Happy Monday
Hi guys.
Hope you had a wonderful weekend! We stayed close to home - went out to dinner last night and watched one of the best movies I’ve seen in YEARS.
It’s called In the Shadow of the Moon and documents the amazing astronauts that were part of the Apollo Missions to the Moon. I recommend everyone see it, because at the end of the movie you will be wiping away tears, and realizing we need to stop complaining about the small stuff, and appreciate this amazing earth we live on. It will make you stop and think about what is important, and what we spend too much time worrying about.
You will have a renewed appreciation for your life and human-kind. The one thing I wish we had right now as a Nation is something to bring us altogether like the event we had on July 21, 1969 when Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon. The whole world watched that moment unfold on television, and were so happy, so proud and mystified as to how on earth this was achieved! I am still in awe of our Space Program, but I think the Shuttle Launches have become so routine now, that I don’t give it the proper attention it deserves each and every time it happens.
This film will make you believe in Miracles you can witness with your own eyes, and the footage is just incredible. A lot of it I have never seen before, and am so Thankful it is now put together so beautifully in an amazing documentary we can show our kids and grand-kids. You will not be sorry.
Weather-wise today, the wildfires are certainly being focused on with the extreme heat across the west over the weekend. The hot weather is now mainly in the interior sections of California. Along the coast there’s more of an ocean influence which is helping bring up the humidity and drop the temperatures…but the more inland you head, the more the temperatures soar. High Pressure is anchored across the Great Basin which is drying the air out, and heating things up. The winds are also an issue gusting up to 30 mph in some areas especially though the mountains and canyons. Firefighters are going to have their hands full over the next couple of days trying to contain several of these large fires. That ridge should start to relax a bit over the next several days bringing more seasonal temperatures to the region while a new area of high pressure will build in later this week affecting the Northwest.
Oh, and we could get rocked along the east coast today and tonight with the risk for strong to severe storms. Keep an eye to the sky, and you can check here for the latest watches and warnings.
Thanks for keeping the blog going this weekend! Lots of interesting discussions going on! 
jd
Hi there…Will definately check out that movie Janice
Thanks for the recommendation …I love books and am pretty eclectic in my tastes….Sometimes I like just a quick and easy-lose-myself-in-fun-light-hearted story…I also like biographies….I really can depend on what has captured my imagination at the moment or what kind of enlightment I am seeking…Hope that makes sense 
Don…Here is my addy…I look forward to reading that history
Dawn Molina
c/o Cold Spring Brook Farm
979 Deming Rd
Berlin, CT 06037
Gwen…my condolences… Warm and peaceful thoughts to you and yours….Hope there are wonderful smiles of memories that break thru the tears of sadness…..
I have seen the movie and loved it!
One of my most memorable TV moments is Christmas Eve 1968 when the Apollo 8 astronauts read from the book of Genesis while orbiting the moon. It was a very powerful moment and couldn’t be done in todays secularist climate without having some one be “offended”.
And I still have my Apollo 11 patch (still on the cardboard display) I got by sending 50 cents and 2 labels from Tang in.
Apollo was a big part of my childhood!
Awesome! I absolutely loved it so much.
Luis…Great photoshow
Thanks for that .. 
If being cute was a crime…your Raul would be indicted
Hi Janice.
I just wanted to tell you that you look stunning today in red! Red is definately your color.
Love how funny you are plus how great you do your job!
Aww Joanne thank you. I think everyone looks good in red on tv!
I don’t know what is going on, I posted and it never showed up…..
Hi Janice! Firefighting school was ok. We aren’t in your husbands class but it is done to be sure everyone can respond to fires as at sea, you either get the fire out or hit the drink! First day was aircraft where you learn to put out a burning military plane. Thats where one group heads for the cockpit to get the pilot out and the other group keeps water on the ordenance on the plane to prevent it “cooking off” which is a fancy way of saying “exploding”. The second day was shipboard where you put out a variety of fires with a variety of methods. The last day was egress and rescue. Thats where we “rescue” someone from a smoke filled group of rooms. It’s also where we’re joined by “real” firemen from a fire station. Man are they a competitive group.
There was no way they were going to let us beat their time in completing that task. They were a great group of guys!! 
Hey Janice happy monday to you and everyone else !!!!!!!!!!, hope your well and doing ok JD , i wanted to ask you Janice, from a musician to a former DJ, what is your fav Beatle song ?, also this goes out to anyone else on janice deans blog!,
all the best , love Richard, London England ,
stay safe & god bless guys & gals !
Hmmm…let’s see….my husband love Rocky Racoon. There are so many to choose from. I love “Two of Us” and “Something”
Hey Janice,
I hope you got well rested this weekend. Watching a movie sounds nice and relaxing! I’ll have to see if I can find that because it sounds wonderful. Thanks for telling us about it. I’m fascinated by space travel. I love watching the shuttle take off and land. It just fascinates me that they can glide that thing half way around the world and land it so perfectly. I got to see one of the shuttles lift off back in 1989 (I think that’s when it was.) I was about 8 miles away from it but could still hear the roar as it lifted off. I have some really cool pictures of the trail it left behind because when it rolls over, the trail winds up looking like a corkscrew. I had taken the landings a little for granted until the Columbia disaster. Now I hold my breath whenever they take off or land. I love the camera view from the external fuel tank. It is so cool to see the earth as it gets higher and higher. I also love the camera view at the end of the runway when it lands. The shuttle comes in right over top of it, which is a great angle. (I think that’s the photographer in me!)
I didn’t get out to work on my waterfall yesterday. My knees hurt too much, plus I had to get my house cleaned up a little for a couple friends who are visiting this evening. Actually, they’re coming to work. They’re helping me cut back a shrub by my front porch that has gotten way out of hand. It was too big when I moved in and it seems to grow every time I look at it. We’re going to cut it back and hopefully it will come back in a more manageable fashion! Hopefully it won’t rain. They’re calling for more nasty storms. Yesterday, Cumberland just missed some severe storms that traveled just east of town. It looked like it missed us by only a couple miles. Saturday night we got a loud storm that had more thunder than rain, although we got a little. There was a whole lot of thunder and lightning with that and I hate it when those hit at bedtime!
I sure hope those folks in the Midwest don’t get anymore rain. They certainly don’t need it! Too bad we can’t take some of the overabundance of rain and share it with those parts of the country that aren’t getting enough. I’m sure the firefighters in California would appreciate a little!
I hope everyone has a great week!
Margie
Richard
You want to know what our fav Beatles song is?…..You ask the impossible for me to limit myself to just one …
Sorta reminds me of grandfather proudly proclaiming that his favorite dish was food …
Very very good point!
Hey Janice-
I havent seen that movie, sounds like it had a powerful message. Was it on TV, or you rented it from the movie store? Thanks for the recommendation.
I usually like lighthearted movies, with the occasional action adventure every once in a while.
Speaking about The Beatles, i saw on Entertainment Tonight about a young band called the Jonas Bros. They are really pushing a musical they are doing over on the Disney Channel. It was mentioned they are going to be the Beatles for the next generation. What does everyone think? I dont think anyone can replace their music.
Hey Brad!
I wish I had a dime for every group that was going to be the “next Beatles”. I could retire today!! Never buy the hype!!
I tivo’d this movie for tonight - thank you!! We’ve been watching “When we Left the Earth: The NASA Missions”, so this should be great too. Live about an hour and a half away from Kennedy Space Center, and can’t get enough of it!
Also - I looooooove Monterey and Carmel! My Dad was in the Army, and we were stationed at Ft. Ord - No longer there, I believe - but right next to Monterey. The aquarium was my absolute favorite thing, and I can only imagine it now. Plus the 17 mile drive is a must. Have you been there before? I’m soooo jealous!! I hope to make it back someday soon. If you need someone to tag along, you just let me know.
BTW Brad - “In the Shadow of the Moon” is on Discovery Channel (HD) - 06/23/08 at 9:00 PM or 06/24/08 at 1:00 AM at the very least. Hope you can catch it!
Also watch the series: “When we left the earth” on the Discovery Channel. It covers all the space flights and includes shuttle and space station footage.
I live on the Discovery and History Channels with a sidestep to BBC America!
I will check into that movie JD.
I think America and Canada needs to think big again on a space project or some other worthwhile project, give back some needed pride to those who perhaps lack it, or need something to trigger it deep within themselves. Looks like the majority of us Weathermachine JD bloggers have tons of pride about things already, but sadly not everyone in North America seem to have it. People like the late great Ronald Reagan inspired people to be more, hold up their heads, seek the heights of their dreams, and not settle for the valleys of them.
I remember July 21, 1969 as is it were yesterday. My wife and I were living in the New Town area of Chicago on Cambridge near Belmont. My mother drove in from Berwyn to watch the moon landing with us and have Sunday dinner. She arrived about 30 minutes before the landing, worried that she might have missed it because traffic was so heavy on the Eisenhower Expressway into the city.
Fortunately, my wife had dinner ready, but we decided to relax first, watch the moon landing, and then have dinner.
It was the most thrilling day of our lives — until then. My mother reminded me how much I loved space programs on TV in the early 1950’s. I watched “Tom Corbett: Space Cadet” and “Captain Video” after school every day. I also liked the Flash Gordon series from the 1930’s starring Buster Crabbe, which was shown on TV in the early 1950’s.
When President John F. Kennedy announced we would have a man on the moon by the end of the 1960’s, everyone was skeptical. But the tremendous achievements in our space program during that decade made us hope that we would.
It finally happened on July 21, 1969. And we and everyone else saw it happen on television.
George Spink
Los Angeles
I remember when everybody thought the Neil Armstrong moon lending was all a hoax, people were claiming that it was filmed in front of a special effect backdrop.
Thanks for the heads up, Michelle!
I dont usually watch the Discovery Channel, but i will definately check this movie out.
A&E Network is pretty good, along with Discovery Health. Have you ever watch those? Dog the Bounty Hunter is an awesome show.
Hey Brad, I watch shows more than I do networks … But I don’t think I watch too much on those two. I haven’t seen “Dog the Bounty Hunter” because I was over watching bounty hunters before his came on TV.
I tivo a lot of programs, but we mostly listen to XM Radio in our truck the most because of how much we travel for work. I’m soooooo glad they brought Fox News back. Its funny, because I feel more strange watching the network than listening to it. 
Hey Michelle-
I didnt even know that bounty hunters even existed before i saw his show. I thought it was something only in tv shows and movies. Remember that show Renegade? That character was a bounty hunter.
If you do get a chance to see it, you may notice the office where they talk about the upcoming case isnt really real, its a abondoned set. Sometimes i wonder if the entire show is staged.
How can you listen to XM Radio in your car? I thought that was a satellite network?
I have heard about FoxNews Radio? How different is it then the tv version?
Where i live, we have a station that has Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh’s radio programs during the day, and the Fox news updatesduring the top of the hour.
Hey Brad … Never saw “Renegade”, but thats interesting. I’ll check out an episode of “Dog” sometime, though.
XM is a satellite network - that you can listen to in your car, home, or over the computer. It works in most places, except for under long bridges, the awnings over gas stations, etc. There is Fox News Radio (with pure radio shows, which they also have on XM) … And then there is the “Fox News Channel”, which is the same thing that you would watch on TV (only I think they put in their own commercials when the TV FNC is showing theirs) …