I Remember This

 I fondly remember sipping ice tea outside on a warm summer night. Grabbing a book or magazine and relaxing in the warmth of the sun, water at the ready for a quick cool down all the way into early evening. There is no better sight than my kids enjoying their friends, swimming in a clean and cool lake.

And fall was absolutely wonderful in Minnesota. The first apples peaking in early September, different varieties ready for weeks in repetition. Even as Halloween approached, we still had sunny days and light jacket weather. 

Those are what I will remember as now am faced with this drive and this weather for the next three to four months, knowing all this will come again. If you live in warm climates, send me your warm thoughts. At least the temperature this morning was in not negative digits. We've warmed up to 5 F. It's going to be a long winter.

Weather Mystery

I minored in Earth Science in college, so had to take a smattering of various earth and planetary related subjects, including meteorology. I remember enough to loosely follow Al Roker's weather reports each morning (does he still do the weather?), and vaguely understand the source of the reason for the gross weather fluctuation from day to day. Saturday, cloudy and cooler, though it felt great, with a few flash downpours. Sunday, hot, sticky, topping 80 degrees, but inside, the breeze kept the house nice and pleasant, though it got sticky by the time we went to bed. Today, blustery, and more weird rain splatters, with a high of only 64 expected, but it feels as humid as the tropics out there. I took a little video with my phone, but can't seem to transfer, but now, 10 minutes later, it is calm, with sun poking through.

 I don't know if this is El Nino effects, a polar vortex meeting a squall line, or just a normal week in June in Minnesota.  I think the latter. It doesn't matter to me,as I am off to my overly climate controlled office, where the little natural daylight I see is If I stand up and intentionally walk to a certain bathroom down a  window lined "bridge" hallway that connects the east and west wings of the building. I don't care too much what happens outside during the day, though the commute sure get's mucked up in rain. I do  hope that walking conditions are amenable for a longer than normal one with pup tonight. I had a bad back this whole weekend, but a long walk in the warm sun did me wonders-I actually slept  relatively pain free for the first night in about a week.  

DD2 is on her four day count down and spent last night trying to recite a very complicated poem, the gist being, school is about to end , but using Shakespearean language. I have my fridge ready to go with easy lunches and quick dinners, so hope the nights are stress free and relaxed, even with two soccer games. Here's a way to get your week started. Pop over to Sluggy's for her June Boring Box Giveaway to enter and you could make your week brighter.    Whatever your weather, I hope your week starts well.

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When Conditions are Right for Procrastination

It is chilly this morning.  I am being a true slug and am still in bed, after grabbing another blanket, cozied up and would happily stay here for another hour-maybe longer.  Weather forecasts though have the temperature rising to unusually high for this time of year-mid 70;s, maybe reaching 80 by tomorrow. The cool morning makes getting out of bed a struggle and the beckoning sunshine will want to lure me out to play later. Conditions are ripe for full on playing hooky from duties and responsibilities.  

But, no one has clean underwear' the bathrooms haven't been cleaned all week, and the refrigerator has a couple spills that are getting harder with each day they get neglected.  We leave at 5:30 Wednesday for vacation and I have pictures to transfer off the current SD cards to free up room, clothes to wash and get packed as we are going, going going  until well after dark on both Monday and Tuesday nights. We need to clean out the fish bowl and get pup's papers in order before they go to their boarders Tuesday night. I know these things need to be done-DH is already up and out for work, so I too must find some inner motivation. 

Coffee, then a shower?  Shower then coffee?  Maybe I could convince DD#2 to take a walk over to the grocery store and buy us a couple Danish pastries and some hazelnut coffee?  They have a really terrific bakery-small, but fresh made on site so the scent is heavenly.  Maybe I should take myself? Can I go without coffee or a shower?  I have decided.  I will put on sweat pants, tennies, and I will walk over myself. As a grown up, I shouldn't have to have these inner battles, and yet I do-frequently.  It is the mix of wanting to be caring for and providing for the needs of my family, with longing to take the best of life as it comes, even if that is merely a perfectly temperatured room on a Saturday morning for a good sleep in. Where do you find you balance when conditions are right for procrastinating?

Today's Weather Outlook

Today's Weather Outlook

July 24, 2015

"Sizzling heat, flooding downpours, and even a couple severe thunderstorms will be familiar mid-summer headlines across much of the U.S. for the final day of the week."

I'm waking up to the sound of thunder. This little gem above is the doppler for my neck of the woods. So I am debating working from home a few hours and heading in mid morning, or quickly hopping in the shower and try to be ahead of it. I have a meeting early afternoon so a complete telecommuting day won't work. The weather though is a good reflection on how I woke up this morning.  I'm not outright storming inside, but there are rumbles of fears, discontent, worry and anxiety thundering around my mind, and right through to my stomach. 

Is there a real connection to mood and mindset and the weather? I am usually not bothered much by rain and thunder. I get the best night of sleep when I fall asleep to, or gently wake, and then drift off again to the sound of rain. Normally I love the drama of thunder and lightning when  I'm safely  out of it, and can cuddle at home, or happily plant myself in my little work office and hear the show. I hate driving in it though, and this mornings timing on top of a more chaotic commute than ever due to construction, has me frazzled before I am out of my pj's. 

I've the weather malaise in my head right now, and trying hard to shake off the rolling negative and worried thoughts from a restless night. Is DD#2 going to break out of her utter shyness and successfully transition into high school? She saw a classmate after her violin lesson last night and practically crawled into her case at the thought of being noticed. Will DS, who is between regular projects at the moment and living hand to mouth through day jobs, land something stable before the end of the month? He's been out west for  eight months, and not yet close to being stable. Will DD#1 be able to stay on at the end of the summer, and finally have the opportunity she has worked so  hard for and given up so much? She wants to stop wandering from job to job and put down roots, and will need to be proactive. Like her mom, she also faces anxiousness in times of stress. Are we saving enough for the retirement we want?  Though, at the same time, are we  making the most of our current life and not only planning for the future?  Is DH's health good? He is overdue for a physical, and has looked very tired lately. Are we experiencing enough moments of joy now? Why can't  I stop letting the idiosyncrasies of extended family bother me, and not let them interfere with our family life? Will my head stop the tape of worry, and just let things be?

There. I feel better getting it off my brain and on a keyboard. Today will unfold like the others. The sun is about to rise, but masked by the storm clouds. I now hear the pitter patter of rain on the deck washing off the dust and bird mess I noticed last night was everywhere. DH got the lawn mowed yesterday morning, and this rain will be thirstily drank up. We'll have a lushness to the yard that we haven't had in a few years this late in July. 

We just had a crack of lightning followed by a boisterous rolling thunder.  I'm tucked into my favorite corner of the living room, afghan on my lap and think I should get a batch of muffins in the oven and a cup of coffee brewed. Today's weather outlook...will be just fine.

A Weather Reprieve



This was my dashboard on my Tuesday morning commute-not today.  We've gotten a weather reprieve and it was near 30 degrees air temperature this fine January Thursday.  The temperatures are going to raise a bit more and by Sunday, perhaps a high well above the freezing mark.  In the Midwest, we call this the January thaw.  Last year it never happened.  Winter get's long and wearing, but these  thaw days remind us that spring will come again.  On top of the glimmer of promise the thaw gives, I heard that we have an added 36 minutes of daylight since the winter equinox.  That is surely something to get excited about! 

-15ºF = -26.111ºC

When the Weather Outside is Frightening

As this is typed, the thermometer says -5 F for the temperature, with wind chill of -25 F.  For you not on the United States temperature charts, that is -21 Celsius.  That's me on the map right where the swooshing purple arrow line is saying VERY COLD. We in Minneapolis are 7 degrees colder than Anchorage, Alaska, but in fairness to claims of being the ice box of the world, still 20 degrees warmer than the North Pole.  This is not a post to bemoan the weather, or get  sympathy comments.  We choose where we live, and there must be something that keeps a person rooted to a place, despite the freezing temperatures or the blistering heat.  (We get that in the summer as well!) Weather and how people adapt is a state of mind and perception.  If it was 40 degrees and sunny, I can guarantee my fellow Minnesotans would be running around with light jackets at most, and some possibly in shorts.  Two years ago on our day wait for a Caribbean cruise in Florida, a gray cloudy day, but with temperatures still in the mid 60's, had the Floridians in double and triple layers, gloves, and ear bands, while we lounged pool side.

Today though, it is cold no matter what you are used to. Yet, we still get up and go to work and school, run errands, and take care of our families and pets.  Vanity and looking nice go out the window, and there are tricks and treats used for these frigid days. 

• Flannel lined socks and tights are a blessing under neath pants, and for those that  insist on skirts, make that doable.
• Warm and water resistant boots.  Mine are Totes and they go all the way up to my knee. 
• Long underwear.  This is not your grampa's stuff, but cute little thin undergarments, barely noticeable, that add that nice little barrier between cold drafts and your skin. The brand I have even has a cute name-Cuddle Duds.
• EOS lip balm, with a hint of color keeps lips moist and resistant to the drying air, but doesn't have that waxiness some lip balms do. 
• Thick hand cream to prevent the side effects from skin badly dehydrated from the cold and wind.  I find you can't have too thick a cream or apply too often to prevent the little painful dry skin cuts. 
• The coffee pot, tea kettle, and good supply of either brews or hot chocolate, and a nice big mug.  Keeping the inside warm does wonders for the outside, and there is simple pleasure in holding that mug with both hands as you sip.  The pleasure increases proportionally to the thermometer dropping.

These are a few of my  cold coping strategies. To end, I love this meme from Funnyand.com.    It sums up life here on these most brutal of days so well, and asks the important question that is really hard to answer with rationale sometimes.

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