The wind began to blow yesterday afternoon around 2 o'clock, and it's still blowing. The National Weather Service station here says we'll have sustained winds of 25 to 40 mph all day, with gusts of 45 to 75 mph. We still have snow and ice from the two snowfalls (more than 10 days ago) in our parking lot, and snow is clearly visible on the Flatirons and Front Range. And in the last few days, the high temperatures have been in the 50s and 60s. So it seems incredible to also read that we are under a Red Flag warning for extremely high danger of fire... Current temperature says 34 degrees, humidity is 23%, and the wind is blowing at 25 mph. It's a day that weather means I'll stay inside....
Almost finished with Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen. I had to look up the story about Ed Watson and Belle Starr to see what was "really" what. Ed was a sharecropper on Indian lands he leased from Belle Starr. At a dance, she refused to take the floor with Ed. He had been drinking and was angered by her refusal, according to witnesses. She was found dead the next day. Ed Watson was arrested, but, as there was only circumstantial evidence against him he was tried and acquitted. He left, returning to Florida soon after his acquittal.
I think that the 45th President is not sleeping well... It seems that Special Investigator Robert Mueller's team is getting closer to naming him as a defendant each day...
Had my taxes done by AARP-IRS volunteers at the Boulder Senior Center on Thursday. I don't owe anything to either the federal or state government, but I'm not getting back either. Since my birthday is in June, I'll have to wait for another 2 years before I can apply to the City and County, and get my food tax refund. Last year they paid back $62; this year it's $83... Since I need a crown for a dead tooth, and it's going to cost $700, it would've been nice to get a little bit of cash back!
Still working away on my family tree, and my room-mate, Beatrice's. I'm lucky that there are so many church and tax records for most of my family. I have to admit that I've divided my family tree into three parts, not four. That's due to the scarcity of Swedish records for my mother's paternal side. I have over 4,000 entries for my father's paternal Nocks family; and I have over 2,000 for his maternal Lancaster/Mobley/Washburn side. I have about 1,500 for my mother's family, in entirety...
For Beatrice, I started with her parents names, her maternal grandmother, and her paternal grandfather's names. As they are African American, and the families were slaves on plantations in Louisiana, I am very happy to have found more than 1,100 hundred relatives so far. Her second-great-grandfather was the son of the plantation owner, and I have been able to trace the owner's family back to the late 1500s in Europe. But we're still stuck at her grandfather Bell - we don't know his parents' names, and I've found 12 different Henry Bells that were born around the same time and near the right place.... I'll continue to look, and hope to have a break-through.
Showing posts with label wind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wind. Show all posts
Monday, March 5, 2018
Saturday, February 3, 2018
Oh, The Wind.... Wind... Wind.... WIND!
Sitting here, safely enclosed within my second floor apartment, I can easily understand how many pioneer women were pushed beyond their sanity limit by the constant blowing of the wind. I grew up, pretty much, in the east; I was three when we moved from Virginia to Tennessee, and was five when we left Kingsville, Texas for Gainesville, Florida. I grew up with stories of tornadoes and the Dust Bowl in Kansas and Oklahoma, and with stories about hurricanes and high water on Chincoteague. Spending my school years in Florida, I was highly conversant with hurricanes and hurricane winds. We always lived in the suburbs, and had neighbors near by.
The winds that I have encountered in Boulder, Colorado are of a different variety than the sudden rain squalls on the island, and from hurricane winds. I find I get very tired after the wind has been blowing here for 8 hours or more. It doesn't matter if I'm in an apartment, a small house, or a huge mansion - the wind is tiring. Here, in the apartment I call home, I live on a corner of the building. We have a full size sliding glass door onto the balcony, a single large window in my bedroom looking west, another large window facing west in Bea's room, and she also has two smaller south-face windows, one in her walk-in closet. The only way to get fresh air inside is to open either of the two bedroom windows, the slider onto the balcony, or the entrance door.- Not that we want to open things up when it's windy.
The exhaust flap for the dryer is above my bedroom window, as is the exhaust vent for the stove. When the wind blows, both of those flaps move with the air. I hear it in my bedroom, in the hall beside the dryer, and in the kitchen near the range. With big gusts, the windows shake and shudder in their frames. Now, I know that this building was built to withstand straight-line winds of up to 120 miles per hour - but it's not something that's easy to get used to.
So, when I'm getting myself worked up about the wind, and how edgy it makes me feel, I think of pioneer women. Women who were used to hard work and privation, who were used to "making do" with what was available, but who had grown up with a large family, usually where another house was within walking distance... And here they are, inside a soddy, or a small cabin, probably not well sealed, listening to the wind blow and blow and blow, through the cracks, around the corners... blowing sand, snow, whatever inside, insinuating itself through every vestigial opening. No one to speak with, except a husband, who was busy with his own worries... And, frequently, no other women around except in a day's travel time. It is no wonder that so many women were placed into institutions, or killed themselves, or left to find a place without wind, and disappeared into the prairies and mountains.
I am very lucky that I can retreat into books, or music, or the television. I usually read during windy days... today I'm working on my family genealogy, but I find myself getting irritated when the PC slows down, or the *@#^$%* Comcast connection interrupts service. So, I think I'll go back to a book - and read - because of the wind.....
The winds that I have encountered in Boulder, Colorado are of a different variety than the sudden rain squalls on the island, and from hurricane winds. I find I get very tired after the wind has been blowing here for 8 hours or more. It doesn't matter if I'm in an apartment, a small house, or a huge mansion - the wind is tiring. Here, in the apartment I call home, I live on a corner of the building. We have a full size sliding glass door onto the balcony, a single large window in my bedroom looking west, another large window facing west in Bea's room, and she also has two smaller south-face windows, one in her walk-in closet. The only way to get fresh air inside is to open either of the two bedroom windows, the slider onto the balcony, or the entrance door.- Not that we want to open things up when it's windy.
The exhaust flap for the dryer is above my bedroom window, as is the exhaust vent for the stove. When the wind blows, both of those flaps move with the air. I hear it in my bedroom, in the hall beside the dryer, and in the kitchen near the range. With big gusts, the windows shake and shudder in their frames. Now, I know that this building was built to withstand straight-line winds of up to 120 miles per hour - but it's not something that's easy to get used to.
So, when I'm getting myself worked up about the wind, and how edgy it makes me feel, I think of pioneer women. Women who were used to hard work and privation, who were used to "making do" with what was available, but who had grown up with a large family, usually where another house was within walking distance... And here they are, inside a soddy, or a small cabin, probably not well sealed, listening to the wind blow and blow and blow, through the cracks, around the corners... blowing sand, snow, whatever inside, insinuating itself through every vestigial opening. No one to speak with, except a husband, who was busy with his own worries... And, frequently, no other women around except in a day's travel time. It is no wonder that so many women were placed into institutions, or killed themselves, or left to find a place without wind, and disappeared into the prairies and mountains.
I am very lucky that I can retreat into books, or music, or the television. I usually read during windy days... today I'm working on my family genealogy, but I find myself getting irritated when the PC slows down, or the *@#^$%* Comcast connection interrupts service. So, I think I'll go back to a book - and read - because of the wind.....
Monday, August 28, 2017
Hurricane Harvey
I don't really know how to phrase this without seeming callous and uncaring, in one way... So I'll try to explain. Hurricane Harvey. People knew it was coming. It did not appear overnight. Yes, it suddenly grew in strength before it actually reached the coastline of Texas; but hurricanes are known to do that. I feel very badly for every person and for every animal that has lost his or her life, who has lost their home, lost their belongings, lost their treasured items, lost their way of making a living, lost their vehicles, lost all the tangible items of value... I, too, have lost everything, except my life, several times before. I am a survivor. I pull myself upright and I start making headway again. I might have to borrow money and certain items, but they are always paid back, with interest. Thirteen years ago, one national charity helped me with $250 in cash, to pay my rent. I have given that charity more than $5,000 in the last 10 years, and not as a tax write-off either - it just makes me feel better. I understand gratitude and feel it greatly.
Hurricanes are a fact of life all along the water front areas of the eastern and southern United States. My maternal family has lived on an island in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia for 350 years. My grandfather built a store-ordered Sears, Roebuck & Company house for my grandmother before he married her in 1915/6. MomMom chose the wall paper for the "big kitchen" which was where the family ate; it had slate grey vertical stripes of varying widths, imitating a trellis, and large bunches of blooming pink roses, on an egg-shell background. I can still visualize the five high tide marks on all the walls in the big kitchen - a reminder of the four hurricanes and the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 that the house and all it's inhabitants weathered.
If you knew a storm was coming with high water, your rolled up the rugs and put them in the attic. You placed other movable items of value on the stair landings, around the bedroom (only one), and crammed the rest into the attic, also. Once the water started rising, and was well above street level, you wore your hip-boots out, and waded to your dink (dinghy) or small run-about boat, like a bateau, and you poled it back home, tying it to the roof. Sometimes the wind took bricks from the chimney. Sometimes flying debris broke windows. You just boarded up and carried on.
I grew up with tales of big storms, high waters and hurricanes. As a baby, we lived in Oceana, Virginia; then the Navy shipped Dad (and us) inland, to Millington, Tennessee. I rememebr small flashes from living in Tennessee - but I remember a lot more from living in Kingsville, Texas. And when I turned five years old, Dad retired from the Navy, and we moved to Florida. I saw hurricanes first hand growing up, with school years in Florida and summers in Virginia, on the island. I have to admit I was never in the exact path of a hurricane, but I've been too close for comfort several times. I've also been through several outbreaks of tornadoes. Yes, I am very lucky.
What I've taken the long way around saying (or writing) is that I am just disgusted with some of the news reporting. The word usage is awful. People are repeating themselves over and over. This landing of Hurricane Harvey is a natural, national disaster. We all need to do what we can to help. Donate to the Red Cross, donate to the Salvation Army, donate to smaller food kitchens; donate money, food, clothing, unused home items, time, and blood, sweat and tears.
Please do what you can to help people impacted by this huge amount of water and wind. Do NOT be like our President, and just Tweet - "Oh, this is so exciting!" This is not exciting. It's a disaster.
Hurricanes are a fact of life all along the water front areas of the eastern and southern United States. My maternal family has lived on an island in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia for 350 years. My grandfather built a store-ordered Sears, Roebuck & Company house for my grandmother before he married her in 1915/6. MomMom chose the wall paper for the "big kitchen" which was where the family ate; it had slate grey vertical stripes of varying widths, imitating a trellis, and large bunches of blooming pink roses, on an egg-shell background. I can still visualize the five high tide marks on all the walls in the big kitchen - a reminder of the four hurricanes and the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 that the house and all it's inhabitants weathered.
If you knew a storm was coming with high water, your rolled up the rugs and put them in the attic. You placed other movable items of value on the stair landings, around the bedroom (only one), and crammed the rest into the attic, also. Once the water started rising, and was well above street level, you wore your hip-boots out, and waded to your dink (dinghy) or small run-about boat, like a bateau, and you poled it back home, tying it to the roof. Sometimes the wind took bricks from the chimney. Sometimes flying debris broke windows. You just boarded up and carried on.
I grew up with tales of big storms, high waters and hurricanes. As a baby, we lived in Oceana, Virginia; then the Navy shipped Dad (and us) inland, to Millington, Tennessee. I rememebr small flashes from living in Tennessee - but I remember a lot more from living in Kingsville, Texas. And when I turned five years old, Dad retired from the Navy, and we moved to Florida. I saw hurricanes first hand growing up, with school years in Florida and summers in Virginia, on the island. I have to admit I was never in the exact path of a hurricane, but I've been too close for comfort several times. I've also been through several outbreaks of tornadoes. Yes, I am very lucky.
What I've taken the long way around saying (or writing) is that I am just disgusted with some of the news reporting. The word usage is awful. People are repeating themselves over and over. This landing of Hurricane Harvey is a natural, national disaster. We all need to do what we can to help. Donate to the Red Cross, donate to the Salvation Army, donate to smaller food kitchens; donate money, food, clothing, unused home items, time, and blood, sweat and tears.
Please do what you can to help people impacted by this huge amount of water and wind. Do NOT be like our President, and just Tweet - "Oh, this is so exciting!" This is not exciting. It's a disaster.
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Bits and Pieces
If you want, or need, a good laugh - and can stand to read a lot of incomplete sentences that were uttered by the current President - please read (and guffaw, as I did) the following new article, or interview, from Time magazine: http://time.com/4710456/donald-trump-time-interview-truth-falsehood/
There were six late additions to the Triple Crown nominations list, so the current list of contenders now registered is 425. A horse must have a certain number of qualifying points to run in the Kentucky Derby, which is capped at 20 entries. Other horses that are nominated, but do not have the points, may race in the Preakness Stakes and/or the Belmont Stakes. The newest nominees are: Thunder Snow, Hollywood Handsome, More Than Words, Parlor, Rapid Dial, and Stretch's Stone.
The wind is picking up again, here in Boulder - it's from the west and is expected to bring a rain-snow mix overnight and into Friday morning. We really need the rain, snow, sleet - whatever precipitation we can get. I just hope there's no hail - gardens are blooming and trees are budding and putting out fresh delicate leaves right now. I'll pull our potted plants back in from the balcony this afternoon.
It has been judged that the Sunshine Canyon fire was started by an illegal campfire by people trespassing on private property. The fire investigators state that the camp appeared to have been used by "transients."
And Joe Pelle (our Sheriff) announced that a body has been found on one of the local hiking trails... currently, no further information is available.
I am still grieving the loss of Rosie, the Irish Setter, whom I cared for over a period of more than ten years. We lost Remy, her brother four years ago... And I'm preparing to say good-bye to a beautiful cat who has bone cancer in her jaw. She seems to be in quite a bit of pain and is no longer eating - but she will drink... so I've suggested that her owner give her chicken bone broth for some nutritional value.
My two kitties are doing well. Lovey is curled up in her little nest beside my bed, and Nedi has burrowed under the afghan on my reading chair. Lovey is napping - Nedi is keeping an eye on the birds visiting the feeder and water bowl on the balcony...
I hope you have a great day, wherever you are - and whenever you read this!
There were six late additions to the Triple Crown nominations list, so the current list of contenders now registered is 425. A horse must have a certain number of qualifying points to run in the Kentucky Derby, which is capped at 20 entries. Other horses that are nominated, but do not have the points, may race in the Preakness Stakes and/or the Belmont Stakes. The newest nominees are: Thunder Snow, Hollywood Handsome, More Than Words, Parlor, Rapid Dial, and Stretch's Stone.
The wind is picking up again, here in Boulder - it's from the west and is expected to bring a rain-snow mix overnight and into Friday morning. We really need the rain, snow, sleet - whatever precipitation we can get. I just hope there's no hail - gardens are blooming and trees are budding and putting out fresh delicate leaves right now. I'll pull our potted plants back in from the balcony this afternoon.
It has been judged that the Sunshine Canyon fire was started by an illegal campfire by people trespassing on private property. The fire investigators state that the camp appeared to have been used by "transients."
And Joe Pelle (our Sheriff) announced that a body has been found on one of the local hiking trails... currently, no further information is available.
I am still grieving the loss of Rosie, the Irish Setter, whom I cared for over a period of more than ten years. We lost Remy, her brother four years ago... And I'm preparing to say good-bye to a beautiful cat who has bone cancer in her jaw. She seems to be in quite a bit of pain and is no longer eating - but she will drink... so I've suggested that her owner give her chicken bone broth for some nutritional value.
My two kitties are doing well. Lovey is curled up in her little nest beside my bed, and Nedi has burrowed under the afghan on my reading chair. Lovey is napping - Nedi is keeping an eye on the birds visiting the feeder and water bowl on the balcony...
I hope you have a great day, wherever you are - and whenever you read this!
Monday, October 3, 2016
Critters and Rosie
I wish I could take a really good photo of the new moon and evening star hanging over Mount Sanitas right now... The sky is shades of blue with the black silhouette of the mountain below it, and a few small puffy grey clouds just above the ridge. It's gorgeous.
Our temperature got up to 78 degrees this afternoon, but a slight breeze that began at 11 this morning turned into a good wind this afternoon. It blew all of our balcony furniture over, and one of the glass pendants on one of the wind chimes was broken while beating against the balcony railing. It was so gusty outside that Nedi went outside, but stayed for less than 60 seconds before heading back in. The weather this morning was fantastic - wore shorts and a T shirt while out walking Rosie - and was extremely comfortable. The cottontail rabbits were chasing each other in weaving patterns from one side of the street to the other, and back again. I saw more than two dozen of the little critters this morning on my way to Rosie's house from the bus stop.
Once Rosie and I arrived in my sister's acre-sized back yard we saw even more rabbits, and frightened a young buck away from the apple tree closest to the patio. There were a few butterflies in the yard, and lots of small birds and squirrels darting about. Abruptly all the small birds fell silent, as a jay started a warning call. The squirrels flattened against the tree trunks. Suddenly there was a great deal of crashing sounds in the top of one of the cottonwoods - I looked up to see a pair of red tailed hawks "playing" in the tree tops and over the back yard. It was such fun to watch! One hawk landed on the smallest, top-most branch of one of the fir trees. The hawk was so large, and the twig so small, that the hawk had to keep adjusting its wings to the bobbing motion of the branch. And, it seemed to me, that as that bird was concentrating on keeping its balance, the second one deliberately flew into it, chest to chest. The bird on the branch fell backwards and had to do a loop-the-loop to get securely upright in the air. It seemed as if I was watching two brother fledglings trying to out-perform the other. After a 30 minute acrobatic air performance, they left the area, as a flock of magpies came in, screeching and clucking. The magpies "talked" in low murmurs most of the time, and the other small birds returned to the area. A few minutes later, the squirrels were all out, chattering to each other... It seemed magical. By that time, Rosie was ready to go have her brunch, so we headed back to her house for her meatballs and chicken breast.
Our temperature got up to 78 degrees this afternoon, but a slight breeze that began at 11 this morning turned into a good wind this afternoon. It blew all of our balcony furniture over, and one of the glass pendants on one of the wind chimes was broken while beating against the balcony railing. It was so gusty outside that Nedi went outside, but stayed for less than 60 seconds before heading back in. The weather this morning was fantastic - wore shorts and a T shirt while out walking Rosie - and was extremely comfortable. The cottontail rabbits were chasing each other in weaving patterns from one side of the street to the other, and back again. I saw more than two dozen of the little critters this morning on my way to Rosie's house from the bus stop.
Once Rosie and I arrived in my sister's acre-sized back yard we saw even more rabbits, and frightened a young buck away from the apple tree closest to the patio. There were a few butterflies in the yard, and lots of small birds and squirrels darting about. Abruptly all the small birds fell silent, as a jay started a warning call. The squirrels flattened against the tree trunks. Suddenly there was a great deal of crashing sounds in the top of one of the cottonwoods - I looked up to see a pair of red tailed hawks "playing" in the tree tops and over the back yard. It was such fun to watch! One hawk landed on the smallest, top-most branch of one of the fir trees. The hawk was so large, and the twig so small, that the hawk had to keep adjusting its wings to the bobbing motion of the branch. And, it seemed to me, that as that bird was concentrating on keeping its balance, the second one deliberately flew into it, chest to chest. The bird on the branch fell backwards and had to do a loop-the-loop to get securely upright in the air. It seemed as if I was watching two brother fledglings trying to out-perform the other. After a 30 minute acrobatic air performance, they left the area, as a flock of magpies came in, screeching and clucking. The magpies "talked" in low murmurs most of the time, and the other small birds returned to the area. A few minutes later, the squirrels were all out, chattering to each other... It seemed magical. By that time, Rosie was ready to go have her brunch, so we headed back to her house for her meatballs and chicken breast.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Happy Leap Year!
Today is 29 February, and this date won't happen again until 2020. I was born in 1956, which was also a Leap Year; and, as usual, I always spend a few minutes on this date wondering about children born on the 29th of February. Had I been born today, instead of in June, would I be celebrating my 15th, or my 60th, birthday today. Had I been born on this date, this would be only the 15th time I could have celebrated on my birthday. Of course, 60 actual years would have passed, but only 15 29th's of February. The irrepressible part of my brain screams that I would be 15 only. But I know the day counters would put me at 60 years... Oh, well... And what do you do if you were born on the 29th of February? Do you celebrate on the 28th for three years, and then on the 29th, changing back to the 28th again? Kids born on Leap Year Day get a really nasty deal when it comes to birthdays!
Today is also known as Sadie Hawkins Day in the United States.... This is thanks to cartoonist Al Capp, who originated the Dogpatch comic strip. The comic was set in the hills of Kentucky, and everyone was convinced that hillbillys had some really strange thinking patterns. The richest man in Dogpatch was named Hezekiah Hawkins, and in November of 1937, readers of the comic strip met Hezekiah's daughter, Sadie. Sadie was described as "the homeliest gal in the hills" and would soon be 35 years old. Hezekiah didn't want his only child to be known as "an old maid," so he organized the Sadie Hawkins' Day race. If Sadie (who was very fast on her feet) could catch any un-married man before the finish line of the race, that man had to marry her - proclaimed her Daddy, holding a shotgun. While this comic strip was published on November 15, 1937, the idea became popular, and Sadie Hawkins' Day became an established part of American life. On November 13, from 1939 onward, females were allowed and encouraged to ask a boy, or young man, to be her date for a dance on 13 November. After the end of World War II, Leap Year Day was also celebrated as Sadie Hawkins' Day here in America.
Of course, with today's mores and standards, it is acceptable for any female to invite any male to a dance, party, meal, or whatever... But it certainly was a shocker back in the 1930s and 1940s.
We've had one of the warmest February's on record here in Boulder this year. We had over 16 inches of light, fine, powdery snow fall early in the month, then temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Last week we had 4 inches of heavy wet snow on Monday night, followed by more highs in the 60s and 70s (F). While I've been writing this blog, on the last day of February, the sky has gone from bright blue, with a few high clouds, to a dreary grey. The wind has picked up considerably - it was at 8 mph this morning, when I was walking dogs - to 30 mph, with gusts up to 58 mph. Snow clouds have rolled in from the west, and are hanging on all visible mountaintops. And the snow clouds are quickly enveloping the tops of the Flatirons, as I glance to the southwest from my bedroom window. I can see snow accumulating on top of Bear and Green Mountains. It seems very surreal. Actually, it's like watching a heavy sea mist creep in over Assateague and Chincoteague Islands.... It's amazing what one can see, just observing from one's window.
Today is also known as Sadie Hawkins Day in the United States.... This is thanks to cartoonist Al Capp, who originated the Dogpatch comic strip. The comic was set in the hills of Kentucky, and everyone was convinced that hillbillys had some really strange thinking patterns. The richest man in Dogpatch was named Hezekiah Hawkins, and in November of 1937, readers of the comic strip met Hezekiah's daughter, Sadie. Sadie was described as "the homeliest gal in the hills" and would soon be 35 years old. Hezekiah didn't want his only child to be known as "an old maid," so he organized the Sadie Hawkins' Day race. If Sadie (who was very fast on her feet) could catch any un-married man before the finish line of the race, that man had to marry her - proclaimed her Daddy, holding a shotgun. While this comic strip was published on November 15, 1937, the idea became popular, and Sadie Hawkins' Day became an established part of American life. On November 13, from 1939 onward, females were allowed and encouraged to ask a boy, or young man, to be her date for a dance on 13 November. After the end of World War II, Leap Year Day was also celebrated as Sadie Hawkins' Day here in America.
Of course, with today's mores and standards, it is acceptable for any female to invite any male to a dance, party, meal, or whatever... But it certainly was a shocker back in the 1930s and 1940s.
We've had one of the warmest February's on record here in Boulder this year. We had over 16 inches of light, fine, powdery snow fall early in the month, then temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Last week we had 4 inches of heavy wet snow on Monday night, followed by more highs in the 60s and 70s (F). While I've been writing this blog, on the last day of February, the sky has gone from bright blue, with a few high clouds, to a dreary grey. The wind has picked up considerably - it was at 8 mph this morning, when I was walking dogs - to 30 mph, with gusts up to 58 mph. Snow clouds have rolled in from the west, and are hanging on all visible mountaintops. And the snow clouds are quickly enveloping the tops of the Flatirons, as I glance to the southwest from my bedroom window. I can see snow accumulating on top of Bear and Green Mountains. It seems very surreal. Actually, it's like watching a heavy sea mist creep in over Assateague and Chincoteague Islands.... It's amazing what one can see, just observing from one's window.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Windy Today
The wind picked up yesterday evening - and it's still blowing like crazy today. Boulder has seen gusts between 87 and 88 mph, while a bit further up the canyon, in Nederland, there was a wind gust of 103 mph. Trees and branches are falling onto power lines due to the wind, and there are almost 5,000 customers - homes and businesses - scattered throughout the county and city that are without power. One of the areas described begins about a block north of our apartment, and is in the area where Beatrice works. She really doesn't want to go to work today, and I don't blame her one bit.
This is the first time we've had high winds in Boulder since we moved into the apartment - and we're finding out how noisy it can be. I've lived on the ground floor since I got my own place eleven years ago , and now I'm learning how the wind whines through the window screens on the second floor (not to mention the screen door on the balcony). There is also an exhaust door that resides between the walls of mine and Bea's bedroom - and the wind makes the exhaust door thump quite loudly. When the exhaust door thumps, it reverberates in the bathrooms and over the stove, where the exhaust fan connects. It's a whole interconnected series of thumps, bumps, and booms.
I was also perplexed when I found yet another note from our landlord, Thistle Communities, stating that we had been randomly chosen to be one of two apartments to be inspected by their city, county, state, and federal housing partners. I moved into this apartment on 2 July, and Beatrice moved in on 30 July. We have been inspected once in July, once in August, once in September, and twice in October. Now we will be "randomly" inspected tomorrow, in November. I called the office to ask how frequently these inspections normally occur, and how it has happened that we have been "randomly" chosen each and every month out of 88 apartments in the complex. I was informed that the partners take turns inspecting, usually every 6 to 8 weeks, each looking at the specific things they are interested in. I asked how the apartments were randomly chosen, and was informed that each inspector was given the name of each complex, and the numbers of the apartments in each complex. Then the inspectors choose two apartment numbers - supposedly at random - to inspect at each place. I asked how it happens that we have been inspected every month, and twice last month, if the numbers are "randomly" chosen. She laughed and said that the inspectors must like the number of our apartment.... If this is done so randomly, why have we been inspected each month? Why not throw all the apartment numbers in a bag and randomly draw two - why allow the inspectors to keep choosing our number each month? I had to accept the CFO's explanation, but I just don't feel that we're being chosen "randomly." (Starting to feel a bit paranoid, actually.)
This is the first time we've had high winds in Boulder since we moved into the apartment - and we're finding out how noisy it can be. I've lived on the ground floor since I got my own place eleven years ago , and now I'm learning how the wind whines through the window screens on the second floor (not to mention the screen door on the balcony). There is also an exhaust door that resides between the walls of mine and Bea's bedroom - and the wind makes the exhaust door thump quite loudly. When the exhaust door thumps, it reverberates in the bathrooms and over the stove, where the exhaust fan connects. It's a whole interconnected series of thumps, bumps, and booms.
I was also perplexed when I found yet another note from our landlord, Thistle Communities, stating that we had been randomly chosen to be one of two apartments to be inspected by their city, county, state, and federal housing partners. I moved into this apartment on 2 July, and Beatrice moved in on 30 July. We have been inspected once in July, once in August, once in September, and twice in October. Now we will be "randomly" inspected tomorrow, in November. I called the office to ask how frequently these inspections normally occur, and how it has happened that we have been "randomly" chosen each and every month out of 88 apartments in the complex. I was informed that the partners take turns inspecting, usually every 6 to 8 weeks, each looking at the specific things they are interested in. I asked how the apartments were randomly chosen, and was informed that each inspector was given the name of each complex, and the numbers of the apartments in each complex. Then the inspectors choose two apartment numbers - supposedly at random - to inspect at each place. I asked how it happens that we have been inspected every month, and twice last month, if the numbers are "randomly" chosen. She laughed and said that the inspectors must like the number of our apartment.... If this is done so randomly, why have we been inspected each month? Why not throw all the apartment numbers in a bag and randomly draw two - why allow the inspectors to keep choosing our number each month? I had to accept the CFO's explanation, but I just don't feel that we're being chosen "randomly." (Starting to feel a bit paranoid, actually.)
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Huge Storm in Denver
While there was a tremendous storm in Denver yesterday afternoon, right at the height of rush hour traffic, Boulder escaped with clouds, thunder and lightning, and a few drops of rain. We did have threatening clouds from about 3 p.m. until well after 10, as storms passed overhead and dodged around us. Nedi spent most of the time curled up inside his closet hidey-hole, while Lovey went back and forth between my lap and the window. We didn't even have enough rain to dampen the grass thoroughly.
Denver, on the other hand, had torrential rain, lots of funnel clouds, and lots of hail. Depending on where a person was located in metropolitan Denver, they got anywhere from .25 inches of rain, to 2.25 inches of rain in less than an hour. Most of the hail that fell was the size of quarters, while some areas saw hail the size of golf balls. Multiple funnel clouds were spotted in various neighborhoods, and photos were taken. Straight-line winds knocked trees down, and/or broke them in half. Because of the deluge of sudden rain, there was localized street flooding - and the local creeks and rivers overflowed their banks again. The hail stripped leaves from trees, and decimated flowers and gardens.
Yesterday was Bike to Work Day throughout Colorado. A lot of businesses had set up refreshment tents along bike paths, in parks, and in other open bike-riding areas. They had served folks on their way in to work in the morning, and most were still set up to offer water and refreshments for the ride back home. Most of those tents and pavilions were destroyed by the rain, hail, and wind yesterday. Weather forecasters were begging people to find cover and stay there until the storm was over - and also warning that it might take several hours for traffic to clear enough for people at home to drive into the downtown area to pick up the stranded bicyclists.
Denver, on the other hand, had torrential rain, lots of funnel clouds, and lots of hail. Depending on where a person was located in metropolitan Denver, they got anywhere from .25 inches of rain, to 2.25 inches of rain in less than an hour. Most of the hail that fell was the size of quarters, while some areas saw hail the size of golf balls. Multiple funnel clouds were spotted in various neighborhoods, and photos were taken. Straight-line winds knocked trees down, and/or broke them in half. Because of the deluge of sudden rain, there was localized street flooding - and the local creeks and rivers overflowed their banks again. The hail stripped leaves from trees, and decimated flowers and gardens.
Yesterday was Bike to Work Day throughout Colorado. A lot of businesses had set up refreshment tents along bike paths, in parks, and in other open bike-riding areas. They had served folks on their way in to work in the morning, and most were still set up to offer water and refreshments for the ride back home. Most of those tents and pavilions were destroyed by the rain, hail, and wind yesterday. Weather forecasters were begging people to find cover and stay there until the storm was over - and also warning that it might take several hours for traffic to clear enough for people at home to drive into the downtown area to pick up the stranded bicyclists.
Tree toppled in Commerce City
Leaves, hail and flooding at Williams St and Colorado in Denver
Colorado Blvd in Denver
View from office building near Cherry Creek in Denver yesterday
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Wind, a Movie, Murders and Beer
We had high winds last night and this morning - currently we're having gusts up to 45 mph, but earlier they were up to 80 mph. I guess that's when the hastily repaired privacy fence between Harvest Manor Apartments and the Millennium Harvest House Hotel came down again. I was awaken multiple times by loud noises during the dark hours - and once I saw three panels of the fence were down and twisted, I knew that debris would be hitting my glass wall for as long as the winds continue. I've been up since 6 this morning, and we've had three snow showers so far, though the snow melts as it hits the ground. Lovey and Nedi have been happy to stay inside.
Well, let's see... a movie made about Mine That Bird, the 50-to-1 long shot who won the 2009 Kentucky Derby, will have it's opening debut show tomorrow at the historic KiMo Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mine That Bird competed in all the Triple Crown races that year, finishing second in the Preakness, and third in the Belmont. Distribution of the movie will spread out through the US from Mine That Bird's home state of New Mexico.
The Mega Millions lottery is up to $400 million, if there is a single winner, in tonight's drawing. Boy, what I would do with that amount of money... It's mind-boggling to those of us who pinch pennies to make it through the month, with food always on the table and all other bills paid promptly. I know that it's expensive to live in Boulder, but it takes money to move, also. Just can't do it - yet.
Back in 1996, little beauty pageant princess Jon-Benet Ramsey was found dead in the family basement, at the age of six years. That house is once once again for sale, this time with a price tag of $1.98 million, here on 15th Street in Boulder. - And, a 58-year-old man is being arraigned on first-degree murder charges today (here in Boulder) for the death of Nathaniel Tallman, who disappeared from Lafayette on 28 January 2014. Tallman's body was found and identified in Wyoming last week. Tallman had arranged to meet Russell Britton to purchase marijuana the evening he disappeared. Britton stated that Tallman never appeared, but police found Tallman's blood and DNA in the back of Britton's van. Tallman's car was found parked in Boulder three weeks after he disappeared.
Small craft beers accounted for $14.3 billion in sales last year in the United States - that a growth of 20% from 2012. I know there is a huge market for craft brews here in Colorado. My niece's husband makes a couple of barrels three or four times each year; and local bars are very proud to sell local brews. I had never realized how lucrative home brewing could be... Of course, back before the industrial revolution, almost every single family (in Europe and North America) had their own beer or ale recipe. Seems odd to me how it's popular again.
(And it's snowing, again.)
Well, let's see... a movie made about Mine That Bird, the 50-to-1 long shot who won the 2009 Kentucky Derby, will have it's opening debut show tomorrow at the historic KiMo Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mine That Bird competed in all the Triple Crown races that year, finishing second in the Preakness, and third in the Belmont. Distribution of the movie will spread out through the US from Mine That Bird's home state of New Mexico.
The Mega Millions lottery is up to $400 million, if there is a single winner, in tonight's drawing. Boy, what I would do with that amount of money... It's mind-boggling to those of us who pinch pennies to make it through the month, with food always on the table and all other bills paid promptly. I know that it's expensive to live in Boulder, but it takes money to move, also. Just can't do it - yet.
Back in 1996, little beauty pageant princess Jon-Benet Ramsey was found dead in the family basement, at the age of six years. That house is once once again for sale, this time with a price tag of $1.98 million, here on 15th Street in Boulder. - And, a 58-year-old man is being arraigned on first-degree murder charges today (here in Boulder) for the death of Nathaniel Tallman, who disappeared from Lafayette on 28 January 2014. Tallman's body was found and identified in Wyoming last week. Tallman had arranged to meet Russell Britton to purchase marijuana the evening he disappeared. Britton stated that Tallman never appeared, but police found Tallman's blood and DNA in the back of Britton's van. Tallman's car was found parked in Boulder three weeks after he disappeared.
Small craft beers accounted for $14.3 billion in sales last year in the United States - that a growth of 20% from 2012. I know there is a huge market for craft brews here in Colorado. My niece's husband makes a couple of barrels three or four times each year; and local bars are very proud to sell local brews. I had never realized how lucrative home brewing could be... Of course, back before the industrial revolution, almost every single family (in Europe and North America) had their own beer or ale recipe. Seems odd to me how it's popular again.
(And it's snowing, again.)
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Windy In the Foothills
It's 29 degrees outside, and, currently, the wind is calm, and the sky is cloudy. We've been told that we can expect occasional snow flurries until noon... I'm just happy that the wind is calm at the moment. Our Chinook winds have been blowing since last Friday - they are pretty much straight-line winds, but here in town, the winds tend to swirl around the buildings and cross streets. Why am I talking so much about the wind? Well, on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane scale, winds of 74 to 95 miles per hour are considered a Type One Hurricane, while winds from 96 to 110 mph is a Type Two - of course, these are sustained wind speeds, but I can tell you that single, swirling gusts of wind at these speeds are dangerous, too. Last night, there was a wind gust of 102 mph recorded by the National Weather Service at Evergreen, a town west of Denver, in the Rocky Mountain Foothills. Just up the canyon (west) of Boulder, Nederland had wind gusts all day that were between 64 and 92 miles per hour. Gold Hill, one of my favorite little Gold Rush villages, to the west of us had gusts recorded from 54 to 92 mph... When you step outside, you never know whether the wind will be calm, or if it will be turning buses and 18-wheel trucks over. Definitely makes for an interesting day!
It's now snowing 40 miles north of us, in Fort Collins - and the sky looks like, and the air smells like, snow outside. My kits had a blast running around outside this morning - last evening, the wind seemed to be a bit much for them, and they stayed inside. I put out food for the squirrels and ravens and crows this morning - and they stuffed themselves. One of the older ravens came up and pecked at my patio door, as if he wanted more food, once they had cleaned up what I had put out. And, with the cold, the snow has such a thick crust on it, I can walk along the edge of my patio and not break through - now, that's amazing!
I was lazy last night and watched 3 and 1/2 hours of television. First, I enjoyed Jeopardy! and was happy that I could question the final answer correctly. Then I watched Almost Human, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows, even though it is rather violent. I followed that with a new episode of Sleepy Hollow, and loved the way they "tipped their hat" to The Exorcist for this one. The Blacklist was my nightcap, and, as always, James Spader delivered a terrific performance. He really is phenomenally good as a man with no conscience in his roll of Reddington. I do love him as an actor!
It's now snowing 40 miles north of us, in Fort Collins - and the sky looks like, and the air smells like, snow outside. My kits had a blast running around outside this morning - last evening, the wind seemed to be a bit much for them, and they stayed inside. I put out food for the squirrels and ravens and crows this morning - and they stuffed themselves. One of the older ravens came up and pecked at my patio door, as if he wanted more food, once they had cleaned up what I had put out. And, with the cold, the snow has such a thick crust on it, I can walk along the edge of my patio and not break through - now, that's amazing!
I was lazy last night and watched 3 and 1/2 hours of television. First, I enjoyed Jeopardy! and was happy that I could question the final answer correctly. Then I watched Almost Human, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows, even though it is rather violent. I followed that with a new episode of Sleepy Hollow, and loved the way they "tipped their hat" to The Exorcist for this one. The Blacklist was my nightcap, and, as always, James Spader delivered a terrific performance. He really is phenomenally good as a man with no conscience in his roll of Reddington. I do love him as an actor!
Monday, December 2, 2013
Windy Today, Cold Tomorrow
I feel discombobulated... Normally, my first stop on any weekday is to see Rosie. Today she was my last stop; and I came back home between all three visits, so I spent a lot of time on the bus. If the wind hadn't been blowing, the temperatures would have been lovely; but we were under a high wind warning, with gusts up to 85 mph, for more than 24 hours. The National Weather Service has just issued a Winter Storm Warning for Boulder, stating that we will get between 6 and 14 inches of snow from 5 p.m. Tuesday to 5 p.m. Wednesday. And the high will be 14 degrees. Brrrrrr! After 61 degrees today, and the mid-50s for the past week, tomorrow is going to be a shock to the system, with a high of 38 before noon...
Lovey is out in this windy evening, but Nedi only steps out for a few moments; as soon as the wind picks up, he comes back inside. The next time Lovey is in, I'll close the door for the night. I did enjoy the Broncos' win yesterday afternoon - and I was happy to hear that Coach Fox was back in the team meeting today, and is officially back on the job.
Since the weather is supposed to be atrocious from tomorrow afternoon until the weekend, I should have plenty of time on my hands to write more in the blog. And, hopefully, it will be about interesting things, or photos.
Lovey is out in this windy evening, but Nedi only steps out for a few moments; as soon as the wind picks up, he comes back inside. The next time Lovey is in, I'll close the door for the night. I did enjoy the Broncos' win yesterday afternoon - and I was happy to hear that Coach Fox was back in the team meeting today, and is officially back on the job.
Since the weather is supposed to be atrocious from tomorrow afternoon until the weekend, I should have plenty of time on my hands to write more in the blog. And, hopefully, it will be about interesting things, or photos.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Very Breezy Friday
The wind has been howling off and on since 1 a.m. this morning, and is currently blowing at a pretty sustained rate of 23 mph from the north-northwest. We've had gusts up to 57 mph so far this morning. I let the kits out when I crawled out of bed this morning - and about ten minutes ago, they were both curled up inside, so I closed the patio door - not because it's cold, but due to the wind. It's already 61 degrees here, the humidity is 11%, and, while there are a few clouds, we're not expecting any precipitation.
I have an appointment to see my psychiatrist at 2 this afternoon, to get my medications refilled. I still don't like this person; I miss Dr. Shapiro. And next Wednesday, I get to see my other un-favorite person, Dr. Guthrie, for my annual blood tests and medication refills. The last time I saw Dr. Guthrie, she said she was going to start me on a whole new bunch of meds. Yuck. My tummy never likes new meds - I'm always queasy and and my intestines react nastily, too. Not looking forward to either appointment!
I had not realized that Centralinteligence was eased during the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile race. He finished last in the field, and was vanned off the track in an equine ambulance. He suffered a hairline condylar fracture of his right foreleg during the race. It has been repaired with two screws, and it is hoped that the chestnut colt will return to racing in three to four months. His veterinarians said his prognosis was excellent after yesterday's surgery.
And there are quite a few new stallions standing at stud this year (alphabetically):
Alternation at Pin Oak
Animal Kingdom at Jonabell (for Darley Stud)
Fast Bullet at Paul's Mill
Fort Larned at Adena Springs
Graydar at Taylor Made
Point of Entry at Adena Springs
*** Hoping your Friday and weekend is stupendous! ***
I have an appointment to see my psychiatrist at 2 this afternoon, to get my medications refilled. I still don't like this person; I miss Dr. Shapiro. And next Wednesday, I get to see my other un-favorite person, Dr. Guthrie, for my annual blood tests and medication refills. The last time I saw Dr. Guthrie, she said she was going to start me on a whole new bunch of meds. Yuck. My tummy never likes new meds - I'm always queasy and and my intestines react nastily, too. Not looking forward to either appointment!
I had not realized that Centralinteligence was eased during the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile race. He finished last in the field, and was vanned off the track in an equine ambulance. He suffered a hairline condylar fracture of his right foreleg during the race. It has been repaired with two screws, and it is hoped that the chestnut colt will return to racing in three to four months. His veterinarians said his prognosis was excellent after yesterday's surgery.
And there are quite a few new stallions standing at stud this year (alphabetically):
Alternation at Pin Oak
Animal Kingdom at Jonabell (for Darley Stud)
Fast Bullet at Paul's Mill
Fort Larned at Adena Springs
Graydar at Taylor Made
Point of Entry at Adena Springs
*** Hoping your Friday and weekend is stupendous! ***
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Windy...
According to a lady I met in Cheyenne, Wyoming, I cursed the area by using the four-letter word that starts with a w, and ends with a d. Synonyms are: breeze, zephyr, gale, etc. While I was in Wyoming, it was cloudy and overcast, and the wind was blowing - it felt about 20 degrees cooler in Cheyenne than it did in Boulder on Tuesday. We had a cold front blow through Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, which took down a lot of trees, branches, and electric wires. There were gusts up to 89 mph just outside of Denver, and around 70 mph here in Boulder. The wind blew almost all day yesterday, and has continued to do so today - I was hit by a gust and almost blown off the road going down to Golden this morning. Other than the wind, things here are great; and the kits are playing in the sun in the back yard.
I was contacted by one of the blog readers yesterday, and I'm now happy to call Michele in Wisconsin a friend. I was doing laundry yesterday, and ended up writing her several long "notes." I probably should have cleaned the place up some more, and started putting together my new bookcase, but I didn't. I figure I have a very few days of vacation left, and I'll do what I want to do, not what I "should" do. That's why I went down to Golden today... I had a super time walking along Clear Creek, and the shopping area in the historic section was a good find - I noted several items that I'll get the family for Christmas, now that I know RTD has a bus between us.
Just took a short break and talked with my friend Nancy - and I showed her one of my favorite shopping sites: http://www.recollections.biz/ . I would love to own about 50 of their dresses or skirt and blouse combinations. I can just imagine the looks I'd get walking down Pearl Street Mall, or downtown Chincoteague in some of those outfits... Going to watch Person of Interest tonight and have tea with Bea tomorrow before returning the Rav4... Then it's football time, again! (Yahoo!)
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Chinook Continues
We had a wind gust of 93 mph last night - I was afraid my sliding glass door would be sucked out of its' tracks and blown away. It was so windy that both kits slept in the walk-in closet, rather than with me. I kept waking up to the roar of the wind, so it wasn't a restful night. We also had several gusts recorded that topped 80 mph, and more than 5 that topped 70 mph... so it has been windy. The wind is supposed to die down by noon, so I'll be walking Rosie and Remy around midday. - There were 6 industrial-weight sheets of plastic blown onto my patio before I arose this morning. I also removed 8 newspaper sections, 7 paper grocery bags, 15 plastic grocery bags, 12 pages of 8x11 paper, and a lot of small miscellaneous trash that had been blown away. I already have more trash on the patio, but I'll clean that up this afternoon. At least the temperature is 50 already, and we don't have to deal with freezing temps today!
Police in California found two hands and two feet within a 50 yard radius of the severed head that was found by dog walkers. They are pretty sure the death occurred elsewhere, and that the walking trail by the Hollywood sign is just a dumping ground.
Today is my sister's 62nd birthday. She informed me the other day that she wants my Chincoteague Island information trove when I die. (She seems pretty sure I'll die before her, but she is 6 years and 6 months older than me.... Hmmmm.) Oh, well. I got copies of the books she drooled over the most and am giving them to her for her birthday, plus taking her and Jim out to see The Descendants at the cinema tomorrow. Her kids, Sarah and Mike, will take us out to supper tomorrow night. As I usually end up with a migraine after a movie in a theatre, we'll have to see whether I'm in shape to attend or not. I might have to take meds and crawl into bed after the movie.
I hope that all of you have a great day!
Police in California found two hands and two feet within a 50 yard radius of the severed head that was found by dog walkers. They are pretty sure the death occurred elsewhere, and that the walking trail by the Hollywood sign is just a dumping ground.
Today is my sister's 62nd birthday. She informed me the other day that she wants my Chincoteague Island information trove when I die. (She seems pretty sure I'll die before her, but she is 6 years and 6 months older than me.... Hmmmm.) Oh, well. I got copies of the books she drooled over the most and am giving them to her for her birthday, plus taking her and Jim out to see The Descendants at the cinema tomorrow. Her kids, Sarah and Mike, will take us out to supper tomorrow night. As I usually end up with a migraine after a movie in a theatre, we'll have to see whether I'm in shape to attend or not. I might have to take meds and crawl into bed after the movie.
I hope that all of you have a great day!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Free Senior Pet Adoptions Through Nov. 30
This is Adopt a Senior Pet Month, and the Boulder Valley Humane Society is offering the adoption of any pet, aged 8 or older, at no cost. With today's economy, a lot of people are finding it necessary to release their "adopted family" to the Humane Society due to loss of income, or loss of their own home. The Boulder Valley Humane Society is a no-kill shelter, and they work very hard to find the right home for each and every critter left with them. Currently, there are 91 cats and kittens available for adoption - and 12 are aged8 or more. There are 33 dogs and puppies also available, and 4 of them are 8 or older. There is nothing wrong with these companion animals - they just lost their place to live. If you have the money, time, space, and love available please give one of them a good home!
Nedi caught something this morning, and brought it in to play with it. It is behind and/or under the refrigerator at this point in time, and it chitters when Nedi and Lovey go and poke around the base of the 'fridge. I am guessing that it's a young chipmunk or squirrel. I would like to capture it and turn it loose in the front yard... The newspaper says that the high will be 50 degrees today, and that winds are calm. If the winds are calm, then I'm Jack Palmer's mother. They just about blew me over on the way to the bus stop this morning - I came back home and called Nancy and cancelled today's walk with the Rs. She had just gone out to her car (parked in front of the house) and had almost been blown away, too. We decided the dogs could just play fetch with Max when he gets home from school today. .... And I found out that the lines that are down at the north end of the building are not electrical lines - they are the telephone and internet cables for the building. The young man from Century Link asked when the tree came down, and I was able to tell him it happened Saturday morning, before the CU football game started. (Luckily, it fell before anyone set up their tents and grills in that space.) He was very surprised to hear there had been no problem with continuing service; that there was no disruption to the telephone or the internet. I just hope that's true when it gets repaired.
The visitor and conference center near Allenspark, called St. Malo, was hit by fire yesterday. Insurance folk are saying there is over $1 million damage. Trees took down the power lines to the center on Saturday, and management sent anyone staying there home that afternoon. Six employees were staying there, using various means to keep warm, when the fire started early Monday morning. With the wind still gusting at over 45 mph, and with no electricity at the site to pump water, multiple fire fighting companies were called to the scene. More than 11 different fire districts fought the blaze until late last night. There are still four fire companies at St. Malo, putting out any recurring flames. The building is smouldering, but the wind keeps whipping up the flames again. - Luckily, the St. Malo Chapel has been untouched. The small, stone-built church was visited by Pope John Paul, who spent 70 minutes wandering the forested and mountainous site.
Nedi caught something this morning, and brought it in to play with it. It is behind and/or under the refrigerator at this point in time, and it chitters when Nedi and Lovey go and poke around the base of the 'fridge. I am guessing that it's a young chipmunk or squirrel. I would like to capture it and turn it loose in the front yard... The newspaper says that the high will be 50 degrees today, and that winds are calm. If the winds are calm, then I'm Jack Palmer's mother. They just about blew me over on the way to the bus stop this morning - I came back home and called Nancy and cancelled today's walk with the Rs. She had just gone out to her car (parked in front of the house) and had almost been blown away, too. We decided the dogs could just play fetch with Max when he gets home from school today. .... And I found out that the lines that are down at the north end of the building are not electrical lines - they are the telephone and internet cables for the building. The young man from Century Link asked when the tree came down, and I was able to tell him it happened Saturday morning, before the CU football game started. (Luckily, it fell before anyone set up their tents and grills in that space.) He was very surprised to hear there had been no problem with continuing service; that there was no disruption to the telephone or the internet. I just hope that's true when it gets repaired.
The visitor and conference center near Allenspark, called St. Malo, was hit by fire yesterday. Insurance folk are saying there is over $1 million damage. Trees took down the power lines to the center on Saturday, and management sent anyone staying there home that afternoon. Six employees were staying there, using various means to keep warm, when the fire started early Monday morning. With the wind still gusting at over 45 mph, and with no electricity at the site to pump water, multiple fire fighting companies were called to the scene. More than 11 different fire districts fought the blaze until late last night. There are still four fire companies at St. Malo, putting out any recurring flames. The building is smouldering, but the wind keeps whipping up the flames again. - Luckily, the St. Malo Chapel has been untouched. The small, stone-built church was visited by Pope John Paul, who spent 70 minutes wandering the forested and mountainous site.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Wind?
Last night was ... interesting. I slept between Rosie and Remy, which was fine; what was odd was the high winds. The winds neatly folded Rosie's bed on the deck in half; it emptied out the toy bucket across the deck, and tossed the bucket into the middle of the pond; most of the lawn furniture ended up against the rear fence; and a metal rain spout, shaped like upside-down bells, tore loose from its mooring, and battered away at the side of the house, until I went out and tied it down. There were gusts in the 70s and 80s here in Boulder, and a few miles up north of us, at Carter Lake, they recorded a wind gust of 98 mph.
Banichi is sprawled on my lap while I'm typing this, and Lovey is coveting her favorite dove, who's on the patio, out of the wind, pecking at seeds and grain from the feeders. Neighbors' trash is mixed with a bunch of dead leaves and it's all dancing in a whirlwind at the edge of the patio. I can see an empty puppy chow bag, pieces of newspaper, what looks like a tan sheet (fitted, queen size), two empty beer cans and another clear plastic container, all dancing merrily in spirals and circles, just off my patio. It's weird. Am I in Kansas?
I received framed family photos from Mike, as well as a neat, old book on kitten care; cash, a shopping spree, and a wonderful book on local Indians from Kathy and Jim; a plethora of goodies to eat from the extended Snow clan; and some wonderful cards and enclosures from friends and family. Lovey and Banichi were treated to Lovey's favorite Midnight Madness Balls, courtesy of cousin Sarah. The fruit platter I carried over to the Snow gathering was demolished - it consisted of grape tomatoes (I said they were love-apples), blackberries, raspberries, and large green and small red seedless grapes.
Jim pulled a bot-fly larva out of his leg wound yesterday evening, and is going to see his MD today - to make sure that there aren't any more of them in his arm and leg. The bot-fly egg is passed to humans (usually) by the bite of a mosquito, which was infected/fertilized by a bot-fly.
They are gross enough in livestock.
I need to replenish my stock of bird seed and peanuts tomorrow - as well as picking up my meds from the pharmacy. I think I can handle that. I've invited Kathy and Jim to come watch the Rose Parade at the Irish kids' home... they haven't seen the HGTV version of the parade, and I think they would enjoy it. Here's hoping that the last day and a half of 2008 will be kind to all of you!
Banichi is sprawled on my lap while I'm typing this, and Lovey is coveting her favorite dove, who's on the patio, out of the wind, pecking at seeds and grain from the feeders. Neighbors' trash is mixed with a bunch of dead leaves and it's all dancing in a whirlwind at the edge of the patio. I can see an empty puppy chow bag, pieces of newspaper, what looks like a tan sheet (fitted, queen size), two empty beer cans and another clear plastic container, all dancing merrily in spirals and circles, just off my patio. It's weird. Am I in Kansas?
I received framed family photos from Mike, as well as a neat, old book on kitten care; cash, a shopping spree, and a wonderful book on local Indians from Kathy and Jim; a plethora of goodies to eat from the extended Snow clan; and some wonderful cards and enclosures from friends and family. Lovey and Banichi were treated to Lovey's favorite Midnight Madness Balls, courtesy of cousin Sarah. The fruit platter I carried over to the Snow gathering was demolished - it consisted of grape tomatoes (I said they were love-apples), blackberries, raspberries, and large green and small red seedless grapes.
Jim pulled a bot-fly larva out of his leg wound yesterday evening, and is going to see his MD today - to make sure that there aren't any more of them in his arm and leg. The bot-fly egg is passed to humans (usually) by the bite of a mosquito, which was infected/fertilized by a bot-fly.
They are gross enough in livestock.
I need to replenish my stock of bird seed and peanuts tomorrow - as well as picking up my meds from the pharmacy. I think I can handle that. I've invited Kathy and Jim to come watch the Rose Parade at the Irish kids' home... they haven't seen the HGTV version of the parade, and I think they would enjoy it. Here's hoping that the last day and a half of 2008 will be kind to all of you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)