Just the smoke. We are 100 miles away, but air is thick with smoke. We are all staying inside and wearing a mask if going out. Such a tragic fire, so hard to rebuild when your business area and hospital have burned. Lord have mercy.
We had sleet and freezing rain most of the day, but it's tapered off now. Some surfaces are still covered with ice. I decided not to go anywhere today.
We had seven inches of snow today, unheard of (in recent decades) in this area in November. I had to go in for a Medical Festival; fortunately, all the schools were closed, and the traffic wasn't bad. And, fortunately, the friend who drove me knows how to drive in snow!
Increasing amounts of smoke here in the Bay Area. We're 200 miles from the Camp Fire but the muck keeps hanging around. Air quality is rated as 'unhealthy'. I'm ready for the wind to kick in.
We've had between 6 inches and a foot here - like you, we think it's far too early. Although it's turned to freezing rain now, I don't know that there's enough above-freezing time in the offing to be any good at clearing it away.
Mid-November is far too early to be getting this amount of snow - it could be here until April, which is a very depressing thought.
We had seven inches yesterday, which is unheard of this early in the season in this area. Fortunately, my friends and I are made of tougher stuff than are the locals, and got ourselves where we needed to go.
The friend from the Bay area (Orinda) who was visiting me got home and compared the air quality to "your typical German bar," which is to say, very thick with smoke indeed. Kyrie eleison.
Daughter-Unit and I did our traditional Black Friday shopping today! There's a little mall south of town, very nice, but people tend to go to the humongous malls north and south of there.
So, we went to three practically empty stores (gifts for the Granddaughter Unit and household supplies that were on sale) and D-U bought the gifts she will give her step-father-in-law, and me! I was told that I did not see the gift in the shopping cart! (She had already asked me if I would like that particular item!)
So, basically we finished our Christmas shopping, went to a movie and out to lunch in less than four and a half hours. Not bad!
No interest in the marathon. I finish most of my Christmas shopping by October. I do it all year. I will take a look through our small town shops on Saturday which is Shop Local Day, when shops are decorated and they give out cookies and such. Saturday is also just a fun day to see friends and neighbors who will also be in town, some of whom are also the shop keepers.
I like to support local businesses, but now that I can't go out without help, online has become a necessity. Still, I'll try to get someone to take me to the mall at some point, for one or two special things.
Thank you to everyone for fanning some of your cold air this way! Wednesday, I took D-U and one of her friends to Orlando, and the temp never got above 60! Most of the time it was about 58, so very refreshing! In fact, I wore long pants instead of my normal bermuda shorts.
D-U and her friend were beginning the trip to Iceland, so we figured the cool air helped to acclimate them! Both are born and raised Florida Girls. A has never seen snow, and D-U has only seen old snow in the Colorado Rockies when she was about eleven years old. So, yesterday they were pelted by frozen rain, which they discovered actually hurts! I want them to see the big, puffy snow flakes that look so amazing as they fall from the sky. I hope it happens!
Oh, and our 58 degrees would have felt like beach weather compared to the temp there right now!
Never fear, we'll be back to the mid 80s in a couple of days. *sigh*
Both the times I've been to Iceland were in winter. We celebrated both our respective 40th birthdays there: D's birthday is in December and mine in February. One of the best things I've ever done was swimming in the Blue Lagoon when it started to hail, so we were warm up to the neck, with hailstones in our hair.
Well, I've been off this thread for a month, and I see that the Brown County leaf can didn't work for everyone. I'm sorry there were glitches. The leaves are all in the ground in brown clumps now.
In the spring I'll post the link again. Maybe in time for that special misty new spring green color with redbud trees and white dogwood.
Both the times I've been to Iceland were in winter. . . . One of the best things I've ever done was swimming in the Blue Lagoon when it started to hail, so we were warm up to the neck, with hailstones in our hair.
I was there in June several years ago. I wanted to witness the midnight sun. If it weren't for the blackout curtains on my hotel room window at the Hotel Reykjavik, I wouldn't have gotten any sleep.
Smallest hotel room I have ever experienced.
Isn't it dark most of the time this time of year?
I didn't have the nerve to go to the Blue Lagoon. Wish I did.
I just checked her Facebook account, and she says, "it was a long way away, Outside friends. We're good...so far all my Southcentral loved ones are doing just fine and have a bunch new stories to tell. We're resilient! pop density is low! We build for the practical rather than the pretty! AK can ride out the big'uns. dont fuss."
My brother and sister-in-law near Anchorage are fine, but they have a huge mess to clean up.
I just checked her Facebook account, and she says, "it was a long way away, Outside friends. We're good...so far all my Southcentral loved ones are doing just fine and have a bunch new stories to tell. We're resilient! pop density is low! We build for the practical rather than the pretty! AK can ride out the big'uns. dont fuss."
My brother and sister-in-law near Anchorage are fine, but they have a huge mess to clean up.
Isn't [Iceland] dark most of the time this time of year?
Pretty much - when we went on the Golden Circle tour, for the first hour or so, the tour guide was saying, "if it was light, you'd see such-and-such". As I recall, it got light at about 10 in the morning and was dark again by about 3 in the afternoon. It was a lot better when we went in February.
I didn't have the nerve to go to the Blue Lagoon ...
You absolutely should have - it's the most exhilarating thing imaginable.
The travelers went on the Golden Circle tour on Friday and took some amazing photos! Yesterday they were at a museum, and it happened to be the exact 100th anniversary of Iceland becoming a free and sovereign state. So, who should be there with them but the Queen of Denmark!! A little unanticipated excitement. (They didn't know who she was, so unfortunately didn't get any pictures.)
They should be in Paris right now. Wednesday they're going to the Paris Disneyland. They go to WDW all the time, so why not go to the French version!
So, D-U sent me a text this morning telling me that she saw squirrels all over the place while walking in Paris. But they weren't squirrels. They were rats!!!
Watching the funeral service for George H W Bush. Lots of tears, both looking at the grieving family and listening to the music. For All the Saints always does that anyway, but especially today.
We were watching it on CNN, and D. noticed that when one of the speakers (I think it was Mr. Mulroney) mentioned the Russians, the cameras panned on Trump, who they'd otherwise mostly been avoiding ...
The anthem was rather nice - I knew the tune (St. Columba), but hadn't heard that version before - it came over very well.
I understand there were strict instructions from the family to not bash 45. However, there were a lot of references to actions and words of 41 that were in complete opposition to the present PotUS. I think it was a matter of '(S)he who has ears to hear...'
I could be wrong, of course.
I found it interesting that as the current occupant of the White House and his paramour were seated, the Obamas greeted them but coolly, Bill Clinton merely glanced and then turned his head back again whereas Hillary didn't even glance, and neither of the Carters even glanced.
We are having our first significant snowfall of the year. I haven't been out, but I estimate it at 8". Church was canceled this morning, as well as our Advent Evensong service.
I still haven't heard the official measurement of the snowfall. Now that I've been out, I would estimate about 13". I had someone shovel my walk and steps. I went out late this afternoon and cleared my car. The sun had actually already done most of the job.
We're having some of that weird weather that's plaguing the country right now. Part of the strangeness is rain! We have rain! In December! Woohoo!
It's actually like a cold tropical storm here; very strong gusts of wind, rain squalls, then sunshine! It's 61 outside right now which I understand will be the temp in New England! They call it 'unusual warmth' according to the TV. When it's here, I call it really cold!!
Sun is good! (Except August in south FL, then sun is unbearable.)
I have to tell y'all something. I may have mentioned upthread that Daughter-Unit got to see the Queen of Denmark when she was in Iceland. Not sure, but in my mind, it was posted.
Well today, she came to see me and her grandparents with gifts from her trip and she told us about that particular day. She didn't just see the Queen, she actually ran into her! Yikes! D-U and her friend were going into a museum in Reykjavik and noticed all the folks in fancy clothing. They thought perhaps the museum was closed for a special event, but were actually invited to go into the facility. There was a bit of a convoluted entrance, with a large crowd of people. The crowd actually pushed D-U (who is very slightly built, unlike her mother) and she was shoved into this old lady who was not knocked down or hurt in any way. Thank goodness. Anyway, a secret service person grabbed D-U, hauled her to the other side of the room and was talking loudly to her in Danish, which of course D-U does not understand.
Anyway, it wasn't until later that she found out who she had been pushed into and why the big bear of a man was yelling at her.
All the natives were giving D-U dirty looks then and throughout their time in the museum.
So, she has had to add "almost knock a royal down" to her bucket list, then scratch it out!
Comments
Mid-November is far too early to be getting this amount of snow - it could be here until April, which is a very depressing thought.
The friend from the Bay area (Orinda) who was visiting me got home and compared the air quality to "your typical German bar," which is to say, very thick with smoke indeed. Kyrie eleison.
Enjoy the turkey, and go easy on the green-bean casserole!
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I am thankful for this site, and for (most of) the Shipmates here.
So, we went to three practically empty stores (gifts for the Granddaughter Unit and household supplies that were on sale) and D-U bought the gifts she will give her step-father-in-law, and me! I was told that I did not see the gift in the shopping cart!
So, basically we finished our Christmas shopping, went to a movie and out to lunch in less than four and a half hours. Not bad!
Did anyone else brave the shopping marathon?
D-U and her friend were beginning the trip to Iceland, so we figured the cool air helped to acclimate them! Both are born and raised Florida Girls. A has never seen snow, and D-U has only seen old snow in the Colorado Rockies when she was about eleven years old. So, yesterday they were pelted by frozen rain, which they discovered actually hurts! I want them to see the big, puffy snow flakes that look so amazing as they fall from the sky. I hope it happens!
Oh, and our 58 degrees would have felt like beach weather compared to the temp there right now!
Never fear, we'll be back to the mid 80s in a couple of days. *sigh*
I want to go back now - rats!
In the spring I'll post the link again. Maybe in time for that special misty new spring green color with redbud trees and white dogwood.
Smallest hotel room I have ever experienced.
Isn't it dark most of the time this time of year?
I didn't have the nerve to go to the Blue Lagoon. Wish I did.
My brother and sister-in-law near Anchorage are fine, but they have a huge mess to clean up.
You absolutely should have - it's the most exhilarating thing imaginable.
They should be in Paris right now. Wednesday they're going to the Paris Disneyland.
The anthem was rather nice - I knew the tune (St. Columba), but hadn't heard that version before - it came over very well.
I could be wrong, of course.
Much like how one can't drive past a car wreck without glancing over at it.
I still haven't heard the official measurement of the snowfall. Now that I've been out, I would estimate about 13". I had someone shovel my walk and steps. I went out late this afternoon and cleared my car. The sun had actually already done most of the job.
Remember this is the Appalachians. The official figure for Blacksburg is 13.5".
It's actually like a cold tropical storm here; very strong gusts of wind, rain squalls, then sunshine! It's 61 outside right now which I understand will be the temp in New England! They call it 'unusual warmth' according to the TV. When it's here, I call it really cold!!
I have to tell y'all something. I may have mentioned upthread that Daughter-Unit got to see the Queen of Denmark when she was in Iceland. Not sure, but in my mind, it was posted.
Well today, she came to see me and her grandparents with gifts from her trip and she told us about that particular day. She didn't just see the Queen, she actually ran into her! Yikes! D-U and her friend were going into a museum in Reykjavik and noticed all the folks in fancy clothing. They thought perhaps the museum was closed for a special event, but were actually invited to go into the facility. There was a bit of a convoluted entrance, with a large crowd of people. The crowd actually pushed D-U (who is very slightly built, unlike her mother) and she was shoved into this old lady who was not knocked down or hurt in any way. Thank goodness. Anyway, a secret service person grabbed D-U, hauled her to the other side of the room and was talking loudly to her in Danish, which of course D-U does not understand.
Anyway, it wasn't until later that she found out who she had been pushed into and why the big bear of a man was yelling at her.
All the natives were giving D-U dirty looks then and throughout their time in the museum.
So, she has had to add "almost knock a royal down" to her bucket list, then scratch it out!