gone out for a walk, and the first time I had jeans on since it got cooler, well, the air was delightful. It was awesome not to be out in a total flop sweat.

I had stopped and looked at the ground and I snapped a picture.I had a sign of fall on the ground right in front of me-an acorn! I know that “Indian Summer” is a breath away. Yes, you can put me in the column of folks who wait for the time of Pumpkin Spice lattes at Starbucks.

I am ready for fall!

Late Day World

When you are on the graveyard shift, no amount of light prepares you for this…

We shut the light to keep heat down, as it tends to get our front office a bit cooler.

I am all for feeling cooler,but hey,I am starting to feel like a bat.It would be nice not to be in the dark so much!

The Zusher

Zush is giving me the stink-eye as I write this, as I feel she is patiently waiting to go for our longer night-time walk.

The humidity here as come down some, and although it is still hot, the air is at least moving and has a slight bit of coolness to it.Trust me, it’s not much, but enough that when you go outside you wonder what happened.

We will be going out and seeing the pretty summer flowers that have hung in with the heat and humidity.We take in the quiet before the weekenders come down, and literally stop to smell the roses.

Here’s hoping you have time to do the same!

Visit

My mother-in-law is coming for a visit tomorrow.

She is coming down with my sister-in-law, Marlene, and she’ll be staying with us for the holiday weekend. She has never stayed with us for more than overnight,and usually she travels with Jim’s youngest sister.We are hoping that the weather holds while she is here, so maybe Jim can take her to see the fireworks. I have to stay with the girls on the Fourth, as the trauma of the fireworks is too much for them so I have to batten down the hatches.

Here’s hoping for a good time for everyone.

Mr.Baseball

Things are so bad with our Phillies, that Jim and I are watching “Mr.Baseball.”

We have found this movie on the MLB channel that they are probably airing due to the weather here on the Mid-Atlantic region. The funny part about this movie is that it is 20 times the hitting that the Phillies seem to currently have.

Tom Selleck is the star of this movie and my guesstimate of the year of this movie would be around 1987.Dennis Heysbert, the guy in the All-State insurance commercials is also in it.We might ac

That’s how bad our baseball situation has become.

..and with a pause in the action…

…the score is storm coming, 2, and us,0.

Here we are, waiting for the next set of storms to come.

The dogs are bananas, feeling the storm coming and barometric pressure falling, and panting to beat the band. I was out at the dentist, and coming back,was busy noticing the twenty-foot mimosa tree on the neighboring street.As a child coming down the shore in the sixties, you saw mimosa trees everywhere. They grew like weeds. I think that’s why I saw so few in the later decades, because people kept having them taken out or cut down.

We have a tree-lined area in the next street, and I noticed this big tree from my neighbor’s yard.Mimosas are actually very pretty when they are in flower, as they are now.The pink reminds me of Mother’s Day pink carnations and the spiny flower reminds me almost of a mum.

It’s easy to appreciate this tree from a distance.I am just glad it’s not mine. I’d be pulling baby mimosa trees until I drop.

So the good of having a cell phone is?

“yes , i am so sorry one of the fibers were cut on the towers and it has caused issues with service, I would keep checking periodically to see if you have service, i am hoping it will be back up soon for you”

This is the message I got when I went on-line with Verizon today, as I could get NO phone line, or rather, signal.I am glad I thought of the only line chat,so I went on and an agent named Donna told me…”yes , I am so sorry one of the fibers were cut on the towers and it has caused issues with service, I would keep checking periodically to see if you have service, i am hoping it will be back up soon for you”….Seriously? Verizon? The invincible phone network? Sure there were tornadoes and severe weather here and thank God we are ok, but I heard of no one else having a cell line go out except Verizon.

Makes me wonder: is it time to go back to two orange juice cans and some string?

Heat is back..

I have been off since yesterday and taking advantage of the arrival of heat, albeit again.

The girls and I have been taking a slow walk in the morning down to the bay and the three of us have been in the bay, trying to stay cool.Weather is constantly amazing to me, as one day we actually get a breeze, and today you can cut the hot air with a knife.Fortunately, the girls and I have been working around the heat, and I pretty much have the shady routes down pat for us to walk back on.

Jim, when he is out of his office, goes out in the heat to get some work done and it seems to make him happy.I guess he handles the heat better than I do, going back to his bakery days.I still get worried, but he claims he knows what he is doing.

Me?

I’m waiting for October.

Walk called due to Inclement Weather

I was due to take the girls out tonight for their last walk of the night.

We went a total of two blocks and then the thunder and lightning kicked in.

Ewwww….

They pulled me back home as soon as they could and now both were hiding under my legs when I was in the bathroom and are now panting to beat the band.

It’s going to be a long spring and summer…just saying.

Ha-ha-ha…who’s got the last laugh now?

Tonight,daylight savings time,is the first day of spring.

You couldn’t tell it by the above picture.

Jim and I went to a funeral this morning and this was the picture I took when I got out of the car at the funeral home.Yup, snow.The Weather Channel, in their 2015 trend, named the storm Ultima.It was hysterical, because when we came back from the luncheon,there was a dividing line of weather, and the snow turned into rain.

But it’s spring now…right?

Just checking.

Beautiful day…

…because we are due,according to the weatherman, to have snow tomorrow morning.

We have to go to another part of the state for a funeral tomorrow morning, so we have to call it an early night.The fit bit zip has seen lucky 15,000 steps, we had Chinese food for dinner**our first since we relocated down here**, all I have to do is get the girls out for a quick good night walk, and then we are shutting down for the night.

Have a good Friday, and if the weather is iffy tomorrow where you are, be careful,ok?

Well, at least it cleaned the car off…

We had a full day of rain today.

What’s the old school saying? It makes the flowers grow? It cleans the air of all the pollen, snow, pollution,fill in the blank ________.

There is something nice about a full rainy day on a Saturday.Not a rainy week, mind you, or three rainy days in a row, but a rainy Saturday.

You get up in the morning when the spirit moves you.Things seem to go a little slower.When the girls and I walk, we are walking slower because it must make the smells more attractive to the girls.Not too many people are out so the world is a little quieter, except for your footsteps and the sound of the rain.

The highlight of the day?

The salt got cleaned off the car…..lol.

“Weather or Not”

As a lot of folks have experienced,the weather has gotten a little bit warmer.There were no 10 degree minutes today;in fact I think the weather was in the mid to high 30’s.

People were asking me and checking in with me about my stepping with my Fit Bit Zip.

When it was really bitter cold, I managed my 10,000 steps a day, if not a hair over.Jim was vital in this some days, especially when the wind chill factor was low,he would take me to a store where I could take a chunk of my daily steps.His support in this has been vital.

Yesterday, the first day of the defrosting weather,I actually got over 17,000 steps in.Today, as of this writing I am 90 steps short of 15,000.

I’m ba-a-ck!

Winter Storm OVER

I guess the Weather Channel thinks they have almighty power over the National Weather Service and have decided to name all the winter storms.

Seriously?

And tonight’s storm due to hit here is named Thor? What’s more depressing?The fact it’s March 4th and all the storms have hit ALL THE WAY down to”T”? Or is it more depressing that we have managed to make it through and are still here to see yet ANOTHER storm? Would it be the fact that the Weather Channel figures it’s a cute marketing tool to name those storms.

Dear Weather Channel,

I am 55 years old and have gone through enough storms.I know there will be more to come.Do you have to be cute with the winter storms? Seriously? Just tell us what’s up,ok? Unless you are coming to shovel or walk the girls in the ice, just the facts, ok?

A disgusted viewer who doesn’t live in Boston.

Anybody see the Titanic?

When Jim and I were coming home from Mass today, we decided to go down to the bay and see what was going on.Boy, were we shocked!

I have posted pictures of Delaware Bay when it was frozen solid.A few years it was an odd sight for us, but unfortunately,it has been a common sight here of late.Today when we were down there,we saw icebergs….seriously….icebergs! I am used to seeing icebergs in the North Atlantic or in books about the Titanic, but in Delaware Bay? I have never seen them before.

It’s a sad statement on the environment,in my humble opinion,when things are that screwed up with our earth.It would be nice it people would wake up and try to save out planet! Just be aware of the environment and try to be a good caregiver of it.

Can’t have it both ways.

Today and a day or two ago, people started talking to me about the weather getting warmer.Oh yes, I would agree with them that we have crawled up from 8 degrees to 19.People aren’t talking about that though:they are referring to spring.

I am getting a little misty-eyed at the thought of more folks coming down here to ” Mayberry” or “Amity”, as I have been to call Shangri-la here.I know the economy depends on it.I will be extremely happy that I won’t have to pack up to leave on Sunday night and sit in bumper to bumper traffic.I will not like one thing, though, and that is noise.I really don’t have cause to complain here, because next to towns on the Coastline, we are actually kind of quiet.When the season begins, though,it gets somewhat louder and people start speeding through town.

It’s not enough to have me run back to the big city, but I’ll be so happy when October comes and things get back to normal.

Icy Sunset

When I took the girls out this morning, I actually wore a baseball hat with my winter coat.It was comfortable and felt kind of bizarre not wearing 15 layers.It was incredible that with a full deck of ice on Delaware Bay,here I was wearing a baseball hat.

Fast forward to the next walk of the day.Egad! The wind chill kicked up along with the wind.I went back and switched to a winter hat and made sure my knit eternity scarf was wound tightly.Sure, we got spoiled with a high of 40 degrees yesterday, but tonight our low is a solid 8 degrees.I think that I am taking a hot shower and going to bed early.I did out sheets today so there are some fresh polar fleece sheets on the bed, ready to get us snuggling underneath while the winds howl.

Someone asked me about spring coming, and I said I wasn’t looking forward to all the influx of tourists here.There is something about the quiet of the cold and the sleeping state of nature that makes you appreciate the beauty of the season.

Stay warm,friends!

It’s been that kind of week.

I am writing this at 8:59PM because I am getting ready for bed, and figured now is as good as a time as any to blog. I just had a hot shower and washed my hair.

The big deal about this?

Uh, our pipes froze last night.

Fortunately our neighbor Tom from down the street loaned us a heater and a kick-butt industrial extension cord and along with my hair dryer, water is back here in Undisclosed.This explains, if you here with me now, why you hear the end of the dishwasher cycle and the dryer on and washer.I mean, seriously? My bathtub is filled so we can flush toilets, water jugs filled for the dogs and us, Keurig reservoir is filled…wow! It’s incredible that 16 hours without water makes you feel like the prehistoric age.A gentle reminder from above to appreciate what you have.

Jim is out giving the girls their last walk of the night, and I can’t help wonder about the amount of women who, once the temperatures are constant again around 36-40, will be joining me in the store to get a new hair dryer…who’s with me?

Like everyone else

The Siberian cold sucks.

Poor Jim is in our crawl space checking pipes out, as are a whole ton of people tonight.Worrying about a home is something they never teach you in grade school.People who know me know what I always say: if they taught you about how life is going to be, no one would want to leave fifth grade.The responsibility is really daunting at times. It really doesn’t help that the climate has decided to turn the area that you live at into Antartica.I have to put a disclaimer in here though-thank God I am not living in the Northeast with all that snow on the ground.

Don’t get me wrong.

I am a December baby.I love change of seasons.I even like snow.I never have been 55 before, though,with the corresponding aches that accompany that.This long stretch of frigid weather is a challenge, to say the least.I am hoping that Jim comes back in soon,that he is all right, and there is no trouble down below.

Prayers tonight out to everyone sharing this cold.

The Object of my Obsession

Yeah, well,it’s not necessarily an obsession but that magic number 10,000 from the Fit Bit Zip haunts me. Really. I know that if I didn’t think about it, I’d probably make the 10,000 with no problem.

The weekend threw me for a loop. I struggled to make my 10,000,but I did.I have seen various articles that sing the praises of house-walking.Ok, no problem.When the weather got single digit, I figured no problem.Somewhere, around the 100th time I walked around my kitchen island, I thought to myself I was losing my mind.House walking is fine when you have a big house.In a house with 1350 square feet, it gets kind of tough.Sure,I make a route so I don’t make myself dizzy.My girls look at me like, “Please don’t step on me, Mom,” and I don’t.Jim encourages me because I am down 22 pounds since Halloween and I am still eating.

Maybe I have to rearrange my furniture to make a house-walking route…hmmmm…we’ll see if that’s do-able…film at 11.

Damn Cold

It’s 7:48pm and I have 8446 steps logged on my fit bit zip.

I’m pissed.

It’s too damn cold out.My girls have had to put up with the yard today.I wasn’t happy about doing it, nor were they to go out without me walking with them.Jim and I stepped out for a quick bit to the Lobster House to pick up a belated take out dinner.That afforded me a few steps in actual comfort but I am officially addicted to my fit bit zip.I can’t sit quietly all day because I know I have to get my steps in.

It’s going to be a long day tomorrow too, but we’ll see what’s up. I want to watch the SNL special so I have to go “house-walking”.

Moonlight feels right, er, cold…

We are down here now, and I had walked the girls for a bit today.There were swaying trees in the wind that scared especially Kasia.I managed to do my 10,000 steps today on my fit bit zip despite that.

As I sat in the house today and heard the wind, I didn’t necessarily want to go back out.Jim took the girls out after dinner and I stayed in here and tried to stay warm.We went out tonight to pick up medicine from the drugstore, and the wind serenaded us all the way up.We got what we needed, came back home, and now are in tight for the night.

It’s a shame thought.The perk of being down the shore off-season is how quiet it is and very peaceful it is.When we were out tonight,I looked up in the sky and saw the beautiful moon and stars. You never had a chance to appreciate it in the city, but down here, it looks wonderful.
The only bad part? It’s so damn cold and windy!

The storm that wasn’t..

…at least not here.

Poor New England got their butt kicked with snow, but I remain oh, so thankful, I didn’t run out and buy eggs, bread and milk.It was a pleasant surprise when I woke up this morning and looked out our window.I slept like crap, probably because I was anticipating a long day.

The girls got out with me, and I capped off the fit bit zip at 10,142, because my legs were awfully tired from 18,000+ steps yesterday.Now I get to get a hot shower, and tuck into fleece sheets.The clipper that is due allegedly coming through tomorrow, so warmth is the name of the game.

Stay safe and warm,friends.Below,the girls on their morning walk.

Dodging the bullet…

…for a day.

Or at least three-quarters of a day.

Looking at the television, and seeing snow in Philadelphia, New York and other spots, when it came time for me to walk the girls in the rain, I was a happy girl. I even managed to get over 18,000 steps in today on my Fit Bit zip.

Because? Yes, I know “it’s coming.”The barometric pressure is coming down.The girls have been walked to the point of exhaustion.I’m beat too. Worrying about if we are going to lose power when the wet snow brings wires down.Do we have candles and flashlights?The house has everything and all we have to do is wait.

Stay safe,friends,especially if in the snow zone.

New day

My gut was a touch bit better this morning…not much, but enough to move around.

The girls and I had some significant walks today, as the weather cooperated so we took in what we could, keeping in mind not to tax out Zush and her stitches.Jim, unfortunately, had to work so we went without him.

When you go through a stretch of a weather as we have, with apologizes to my Wisconsin family and friends, you get to appreciate a 35+ degree day.The sun coming down on the bay actually gave the illusion that the bay could have had July sun on it rather than January.

It was good to be home.

Wisconsinites need not apply…

…because it’s not THAT cold here tonight.

Oh yeah, forty mile per hour winds, blowing snow, and with a tip of the hat to my family in Wisconsin and my good friend Terry, another Wisconsinite,it’s pretty damn cold here.

My good friend(yes,I am blessed with a few choice friends) Kathy gave me this big ass coat that she didn’t wear. It is brown, not quite like a puffa coat, but ankle length and very insulated, and with its’ fur collar and cuffs,it is the saving grace of walking the girls in this weather.It was the saving grace in me getting the girls out today and also hitting 10,000 steps with my fit bit.

We’ll see what tomorrow brings….below is what the well-dressed dog walker is wearing these days.

Memory Triggered

I took a bus down and because it was cold , I got off the bus and made my way to the train platform. I had decided to take a train into town.

There was a little scene going on at the platform: a 30-ish mom with her little 6-year-old boy and she was trying to talk him into wearing her scarf to stay warm.

I was so fortunate to go on the train and who sits across from me from the mother and the young boy. He sat there proudly holding a $10 dollar bill between his fingers to pay the conductor for the fare. We started talking about the boy and I spoke to her of my nephews and their love of trains. I had an actual pleasant start to my day, with pleasant memory triggered by this mom and her boy, for which I thanked them and wished them a merry Christmas, and they did the same to me.

I felt good, for the first time in a long time.

Eight O’Clock and All is Well

…and it’s bedtime when you have been up since 1:30AM trying to come back up to the city.It’s something that I know I will miss regardless of how painful and tiring it has been.

The weather is due to get chilly again tomorrow so I am going to snuggle down with th girls nearby and try to get a good night’s sleep after finishing this post.My late mother used to call this weather pneumonia weather, as we went from 60 today to 34 tomorrow.

Hope you enjoyed cyber shopping today, and are counting down to old Saint Nick.

Stay warm!

Packing it in without folding up shop

Getting everything together is a job.Anyone who has gone through the process of retirement and moving knows how it goes.You struggle to get things together while life goes on around you.

The problem is getting run down while trying to take the Undisclosed Location down to our new home.Our sleep is off, weather has been all over the board, and in the meanwhile, We are both running a little on the ragged side.It’s rough that our sleep is off and we are worrying about all other stuff, I have come down with classic “falling apart at the seams” health. Jim isn’t quite as sick as me.I am doing but a couple of ailments but the problem is they are all dancing around at the same time.Jim picked up a prescription for me today. Add to the equation that holidays are here.

Hopefully we all will get through this and I am praying next year will be better.

Snow

We have the first snow of the season tonight here in northwestern Philadelphia.

It was drizzling when I got in from the doctor, and as I looked out ready to take the girls out for their walk, I was shocked to see the snow laying on the lawn and on the cars. I understand that it is November,and the news has been saturated about the polar fronts and cold plunges coming, but hey, they never said it would be here tonight…lol.

It is a comfort because we have been wearing away at the seasons we have left in the city.The snow is announcing it’s almost time!

And the wayward wind…

It was a nor’easter today.

My friend Julie and I went through Cape May today and Cape May Point and we were dressed for the weather.It was still chilly though and the rain came and went and then showed up again. It was a classic rainy day at the shore and we were happy hanging out.

One of the things that we did was going to the Cove in Cape May: I love to try to take the shots of the sea crashing on the rocks.

Weather or not

It was my nephew Matt’s interest in weather that peaked mine.

He studied it and as he did,all of a sudden my weather report, once a glance at a television screen or ear toward the radio, became the NOAA weather page on the computer or the weather channel or weather underground.Thanks to Matt’s interest I learned to pay attention.

The reason I am writing this post is that down here at Undisclosed, it currently is raining and the forecasted for rain through tomorrow.This weekend, traditionally, has a wine festival here this weekend because for a good deal of folks in these parts, it’s a holiday weekend.Normally they would have it at the Cape May Lewes ferry grounds.Evidently, parking was an issue, so they moved the location this year.

They moved it to a large open field off of the Garden State parkway.That’s going to be good. Torrential downpours, and although they have tents, I was never so glad I am not into wine. Schlepping around in mud is not my idea of a good time.

Stay dry and classy, Cape May!

Last Day of Summer with a Thousand Percent Humidity

As I am down here in Undisclosed with windows open and fans on, summer decided to kick my butt.The humidity here has got to be 80%.

It really is nice, autumn. Complete with pumpkins and mums. Nowhere in the fine print is there anything about sweat.I have the fall wardrobe out, putting the sandals away a little at a time, and yet, I am pouring sweat.

I am waiting patiently for that consistent sixty degree day. You know, the day when you can where a blazer to the office.It’ll be nice to go to bed under a blanket with the windows open.This is what is getting me through this last stretch!

Hanging out together

We went out for a walk today, Mom, Dad, Zush, and Kasia.

The sky was the prettiest shade of blue and the clouds pretty neat. The weather was cool so we went for a nice two-mile walk on the beach. Jim went ahead with the girls and I kind of hung back: I kept flipping the phone to track how far we were walking and then to take some pretty beach shots.I was happy to meet a friend of Jim’s on the beach: her name was Fran.Evidently she would always be on that stretch of beach because she is from the area.She was there with her bulldog, Otis.

The sad part is we are going back up tonight.Here’s hoping the packing and last-minute chores can be relatively painless….lol.

Full Moon

I walked the girls tonight, as we have had a long day. I figured I would give Jim a break and take the girls out for their last walk of the day.

It was the kind of walk that as you walked, even with keeping eyes on the dogs, your mind kept reviewing the events of the day. I thought of my Mom, momentarily, and thanked God I can still remember the events of the day.

The weather has gotten September like, cool and crisp. I looked up and saw this wonderful picture in my eye. I knew the Designer’s masterpiece when I see it.

August is the Cruelest Month

…for some folks.

Children who aren’t necessarily fond of school sound a lament all through August, while, at the same time, trying to savor the last days of summer.I would imagine teachers are partially in the same boat.

It’s a mixed month for me.

I lost my Dad on the 24th of August in 1998. It was a humid stretch of weather. We had Daddy at home,to allow him dignity of being where he was most comfortable and most loved. We were fortunate in that we had good people from the medical field monitoring him, and he had us, his family taking care of him.

When Dad passed, I managed to get through it thinking one thing. As a child, Daddy always took the last week of August as his vacation week.I found it very fitting that he went on his last and “greatest” vacation at that time.

Then, I turned around 5 years later, and picked August 31st as my wedding date.I chose that date, because I was thinking Dad and that wonderful vacation time, and thought what a wonderful way to remember that time, by choosing my wedding date to come full circle for the month of August.

So for me, despite some lows during August, it’s been not that cruel for me. It starts my favorite time of year.

Waiting yet again..

Hurricane Arthur has scared a ton of cities and towns around here from setting off their fireworks last night and tonight.

It is an unspoken rule around these parts that the various municipalities try to have fireworks on different nights, so people can take them all in, if they wish to. It’s a win-win situation: people see spectacular fireworks, township get a temporary rise in income from folks hitting ice cream stands, gas stations and the like. Now with the weather skating most of the folks to have fireworks tomorrow night or Sunday night, well,lots of places will be taking a financial hit, because you certainly can’t be all places at once.

Tomorrow our little hamlet holds its’ yearly fundraiser, and fortunately the weather is due to hold its’ own. Hopefully that will include tomorrow night for the fireworks.

Zush and Kasia ask that you give your pups plenty of love during the fireworks, as this is the time where a lot of pups get scared from the noise and run away.Keep them home and safe and happy, and you will have a happy ending to your fourth of July weekend!

Nothing like a rainy 4th of July

The collective sound of disappointment is from all the collective people who made plans for activities for the fourth of July.

Here at Undisclosed Deux, it is raining buckets.Allegedly the rain will finish later and Saturday and Sunday promise to be nice. The rain I, for one, welcome, because yesterdays’ humidity was a little much,and the front has brought the temperature down to manageable levels.

Have a good fourth with family and friends!

Sleepy Thursday

The girls and I just don’t want to get going today, but, because the 4th of July is a Friday, well…we must!Even the news said about it being the busiest travel day of the year!

Jim is working through the morning, so we are going to pack things up for a precious three-day weekend.I’ll be hanging with the girls Saturday night, because weather/Hurricane Arthur caused tonight’s fireworks to be moved to Saturday night.As much as I’d like to see them, well, I like the girls to be at ease too!

Here’s hoping you enjoy the holiday and have fun, but please,dear reader, be safe!

Fruit and cheese

Warmer weather has brought one thing out for me.

Lighter eating.

For the past two weeks my breakfast has been fruit and cheese and a few crackers with a little coffee or juice.Not the healthiest of breakfasts, I’ll admit, but at least the amount of fruit I’ve have been eating has increased ten fold due to this.I make sure the cheese is in there for protein to tide me over and there for I bit I had orange juice to keep my potassium up.

It sure feels good eating light, and I have to admit I do feel better doing it!

I miss the snow.

Yup.

Don’t hate me because I do, but I do. I think back to when it was 9 below and I had to walk the girls and thought, spring will be coming. Spring. Spring got me smiling.The thought of summer didn’t.

Mosquitoes, heat,sweat, public transportation…not rocking my world.It’s my fault that I probably look like crap in a bathing suit, but hey,air-conditioning works.Sure, there’s watermelon, water-ice, pasta salad,water, iced tea,and healthier, lighter eating, but **shaking my head** I am and always will be a sweater girl. I like to be cool to the point of needing a little warmth. I know if I was younger,well, summer rocked. If I knew then what I know now, well, I’d never have to give my dermatologist business for skin cancer checks.

So I will veg out with some iced tea, and sit in front of the fan, but rest assured,I am waiting for October.

June Twilight

It has been a good day.

Zush got her summer haircut, which is making her comfortable. We got some really good walks in.Our neighbors invited us to a “man cave/pool” warming.Now we are kicked back and everyone is relaxing.

We had a beautiful late day sun down on the bay, making us appreciate the distance from the city even more, and now, with the windows open, a beautiful breeze is sailing through the house.

Here’s hoping your day was that good!

Just one of those mornings.

You ever had a morning that started out good?

Then, as an act two, the heavens opened up while trying to get into work as I was on the expressway.

I can not, and I mean, CAN NOT, wait until my last punch in because my chief occupation these days just seems to be shaking my head.Maybe it’s my definition of common sense as opposed to other folks, but again? ***smh*** There are only so many times that you can calm yourself down going,” This time next year….”

Fortunately I get to get out a little earlier today due to a medical appointment: here’s hoping that distance works wonders!

Don’t want to but I have to…

It seems that five minutes ago it was Friday.

It is Monday late afternoon-early evening.

I am home.

I have to go back to the city.I have bills to pay.**sigh**

The pace here is so peaceful,and so relaxing that I actually managed to get a nap in today, which is really saying something for me. Jim is off to ride his bike and then we slowly will get things together to head on back up.The weather has been gorgeous.

Retirement can’t be soon enough.

A little afraid

I am working a traditional 9 to 5 shift today, since I will be heading westward to attend my nephew Matt’s wedding to his fiancée Kat.

In the meantime,it’s due to rain today.BIG TIME…I just read the weather and there is also the chance of a thundershower.I can only hope that if it does happen, it’s when Jim is home. Zush, who is 12,is an old girl like me. As she has gotten older, thunder scares her to no end. Fortunately we are not to point of wearing thunder shirts or medicating her, but it’s rough to think of what her day will be like today.

It’s rough being a dog mom: I can only imagine what you real moms go through.

Happy Friday!

Transitional Weather

If there is anything worse than transitional weather, it has got to be transitional weather when you are moving between two houses.

Rain, no rain, heat, humidity, sandals, pumps, sneakers, capris, jeans…**grabbing my head**…make it go away! After the winter we had, I am a tad apprehensive at storage bagging up all the fall and winter stuff, because what if you need something long-sleeved? For me, it almost borders obsessive, but hey,I know it has to get done.Then, to follow-up, there are shoes. A zillion percent humidity and you would think sandals are the key? Murphy’s law means thunderstorms all through the day.Nothing like being wet and working in an air-conditioned office.

Give me the old days where spring actually existed and summer heat was June, July and August.

Rainy days and Wednesdays…

What’s that old chestnut?
“Be careful of what you wish for, for you shall surely get it.”

It’s raining.
correction…
It’s raining buckets.

I think the lawn at Undisclosed Deux will be sufficiently wet, so no mid-week road trip will be needed.On the flip side, I think we do have gas for the lawn mower and Jim will be busy!

We have one more day of getting through up here, then company for the weekend which should be big time fun-I, for one, am truly looking forward to it, as is Jim.

All I can think of is this is my last April on the job! YAY!

Missing my radio

I was always a big radio girl.

As a child of the sixties, I started out with transistors, laying in the sun and listening to the local stations. As a teenager, I would volunteer at Church socials and the radio gave me my fondness for Sinatra on Friday nights and Sunday mornings.Don’t even get me started on car radios: I had my buttons set, and when I was out of range and in the passenger seat, I KNEW just how to tweak the knob to get the station in. I had a wonderful am/fm/shortwave radio from Radio Shack that I nursed for closed to 20 years.

Now, in the age of listening to Internet radio,I am ready to go back and get a tabletop am/fm/shortwave radio for Undisclosed Deux. You need, especially, to access NOAA weather information down there, and also for emergency news.I know it may not seem like much to you, dear reader, but it’ll feel so good to have my old friend radio back.

Penny Party Rain

It’s a rainy weekend here but it sure beats a rainy one back in the city.

My neighbor, Rita, is an officer in a senior citizen group here, and she told me and invited me to their” penny party” today that is being held in a local fire hall. Another friend of mine is going with me, so I am looking forward to an afternoon out with friends,

The rain is creating craters and lakes in the soon to be lawn that Jim has been trying to even out the past few weeks, so it’s off to Home Depot for add ons to the down spout gutters.

Stay dry!

Last Snow for Now?

I was up early this morning and we all went for a walk before any of the neighbors were apparently up.

The snow squall that started yesterday left a beautiful coating on the lawns and the sidewalks were clear. The girls enjoyed playing in the snow; it was as if they knew that winter is probably through.There is always something about walking in a quiet, snowy city that just serves as balm for the soul. The quiet of the streets meets the pure white of the snow, and for a while, all seems right with the world.

I just have to remember that feeling while swatting mosquitoes in the summer…..lol

Spring takes a holiday

…at least for two days. After 60 degree temperatures on Saturday, today the morning temperature was 34 degrees, with a chance of snow coming tomorrow…..

REALLY?

Spring is supposed to be a time for rebirth, not remission into the frozen state.You get the false sense of probably getting spring/summer clothes out, yet this morning I was scouting out some polar fleece.I laugh at local coffee shops promoting iced coffee, as those who were frozen, like me, needed the warmth of the coffee cup alone to warm our hands up.

OK Spring-I will put on warning.

Get your act together.ok? A few months of 50-60 degree weather would greatly be appreciated.

Ugh…the saga continues.

When I left work on Thursday, they had me unplug all my electrical gadgets, as they were doing something over the weekend and were afraid the place was going to explode**read extreme sarcasm**.

I got in today and had to retrace their steps, which took most of the morning. The one thing they have neglected to do and get my phone going.Not really a good thing.I tried every which way of Sunday to fix my system, so I opted to do back up work instead-God knows there’s enough of it.

The only saving grace was that I was only five minutes late getting in so going home, hopefully, will not be too bad.

They say spring is only three days away…..***hah***

A beautiful day

Winter has left us for a little and it is a gorgeous day here at Undisclosed Deux. Unfortunately, weather is supposed to return to the nasty state by Monday: we can only wait and see.

The pancake breakfast fundraiser was this morning and it was our first turn volunteering in the crew. You don’t realize what all goes into things like that until you are thrown into them, and it’s safe to say that Jim and I are both beat.

Off to Mass now, and hopefully a quiet evening. Here’s wishing the same for you!

Let it snow….

..again?

It was supposed to be a really bad storm, so much that Jim’s boss gave him off this morning because the bakeries weren’t going to make rolls due to weather. No rolls=no sandwiches=no deli=Jim off.

I had given up a day off and so we watched and waited…and waited…and the snow came to undisclosed around 5 am.I am sitting here at the kitchen counter, looking out the windows watching blowing snow here, while reading on Facebook the disappointment/relief of friends in the city who are looking at minimal snow.

Hopefully, but I know Jim, we are getting back to the city tonight because he thrives on extreme weather.

Stay tuned.

And with a pause in the action…

Today was a free day off,thanks to Mother Nature.

It has gotten a little warmer,but snow is allegedly coming back tonight.This is really a pain in the butt, because we are due up to see our friends Juls and Tim up at their mountain.It is easier not to worry about travel with Mother Nature sticking her two cents in.

Tomorrow also happens to be St.Valentine’s Day.

Have a wonderful day will those you love: spouse, significant other, parent, sibling…because they aren’t always going to be there and you’ll have wished you did.

Free day depression

Talk about getting a free pass.

My employer has given everyone the day off due to weather.

**sigh**

In the meanwhile I am worrying about Jim making it out to work in the snow and sleet, have been channeling Saint Anthony for something important I seem to hopefully misplaced**God forbid,fear lost** and am just feeling pretty bad.

We are still waiting for the certificate of occupancy for Undisclosed Deux;the stress is still hanging over the two of us like a guillotine.I am looking out at the Blessed Mother statue in my Mom’s yard and the snow is up to her hands.**sigh**

If I didn’t have the fur girls, you can rest assured I would be back in bed…

Sitting and Waiting.

My laptop sits on a little table off in a corner of a room, where I can actually look out a
window to see what’s going on in the yard and street.

It has been my window on the weather world of late.

I have beautiful views of a winter wonderland and at twilight it’s even more magical.

The threat of more upcoming storms has me here sitting and waiting and thinking. It’s become like a mantra in my head: snow, ice and rain. Ugh!It has gotten to the point where the front must be getting closer because the pressure in my sinuses is flaring up.As I sit here thinking of ice, I am lamenting the fact that my yak tracks (ice shoes) are in the storage locker.If it is indeed icy tomorrow, one bus route will probably be rerouted.When will I find out? Uh, when I am waiting at a corner for a bus that will never come.

April,anybody?

Damn..no eggs, bread or milk…

As we were down Undisclosed Deux this weekend, we were trying to unload the storage locker and get stuff out. Food shopping didn’t make the cut.

Last night, as Jim and I lay in bed, we listened to the rain…which became snow and up in the northwestern part of the city was around 6 inches deep.We managed to scrounge stuff for dinner, but I am definitely going to have to bring something home tomorrow for dinner.

Of course snow was melting today and will freeze back up again tonight.

Did I mention there’s an ice storm forecasted for Wednesday?

**sigh**

Dysfunctional Weather

I wish, sometimes, weather would stay somewhat consistent for a bit.

We came down last week, and even, on this past Friday, the bay really resembled a polar icecap. You literally could see the chunks of ice floating in the bay. I should say, that’s’ if they floated: it was so cold that it looked more like a white boulder field at times.

When the girls and I went out this morning, we knew it snowed down here during the week and they both loved it.I enjoy to see how much Zush still thinks she is a young Eskimo sled dog in the snow, and Kasia has decided that doggie snow angels are her strong suit.

The story changed by mid-day, when the weather warmed up it time for us to start emptying the storage locker. Snow gave way to mud puddles, and there were a ton of them. Jim and I were carrying boxes and trying not to give anything a mud bath in the process.

We had gone out for dinner with our friend and sitting now, Jim had come back in with the girls and was soaking wet from rain.

Did I mention they were calling for snow here on Tuesday?

**sigh**

Happy Groundhogs’ Day!

Exercise my blues away

I take a flip fitness class on Wednesday night.It is designed for all levels,even for those who might have to exercise in a chair.The idea is to move your body off the sofa.

I was feeling pretty lousy before I went and wanted to go. Due to the cold weather, we didn’t have a full class but we had fun.The best part is that I know I’ll sleep pretty well tonight, and when I leave the class, I feel as though I have some motivation for the week.

Things change, and as things go on, and sometimes change leads to depression, I feel better when I go to class, and am thankful for the opportunity to attend it.

Having a heat waveas if!

Well, I guess the fact that it was 33 out made me feel that way.

The movie about Day After Tomorrow,with Dennis Quade, would have adored the ice formations in the bay this weekend.If you wanted rocks for your liquor, all you had to do was go down to the jetty and there was all the rocky ice!

Also there were those of us who preferred to play in the snow:Kasia was crowned Queen of Snow Dog Angels-she love it.Zush just savored the coolness against the skin.

Suffice it to say, I’ll be happy when it’s gone….

All new

You’ll never guess where I am.

Nope.Not at my usual corner where I try to type this at.

I am in Undisclosed Deux, sitting at my Corian counter in the kitchen and it really feels great. It also feels a little surreal, knowing all of the angst that we put into this place, but it feels great.

We stopped at the local grocery and I bought some staples for here and there is actually stuff in our brand new refrigerator.Not one like we bought twelve years ago in a scratch and dent spot that looked pretty good, i.e., you couldn’t tell where we got it but my brand new, freezer on the bottom, refrigerator on top appliance,

It’s kind of funny that when we first moved here into the old house it was a blizzard and here we are on the first weekend** kind of** in the new spot, there is snow on the ground and temperatures that I don’t even want to think about.

Guess a new journey has begun.

Define Chilly

Yup, call it what you will: polar vortex, icebox, or just too damn cold.

While we are between houses, our bed currently has its’ head by a window, and you can just feel the cold air.Fortunately for us, we sleep underneath a down feather comforter,so our body heat is trapped and we are warm BUT oh, that morning slap of cold air.

Being a December baby, I normally love cold and snow.Now, being a 54-year-old person,heh, I think there aren’t enough polar fleece shirts and thermal underwear to keep me warm.There is no happy medium, you know?

Well, as it is January,days are getting slightly longer: can spring be far behind?

Eggs and Bread and Milk, again???

We came back up this afternoon and the weather EVERYWHERE we normally be at is going to, or rather, calling for snow.

Again.

Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about eggs bread and milk, but what is funny is that, once again, I am working late on a day where there is a ton of snow called for.It’s like I am a magnet for it, when I have to be in the office late.

This is NOT how I want to come back after four days off: here’s hoping that it’ll be a good week for all.

Weather or not

It’s been a hell of a week weather wise.

I remember worrying g about the cold this time last week when we were headed down to Undisclosed Deux, but somehow we all fared well.Monday and Tuesday were no picnic either, with the office buildings in town turning streets into wind tunnels.

It is allegedly an icy mix now, rain and ice mixed.Tomorrow it is supposed to be sixty and raining.They always say Mother Nature is upset by what we do down here.I am starting to believe it.We’ll go back down today, but I’ll have to make sure to have plenty of towels to dry the girls up and plenty of dry clothes for Jim and myself.

January…it sure keeps me on my toes.

The wayward wind

I worked late tonight.

Add onto that the fact that the regional rail system lost power for a bit due to the weather. There were 1,000,000 people, or at least it felt like this, with me on the platform, waiting for the train.The last time I was on a train that crowded was when the Philadelphia Phillies won the world series in 2008 and people flocked to town to their victory parade.

I hear the wind howling as I sit here by the window typing.I have to get up early tomorrow so I hope this wind isn’t going to keep me up .

.I’m beat!

First day of school….NOT!

…although I have to admit,that coming off of five days away feels like I am a kid coming back from winter break.**if I only knew then what I know now**

The weather is freaking out, to put it bluntly. I am working 9-5 today. Coming in the temperature was in the 50’s. When I leave at 5PM, it’s due to be 36. Overnight it’s going to the single digits and let’s not even go to wind chill factor.

I am determined to catch up on work and just see what tonight and tomorrow will bring.

Pretty darn cold

..but to anyone in the mid-Atlantic states, New England and possibly the midwest, this is no shock. You, my friend, like me, are in the middle of it.

Waking up at 7am today had the temperature at ten, count them, TEN degrees.Fortunately it’s due to get up to the low thirties: I never thought I’d see the day where that constituted a heat wave. Jim is smart: he is in Undisclosed Location Deux, where the heat is actually installed, but it is his reward for going outside. Me? I am in here while the fur girls are curled up in their beds.

Hope you are around some hot coffee or cocoa this morning: stay warm.

On our way…

to check on the contractor…in the blowing snow and frozen temperatures! Have the dog bed, water, food, blankets, etc., so hopefully we’ll be good….stay tuned!

Ugh.

It’s 16 degrees out and 2:30 am.

There’s six inches of snow out.

New Jersey has declared a state of emergency.

I am hoping we are staying in tomorrow, because it is ridiculous to even think of traveling in it. I know it’s going to fun**read heavy sarcasm here** taking the girls out in the morning.

Layers will be the word of the day.

Eggs, Milk and Bread, oh my!

They are calling for a storm, a winter storm.

Uh-huh…

I shudder to think of the amount of folks in line at Shop Rite and Acme getting staples as though it were the end of the world.Yes, I have been guilty of that in the past, but there gets to be a point where fighting the crowd isn’t worth it.We went Monday night to Shop Rite and got some staples so we are set.

We are due to go down to Undisclosed tomorrow, so of course it is going to snow. Jim jokingly asked me if we are going down, and then answered the question by saying ” Nothing stops us.”..lol

I will keep you posted on what we get and where we get it, I’ll be the first one to laugh if it is only a little bit. As John Bolaris, former Philadelphia weatherman knows, the weather can come back and bite you in the butt.

Gorgeous Morning…

..if you are an Eskimo.LOL

I am home today, as we are burying Sue so I am trying to store my warmth up for a little.
Jim was good enough to take the girls out this morning, so I could take my medicine and have some breakfast.

It really is pretty out, with the snowy trees glistening in the sun light. I am sure that as much as I appreciate winter, I’ll be happy to get back inside.

Stay warm!

Let it snow…

I had a Dentist appointment today for a permanent filling over my root canal.

Yeah.

I just looked out over the window here in the office.

I called Donna, the receptionist and said…there is no way I can make a 3PM appointment.I am watching it come down at a clip now.I can not hardly think of what will be by 3PM.Long story short? Appointment for next Monday.

Let it snow, let it snow, as I will probably take 5 hours to get home….

Hope not!

Dreary…

It’s a rainy Friday and my bones are feeling it.

Arthritis is a really crappy thing. It cripples a lot of folks, and fortunately I am not one of their number yet.Yet it is really hard for me to complain knowing the pain I have seen this week.What I go through is nothing next to people who are so far gone that they are terminal.
Their bravery and emotion is astounding.

It’s enough to make me stop complaining and be thankful for the fact that I am up this morning, Jim is up, the girls are up and we have two feet and/or four paws on the ground.It goes without saying that I am feeling blessed to be here this morning, and know I can still sit on my own to type this when others are in bed, just waiting.

If you are of the praying mind, or even just the good thought mind, please think of Sue this weekend.She’d appreciate it as would I.

Thanks.

My Children with four paws…

..went out in the rain last night and this morning, returning with that drowned dog look on their faces, but hey, at least they got out. I know you guys who have two-legged children struggle to get them in snow suits and stuff, but this is just the actual art of getting them outside.

It figures a Nor’Easter would blow through for Thanksgiving, as if we needed any more drama going on.
If you are traveling, please be safe.The Shingleman family hope for a safe trip and a speedy return!

November is here…

…and the weather outside, color on leaves not withstanding, is more reminiscent of
March.

Go figure!

A busy morning on tap for us gals, both my four=legged and me, so we can do our
household chores and go down to Undisclosed Location II with Jim.

Uh, let me rephrase that…

We’ll, no doubt, spend time in the tile store, major box hardware stores, in’
addition to trying to kick back and relax over the weekend. We’ll see how
far things have hopefully progressed and what decisions need to be finalized
and put to bed.Jim,from the beginning, has said, once we make the decision
on x, y, or z, we have made it and that’s that.I have to keep that in my
mind constantly because it has been a seemingly long process.

Enjoy your Friday!

Drying out

…we are finally back from Undisclosed.

Talk about a long,rainy weekend.

We actually ate our first meal in the new house, in a matter
of speaking, because we were getting a little punchy in the
cottage.Not that I could have actually eaten rough stuff,
because I was getting through oral surgery.

I made Jim a roast beef and cheese hoagie, and we sat in
Undisclosed Deux, and took it all in. It was nice being in the
new digs.

Fortunately, I am off tomorrow, so off to a good night’s
sleep.

Rainy days and Nor’easters…

One thing about us: we always loved the shore in no matter what the
weather. Sun, showers, snow, nor’easters…we are pushovers for the
weather.

We came down last night and had a good seafood dinner that was from our
local Moose lodge.They got new chefs and it showed. Scallops stuffed
with crab meat is what both Jim and I had.

This morning we were out walking the girls, and then went to breakfast.
You have to remember when it’s a holiday weekend here-tables fill up fast.

We’ll stay through Mass tomorrow morning and head back up.

Enjoy your Saturday!

A little better……..

The weather is back to October.
Yay!
Sleeping with windows open and blankets.
Yay!

“October gave a party, the leaves by hundreds came,
The chestnuts oaks and maples, and leaves of every name…”

When George Cooper wrote that poem, he wrote it for me.
It was always one of my favorites.

Time, in the Mid-Atlantic states, to enjoy the coolness,
the apples, the colors…I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

Enjoy your day.

My right arm for a cold front

Sure.

Throw this back to me in two months.

We had our breakfast by the water, where there was a great breeze.
The girls were comfortable, as were we.

Well, a trip to the storage locker and then the dump,and the
sweat is rolling off of us girls, both 4 and 2 legged.Jim is
out catching a breeze somewhere-lucky guy.

We’ll wish you a happy Sunday and a good week, but we’ll be going
under the shadiest tree with some cool water..we gals will
be dreaming of 50 degree temperatures.

Indian Summer

..is not for me…I ABHOR IT!

We are down at Undisclosed and the only thing having me feel a little better
was some air conditioning and a quick shower from outside. I had a chance
to clean the campground dirt off me, and I feel like at least $1.25

I would hope that autumn would make up its’ mind and decide to stay!
**fingers crossed***

Have a good weekend!

Football Sunday

I normally root for one collegiate football team.

Professional football I can watch, but it really doesn’t rock my world.
However…
This season my hometown’s team has a new coach.Call me a fair-weather fan,
but we have one win under our teams’ belt.End result of this? We are
going to try to watch the first quarter at a place known for the golden
arches-after all,we are sans electric…lol…at least until Undisclosed
Deux is done its’ construction.

We’ll have some good walking in this sweatshirt weather today, as after
scouting the long-range forecast, next weekend is allegedly in the 80’s.

**sigh**

Enjoy your Sunday!

Breezy Saturday

A front has moved in..thank God!!!!

We are enjoying 60-ish weather, and actually wearing sweatshirts at night..great break for us heat haters.

The girls are hanging outside enjoying the air, and I am happy to report that Zush’s panting has died down considerably.

We are off for Mass and to enjoy dinner with friends later on..enjoy your weekend!

How did this ever happen?

Ok, I’ll admit it.
I bitched and moaned about waiting in the heat for the bus.
Once you got on, it wasn’t bad when the air-conditioning was
working. But this morning, I had a shocker….

SCHOOL KIDS

I know, advocate for fall and cooler weather that I am, I
was willing to embrace the new season..I just forget the
extra volume of school kids on a bus. I leave early in the
morning and they are STILL on the bus.Before you say it,
yes, I was a kid on a bus once a century ago, but…

I MISS MY TRAIN!

Hacking…

It’s Saturday and guys are working on putting the plywood on our roof.

Yay!

We have to go get some breakfast, though;I have to get some medicine in me.
The post-nasal drip is turning into a hell of a smokers cough: it sounds like I’d walk a mile for a camel…lol. Not necessarily the sound I want to come from these lungs of mine.

We are off later to see my friend B, who currently is at a few Undisclosed places above ours.
I am looking forward to that because I haven’t seen her in a few years, and although Facebook is nice, in person is better.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Wednesday Update

The girls and I are hanging around trying to get our day started.

We had a good night and morning, with the advent of the cool front,or Zush off her meds, or a combination of both. Now if I could only get the weather to cooperate, well, the grey in my hair would cut down considerably.

It is a good week to be on vacation. We are enjoying the quiet of the neighborhood, and will probably return back to Undisclosed De

ux later today.It’s kind of funny though, because,you really don’t mind the city when the weather cools and the kids are back in school.

It is a little rough getting started though, because behind the Candelabra is on HBO again. It’s so funny, knowing Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones are separated now: as I mentioned in a previous blog-Douglas does such a convincing Liberace, in my opinion, that I’d be wondering about him when he came home if I was his spouse….loll

A Happy New Year to my Jewish friends and to all of you, thanks for good thoughts and prayers for the Zusher. I appreciate it!

Life in a tent…lol

We are sitting out in our screened in tent trying to catch some breeze. It is a
little drizzly here, so any fresh air we can get is appreciated.

The wood was delivered on Friday, so we really didn’t see too much new this weekend
with the exception of some clean fill added.I am sure over this next week the view
from the tent will probably be different…lol.

The bigger joke is that we WERE debating going home early, but we figured everyone and
their mom is leaving early due to the weather, so we can sit in traffic now OR wait and sit later.

All of life’s decision’s should be so enough, eh? LOL

Weather or not..

It’s Friday, which gives purpose to the fact that it’s supposed to rain.

Not that I am complaining, mind you. I went through the barometric
pressure headache that predicted this current patch of weather.The
front comes through, and bang, the headache goes. Amazing that
weather can affect a body: I am constantly amazed by that fact.

The leaves are turning a richer shade of green apropos of late
summer, and even with the overcast sky,it is a pretty day.The breeze
is going through the bushes in the next yard.The girls and I are getting
ready to go for our stroll between the raindrops.

Enjoy the day!

Rainy,Overcast…coffee

There’s a Carly Simon line in her song “You’re so vain” that goes…

“I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee,clouds in my coffee..”

Well, my dreaming is done, the heat is temporarily broken, it’s rainy,a little
damp and it was actually cold on my bus this morning.

The smoothie phase is done for now. I went right into my desk drawer and got
my Maxwell House out and am having my first coffee in 2 1/2 months. Amazing how
when you are away from it, you don’t think you miss it, but after a while it’s
like reaching for the sweatshirt that has worn in just right and it gives you
that comfort when you pull it on.

Coffee? Glad you are back!

sigh

So it’s Tuesday and a work day. It’s a beautiful day here, and it would be nice to be anywhere
but here.

Jim has to go down to Undisclosed to sign contracts with the builder, and meet with a few more folks.
so I am bachelorette Mom tonite. Hopefully we’ll get some wash done and the girls will go walking with
me and that will be great.Truth be told, I am hoping to get things done so I can shower and be in bed
early.

Bring out more cool days like this.

Row, row, row your boat

We left Undisclosed yesterday around 3:45 PM.

The sky was pretty much like it was most of the day: it looked as though it would rain within 5 minutes no matter where you were.

We got on the road to get back to the city, and little did we know that we should have had a boat. It was record time coming home, and I don’t mean that in a good way. It took us FOUR hours to get back, on a trip that normally takes us ninety minutes tops.The monsoon that hit made us scratch our heads and realize one thing: with two dogs and two adults. we weren’t going to sit crawling to a toll bridge. Hey, if we did that, it probably would have taken SIX hours to get home.

Fortunately, Jim’s sister and her husband were a phone call away, and Tony knew the local back roads, for which I say thank God for that! We ended up going south to almost a third state, but didn’t go THAT far, but got on a different bridge and got to the house before the heavens opened up again.

The weather service said where we were had EIGHT inches of rain and it sure looked like that. It was an experience that, thank God, we got through. Sure hope we don’t have to go through it again.

Me and Kate

I just read an article about the Duchess of Cambridge’s post maternity style.

Evidently it is to warm for the royal track suit and clothes of that line just
yet.Maxi dresses and caftans are expected to be seen, according to royal watchers.
Something that will be nice and light and flowing for the summer heat.

Great!

I saw a picture of Kate, Wills and Prince George where Wills was holding the
baby. Gee,my belly could match Kate’s right now. Didn’t I feel good when I
saw that. Maybe I will adapt a caftan wardrobe and try to lose weight as
my sister, the Duchess of Cambridge will…

Hmmm…might be worth the thought!

An obvious glitch…

…because when I got out the front door this morning, I wasn’t immediately sweating.

Ah,Mother Nature-you are so cruel. Teasing me with temporary low humidity and
comfortable temperatures.I know you are two-faced,though, and will swipe the
temperatures up in a blink of an eye.

In the meanwhile, this might even call for going outside today and getting some
chores done and sneaking in a little walking.Might as well get it in before the
next string of 90+ degrees sneaks back in.

Happy Wednesday!

A good buddy on a downhill slope

In prior blog posts, I had written about my friend with a degenerative brain disease.

She had been diagnosed about 5 years ago, and has been going slowly downhill, which has been
so hard for us who love her to watch.We hang in there with her though, because she, even in her illness, is a good friend.

If you can’t find the prior post, she is a former neighbor who made friends with me from the day I moved in,eleven years ago. Her fur-child is Eby, a beautiful male golden retriever. We used to tease about Zush being Eby’s wife-we had many a good chuckle over that. Fortunately Zush is spayed so no worries for me.

I can remember her illness coming on as if it were yesterday. Jim,Zush and I were with her and Eby walking the trail of the Wissahickon. She was complaining about feeling off-balance sometimes, which I said maybe the doctor would tell her it was vertigo.

It wasn’t

I always would walk up twice or 3 times a week when I lived on the block, and we would chew the fat for a while. As her condition has deteriorated, I kept that up,until when we moved this last month. Now I only get to see her once a week.

Yesterday was her 62nd birthday.

If you are of some free time, please throw up a prayer or good thought for my buddy. No one should have to go through what she is.

Stuck at the base camp …

…or should I say prison,because that is what my late mother’s house feels like. We have officially lost the undisclosed location that was for now.Demolition allegedly begins on Monday.
Jim can get more excited than I am, as this house is his baby.He deals with the builder, surveyor,etc. I am left sitting with the girls on the hot bleachers. Not very inspiring place to
be in.

Jim is taking advantage of being in the city by going to take the car for an oil change et al.The girls and I are going nuts pent-up in air struggling against the temperature and walking for potty breaks out in the blazing heat.Day number two of this is really not that fun.

The flip side is that I have been watching Yard Crashers on DIY network, and Jim and I are trying to get some ideas on somewhere down the line, landscaping the house, whenever it eventually gets done. Some of the ideas they show are a little much, but some might actually work for us.

It is very depressing for me right now, as I feel that there is no light at the end of the tunnel and I will be stuck here.I might even pass away in this prison.It is frustrating to see other people get there homes on the road and it seems that it is so-o-o drawn out.

Hard to keep the faith when you feel this bad, but we’ll see.

If only..

The heat is continuing here, allegedly through tomorrow night, with the promise of a possible thundershower tonight. Hah! I should be so lucky!

The fur girls and I go out for walks but the three of us come back in a puddle of drool mixed with my sweat.There isn’t enough fluid to keep me moving, and although I know you have to eat, well maybe we should have heat more, as it is a pretty decent appetite suppressant.

As I write this, I am looking out the window and for mid-July, the bushes and plants have lost their true richness of green: they are looking somewhat peaked.

Come on, October!

Whew!

Well, had the classic middle age life experience this morning: up to tap a kidney at 3:30am-so much for sleep.

On the flip side, I got the girls out for their morning walk and met up with my buddy Kathy.Kathy fostered my Zush when she was 6 months old for the SPCA. It’s funny, because 12 years later, I give her the ok to go, and she’ll run to Kathy-she remembers her! Kath has two new dogs of their own, Henry and Chunks.The four of them had a good walk together, and it was good to see my buddy.

Now to get ready for the office and yet another day of heat.Hope it is going to break soon;after all,there are only so many outfits a gal can put together with one eye open.

Have a great day!

Last minute shuffle

Continuing the heat from yesterday,I had to put together clothes to wear into the office today.
That wasn’t an easy task, as I kept all my work clothes together when we moved but they were down in the hot cellar.

I had gone down half-dressed and had striped Capri pants on.What do you think that I grabbed to wear on top? A seersucker plaid shirt: truly an outfit you wish you had vertical hold for.Fortunately I was awake enough to realize my fashion error and changed pants! Whew! Crisis averted.

Managed to make it in to the office and got myself a smoothie and some fruit to boot.Here’s hoping that the 96 degrees gets over with quickly!

Stay Cool!

Lighter the better

They are calling for a string of 90 degree days and you just know how much I adore the hot weather.**read heavy sarcasm here**

Drastic times call for drastic measures.

The seersucker shirts have come out, and this morning I bought a fresh pair of sandals to replace the ones I bought last year during jury duty.Below is a picture of my breakfast of choice and there will be NO coffee coming in this body today- a ton of water, thank you very much. Although I know some folks will go ugh when I mention lunch, well, I can’t help it. I was brought up by Mom with cottage cheese with peaches. I have twisted it to cottage cheese and pineapple. it works for me, folks-I will try anything to keep it cool.

Here’s hoping if you are stuck in the heat, you manage to keep hydrated and if you have an elderly relative or neighbor, be a good person and check on them. You’d be surprised the amount of sealed shut windows you find because they think “It makes the house cooler.” Remember to have plenty of shade and water for your fur kids too!

Take it easy!

Sleep

I ** heart** sleep.

Don’t get me wrong, but 6 hours is pretty good for me. I remember a time where I was a bear without 8.

It’s all about change, I guess- change and age.

Sure, babies are celebrated when they sleep through the night. Kids want to stay up all night on weekends and summer, but give them a school morning and most of them need a front loader to pick them out of bed and get their day started.

As the ” clubbing” years arrive, I have witnessed many people dragging themselves in on zero-2 hours sleep and try to convince folks they are great!

At my age, I am glad 5 hour energy is only a commercial to me, not a diet staple. Medications**legal prescription ones,’natch**also add to sack time. Then there are those of us who have to get up through the night, through one reason or another,and upon returning to bed, try to coax ourselves back to sleep.

I am not a fan of heat. The only **good** thing, IMHO , is that it wears on you and wipes you out, thus handing you sleep on a platter…lol…I am not proud: I’ll take comfort any way I can get it.

Here’s hoping you got a good night’s rest and have a good day.

That’s enough heat

We all are coming back up to the city, and we are listening to the baseball game.

The announcer is talking about heat:: don’t think too many people sitting in stadium open seats need to hear about it. Nor do they want to heat about heat index…I mean why and insult to injury?
The announcer,who is probably in an air conditioned booth, remarked about all the fans have to do is sit in their seats to sweat.

I am sure in the old days, pre-pollution, the heat was hot but not this lousy heat we get today.

October,anyone?

Screen house night two…

Well, here we are tonight, out in the screen house.

If you look at the picture of the Zush, she accurately reflects the amount of sweat we are dealing with. Kasia is outside the screen house, guarding us or protesting about or sweat- take your pick.

The humidity has returned with a vengeance and weather is threatening to go to three digits. Thus, we are out here letting the compressor rest while we listen to the Phillies on the transistor radio.I am reading, too, to try to take advantage of twilight. All is quiet right now at Undisclosed location.

Here’s hoping your Saturday night is a wee bit cooler.

Feeling the heat

I am worried about my girl, Zush.

Zush is twelve years old and I am afraid that her age is catching up to her in this heat. Hell, the heat is catching up with me, too.

We have had the air-conditioning on full steam, and I just tried to see if she wanted to go out. It’s like she is glued to the carpet.

Keep a good thought for my girl: she’s my baby.

Back at it

Hopefully Jim will have to make a ride to Jersey to meet with the architect today and get the ball rolling on Undisclosed Deux. If he does, I might be leaving early from work.

Why?

Zush.

Zush is 12 years old and has gotten to the point that thunder really, really bothers her. Jim says she has Kasia and she’d be ok. As a dog mom though, I’ll exercise, weather permitting,my maternal instinct to go home to the fur girls and make sure they are ok. I have empathy for Zush, because as a kid, I hated gunshots, loud dog barks, and at fourth of July and other firework festivities, I’d be the one with fingers in my ears,

We’ll see what the weather brings…..

Beautiful day

It truly is a gorgeous day.

I went to get my hair done, and the pampering felt good. The girls and I went out early for our walk, and we saw some of our friends. Jim and I went out for a bit and the girls are gnawing on some beef bones from the butcher. Throw in the comedy, Blades of Glory, for more laughs….

Life is good!

End of the world as we know it

Actually the 11 year world as I knew it ended June 6,2013 when our house sold and
I was forced to moved to domicile 2….but…

It’s dreary out…really…as in you know the golf ball hail and winds are just around the corner.

I am waiting for the thunder to start, knowing my poor Zush might just get some comfort from
her sister Kasia or her Dad. I have listened to the weather channel and checked out Al Roker
this morning and all I have to say is I am going to run for cover if a tornado comes my way.

Or, in other words, if I see Jim Cantore in front of my building, I’m done.

Is it November yet?

What was the old saying? These are the times that try men’s souls….. Or in this case, mine.

I truly believe that if God brings you to it, He’ll get you through it. So I have me faith on getting me through this change,successfully, and by His grace Jim, myself and the fur girls will make out ok.

Of course this weather is of no help,and the fact that Jim is running around like a madman makes me more nervous. Somehow sleep and a meal have lost meaning to him .i told him I want him around….

I have always hated drama and yet it’s amazing how life throws it at you. So on behalf of Jim, the fur girls and myself….keep the prayers and good karma going this way- it sure is needed

Air for everybody

Sunday morning has brought us a pleasant surprise- a cool weather front.

I have shut the air conditioner off and thrown open the windows. Fur girls are peacefully laying around and Jim and I are taking it in before leaving Undisclosed and heading back, unfortunately!

Have a glorious Sunday.

Dog days of June

We came down to Undisclosed location to… get away from city heat and humidity and down for a little breeze.The poor fur- kids pass out under the air conditioning, and we are right behind them. It is only a temporary respite, as we have to get back early to finish packing.

We also lost a good friend today, who fought hard against Parkinson’s ,but lost. Nothing like dealing with loss and heat for a two- fer.

Things have to get better, I hope!

The irony of Heat

I am out of gas.

Some serious boxing and cleaning were done today in this heat. So what am I laying around with the fur children watching? You got it-the movie of the same name. Jim is upstairs on line and should be down here soon with us. We enjoy DiNero and Pacino, so here is where the comfort is.

Come on, November!

Beauty is hard work

It’s the day after Zush’s day of beauty.

As you can see by her “close-up”, it was hard work. We had a rough night with the rain, and after a morning walk with me and Kasia, she is ready for a nap!

Jim is busy running around trying to accomplish things, so the girls and I will fit a few more walks in, based on the weather, and then Zush’s beauty weekend will officially be in the books.

That is not a fair statement, because Zush and Kasia are both beautiful girls-we are blessed with our fur gals. They keep our sanity!( not that Jim would ever publicly admit to it…)

Enjoy your Sunday.

Weather or not..

I have always considered myself a big city resident,
albeit in a smaller area of it; that is, I didn’t
live downtown.

As a resident of this city I have been cursed,since 17,
with crappy sinuses.It was always sinus colds in
winter and summer, with a chaser of allergies in
spring and fall.

As I look up out the window, I see a front that is
trying to approach.I didn’t have to look up to do
that-the sinus headache told me so.

What a gift….lol

Through my own little window

I love my platform rocker. It’s in my living room and, while sitting here, I can lay back and take everything in.

In my prior post, I mentioned that the weather this morning was overcast. Well, a front came through, and the light coming in through these stained glass windows is spectacular. It makes it the spot I like to say my prayers in. It’s also the last spot , when Mom was well, that she was here with me.

With light coming through like this, I feel her with me.

Have a good week!

Good morning

Well, we are up early.

It’s a bleary day. Sunshine, though, for all of you reading this, if your Moms are still with us.

For those of you, like me, well, your Mom is in heaven, so we have that ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds today….send some sunshine up to heaven back.After all , Mom is waiting to get your gift.

Yikes.

Jim is still hacking, I guess, to keep my tubercular lungs company: after all, that’s what marriage is for, no?
I am counting my mercies that the girls are well.

The city of Washington D.C., has shut down due to a storm that is hitting there. Wussies! It’s a little snow.
I shudder to think what they would do if they were in the northeast!

Work is busy…too busy…I never knew I was so popular…lol

Time to run for undisclosed: this week it will be deeply appreciated, despite the amount of cough medicine ingested!

Anything to escape the city….Even Queen Elizabeth II was at the train station, looking happy to be leaving..**see disclaimer below picture**

disclaimer ***this is a cut-out that the local transit system has in honor of the British themed flower show running currently in town.

Different Day…

Remember the beautiful sunset yesterday?

What a difference a day makes.

“A winter’s day in a deep and dark December…” was a line from a Simon and Garfunkel song. That was certainly the way day broke. Now it’s after 9pm and as I type this, I look out the window and see the snowy yard.

Punxsutawney Phil said an early spring.

Where?

Georgia?

Rainy Monday Reflections

As with previous Mondays, I came to work today with my nephew Gregory. We stood at the station and waited.

…and waited….as the rain came down….

The train finally came, and to my surprise, Greg called it, we got a new train on Septa’s line. It was no excuse, however, for being late. Greg so succinctly reminded me,” Uh, it’s raining…”

So we get on the train and we had to sit across from each other-no big deal there. However, I was going to take a great shot, but the conductor stood in my way.

A girl, who you can see in the picture, had her cell phone reversed with the screen facing her so she look AT herself while she was putting her make-up on. It came back to me…morning commutes in a car, bus, trying to put lipstick on..and the eternal hand mirror in your handbag. I wonder if hand mirrors have made it into the Smithsonian…lol…but I had to admit, she was using her head, er, phone. I definitely wouldn’t have had the idea to use it as a mirror.

Hell gettin’ old.

Did somebody say blizzard?

It’s that first call for a February blizzard, and we have dodged the bullet.

People in Boston and further north got hit pretty well. Even New York got snow,
and they claim a spot in Connecticut actually hit the 40″ mark.

I am not that upset, as we are usually good for one or two blizzards in February and
I am sure another will come my way.

In the meantime, Undisclosed is cold and windy, but the skies were a gorgeous shade of
blue and the sand was running its’ own race when we were over at the Cove beach.

Stay warm!

Friday 5

A good friend in the office is teetering on the brink of labor…I am so thankful I get to miss the madness…lol. Children are nice but
it’s always good to give them back to their parents.

Boston is allegedly going to be snowed under this weekend. I have never been so happy to be a mid Atlantic state.

Kasia’s leg gets unbandaged today. I am thankful my baby girl kept her bandage on like a trooper!

While taking the girls out for their walk after work, I noticed, this week, that it’s staying lighter a little longer. Yay!

I am grateful that although I can support Girl Scouts all I want, no one is holding a gun to my head : thank God for an office where I can put the
cookies the next aisle over from me!

Have a great weekend!Below is a picture of my kids and their Dad!

And it all started..

..with a morning with me getting dressed in a coma. End result? Two different colored blue socks now reside on my feet.

Left my Iphone at the house, and my nephew Greg couldn’t find it, although to his credit, he did give it the old college try.

My lower back is on the verge of rebelling against the rest of my body.

People are awfully LOUD today…it may blizzard later tomorrow, but they are acting like it’s a snow day here.

BUT…..

Kasia is making her way around ok: she’s taking her medicine and actually listening to people for a change.

The rest of the family is hanging in there.

I guess it’s a wash. LOL

Making up its’ mind

We had some weather early this morning: there were snow flurries.

I decided to stretch my legs at lunchtime and go out for a walk and it was very faintly drizzling.

Now, I realize I know a little about weather, and how fronts move to and fro BUT weather never bothered me
until I had my new knees. Now, as I take tentative steps on slippery slate or bricks, I’m busy putting in my
head,” Don’tfall..Don’tfall..Don’tfall…Don’tfall..Don’tfall…Don’tfall…metal will stick out of your knees…metal will stick out of your knees..
.metal will stick out of your knees…metal will stick out of your knees…metal will stick out of your knees..
…you catch my drift.

Of course I am working later tonight and I have visions of icy sidewalks dancing in my head.

**fingers crossed**

Here’s hoping to handle getting home in one piece.

Soaking..

Today I am soaking it all in.

The weather high today is supposed to be forty degrees. That will, allegedly be the high for the next week or so. Jim has Zush out for a walk, and I am doing some laundry so I will take Kasia out a little later.

The sunsets have been gorgeous. Our back room, full of windows has a ton of brilliant sunlight coming through and it would almost delude you into thinking it’s spring.

We’ll go out and get our big walk done, and appreciate a beautiful day. Hopefully we’ll generate enough heat to last us through the upcoming cold spell…lol…well, it IS January, after all!

Woosh…

This morning, I would say the winds here are blowing a minimum of 25 miles per hour.
Minimum….
25 mph….

**sigh**

The girls and I will go out lunch time to see our friends, but I think we are going to stay in and stay cozy. This is not necessarily the way I wanted to leave 2012 in Undisclosed, but I KNOW 2013 will rock.

Happy old year memories and a happy new year full of promise to you all!

Another Saturday night..

…and after Mass, Jim and I were invited to our neighbor Jerry’s house for gulasz myśliwski, or hunter’s stew. Jerry is a native of Poland, and with my Polish background as well as Jim’s, well, let’s just say the meal was wonderful, and on a damp dreary night as it is now, well, you can safely assume that it hit the spot. It is always good to have good food and good conversation and laughs. It is true what they say laughter is the best medicine!
I have come back to have the girls out and get comfortable for the night. My nephew Greg informed me that we had snow in the city, and down here we were only rained on. We are going to relax for the rest of the weekend, traveling to our friends Juls and Tim for News Years’ eve.
Here’s hoping that if you have to go out on the roads, you are safe. Stay warm and snuggle!

Brrrr….

It’s late November….
It feels like February.

Tonight’s sunset was weird. The sky was all clouds, with a thin ribbon of sun beneath it. The sky tonight was crystal clear with a ton of stars. Shame a 20 knot wind was accompanying it.

Good night to be cozy with my family.

Getting a little taste

A day off from work today and the girls and I were laying low. The weather gave us a taste of what was, but the forecast lets us know autumn is working its way out.

The colors are somewhat faded, but once in a while you get a little blast of color.It made going out walking a relaxing adventure!

Two cuppa…

It’s that kind of morning so far.

I’ve had two cups of coffee under my belt and my eyes are clearly rebelling: they’d rather I’d be home on the sofa. with the eyelids drawn.

They are calling for a Nor’easter here with a good chance of snow this afternoon. Of course, it stands to reason I am here until 5PM tonite.

**sigh**

I have my foul weather shoes on and am pretty much prepared but the dreariness of the day isn’t helping me too much.

Friday is coming…..not soon enough for me.

Stay safe today!

She sells sea shells….

We took the cove beach walk this morning with the girls and Shingleman. It was the same walk we took last week before the storm.

As we walked along the beach by Cape May lighthouse, all you had at your feet were seashells,or, rather, pieces of shells at your feet. I always loved looking for shells. It’s something my parents always did with me since I was a kid. I managed to find a few nice ones to remember Hurricane Sandy with.

In all, here’s hoping your morning was just as good!

On the way

We are on are the road.

It’s evident by the picture I attached on the bottom. It’s raining. It’s ok, though, because a day away from the office beats any day of the week in the city.

I am still coughing,but hopefully it’ll be down to a dull hack. The challenge is to keep heartburn to a roar while keeping the mucinex down.

Weather notwithstanding , we will be happy to recharge our batteries

Have a wonderful weekend!

Children of the Corn

It is a little overcast and a bit cooler, so to humor Shingleman, we are watching Children of the Corn.

The things I do for my husband!

This was a remake of allegedly the first Children of the Corn. Sorry we missed it….not. As Shingleman says- such a good movie they had to make it twice!

Really?

The rain has arrived: no break for my sinuses.

It was difficult keeping my head up today, I mean, I’d like to know why the eyes are aching and I hate to put it on the rain, but barometric pressure gets me every time.

We needed this rain; I am thankful . I just wish rain came alone- no sinus chaser!

Damned if you do…..

It’s due to rain tomorrow , and I haven’t seen the weather channel. How do I know? …..

Sinuses.

I am typing this with a bear of a sinus headache. I always claimed to have Philadephian sinuses. Prone to winter infections and pollen the other nine months of the year.
t
The headache isn’t do bad in the scheme of things, as it reflects a change in barometric pressure,

Translated?
We need the rain!

Wrapping it up

It’s over .

My one vacation every ten years is done.

The weather was great,albeit humid. Any day at the beach is better than one in the office~ that is so true!

I am blessed!

Rain or humidity is a zillion times better

The rain everyone has been experiencing is everywhere but here. Mind you, the humidity is absurd and grey sky fights the sun, but anyday here is better than being in the city!

The girls are each chomping a dog bone as the three of us try to veg. We have had some good walks today, but I am always mindful of Zush in this weather.

Early to bed for us…we can hardly wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Poor New Orleans

Wow!

Memory coming back to me this morning as I watch the weather channel. Tropical Storm Isaac giving signs of turning into a hurricane . As I watch coverage, I am giving prayers for those folks on the Gulf coast-especially New Orleans.

Stay safe, folks!

Isaac

Spending Sunday watching the weather channel and seeing the preparations for Tropical Storm Isaac, which is hitting Florida as I type this.

I remember the preparations for Hurricane Katrina. It is mind-boggling, watching the change in the weather and the extreme swings possible. You can only feel for the people in New Orleans, as I see on the weather station are in an alert status. Can those folks be going through issues thinking back to Katrina? I know if I had gone through it and survived, I’d probably be a basket case.

Sending my prayers up so everyone comes through this dance with Isaac as unscathed as possible.

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