Back on-line!
Well, Jason from the Help Desk solved my computer problems yesterday, and things look like they are back on track. I will test things out later on today and try to respond to some of your comments! We certainly have come to rely on our computers and the internet more than I think we realize. And although it’s easy to complain about how technology is adding more of a burden to our lives, I think it truly is amazing how quickly we can access information in just moments - making us more informed and being better educated on topics in the news and about the world around us. It certainly helps me in my job every minute of the day.
Taking a peak at the weather, California will begin to see a bit of heat relief this weekend as a ridge of High Pressure begins to weaken, and allow more of that ocean influence into the coast. Relative humidity will increase allowing more moisture to move in. Interior sections of California will still deal with the heat, but it won’t be as excessive as it has been this week. Meantime, over in Arizona and New Mexico, their monsoon season has kicked in bringing flooding rainfall to areas that need rain, but unfortunately too much of a good thing can cause problems in these dry areas. Flash flooding will be a concern heading into the weekend - but I know folks who live in these areas are very well-versed on this rainy season and the precautions to take.
The threat for severe weather will also remain a concern over the Upper Midwest (we had 7 tornado reports yesterday in MN, Iowa, North Dakota). Tomorrow’s risk will shift to the Midwest and the Great Lakes with the possibility for hail, damaging winds, flooding downpours and or isolated tornadoes.
And finally, we’re still tracking Bertha out in the Atlantic moving slowly to the Northwest. Bermuda still needs to keep an eye on the storm this weekend, and we will feel the effects along the East Coast of the U.S. with some increased surf and rip currents.
I think that about covers it. I’m hungry, so I am going to head out and grab some breakfast inbetween weather hits — and I will check in a little later to see if I can get in and chime in to some of your animated conversations.
Oh, and Happy Friday! Yippeeee (doing a Happy Dance right now)
jd
Welcome back!
I am leaving tonight for my Middle East trip and will check in when I can. Pics to follow.
Ciao Bella
Hey Janice,
I’m glad you’re back on-line! It must have been very frustrating for you to have so many problems over the past couple days. I hope everything works out when you try to respond later. We miss you! We do a great job of entertaining ourselves, but it’s not the same without you!
I hope you have a great weekend and that you’ll get to do something fun. My family is celebrating my little nephew’s 2nd birthday on Sunday so I’m looking forward to that! I’m taking Monday off because my parents and I are traveling on Sunday and won’t get back until late in the evening. I live an hour and a half from them so I would get home really late if I traveled back to Cumberland on Sunday. It’s supposed to be hot this weekend, so I’m sure there will be a lot of people in my brother’s pool. I love taking pictures of the kids in the pool so I’ll have my camera ready.
I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend.
Margie
Hey Margie! Yup - back on-line, and I didn’t even have to upgrade…yet….the hubby and I are off to a wedding in Virginia. We are really looking forward to it. Have fun a the b-day party! That sounds like fun!
Have a great weekend Goddess
You too Luis! Be safe travelling!
Welcome Back! Thanks for the updates of the fires out west. My sister and her husband have been evacuated from their place in Spokane and she just called to tell me she’s staying at my place until they can get back. No real danger yet but the fire has cut off the main roads in and out. She was just seeing if it was ok for them to stay there rather than live in a high school gym for a couple of days. Like she needed to ask…;-)
Such an awful story out West. I’m glad your sister and her husband have a place to stay!
Well, now you know why those of us near the Emerald City call Microsoft “The Evil Empire” … Muuwahahaha …
Hey, you got the WordPress login feature back … So, now it says that I’m logged in as me … Yay!!
Don in Alexandria - You can check out the website for KREM2 news as that’s one of the Spokane stations … You can do so by going through NorthWest Cable News’ website http://www.NWCN.com … They’re the combined efforts of the Belo-owned stations in Seattle / Portland / Spokane / Boise … They were running KREM’s newscast last night on the NWCN channel … The one area where the big / expensive houses were burning makes you ask “WHY didn’t they clear the brush around their homes??”
JD - You seriously need to get out your dancing shoes … and cook up some rainstorms that will bring rain to the areas that need it, sans the lightning … Maybe you can put in a call to Isis on her hotline & she can help …
For those that are interested in more info about the wildfires across the US … These sites are good for that kind of info …
Here’s the current “Observed Fire Danger” map for today …
http://www.fs.fed.us/land/wfas/fd_class.gif
National Interagency Fire Center - Fire Information (NIFC)
Current wildfire stats are NOT good … We’re currently in the 5th worst YTD since 2000 … Though, a month or so ago, we were at 3rd worst YTD since 2000 (so, things are actually improving) …
http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/nfn.htm
InciWeb - National Incident Information Center (fires)
http://www.inciweb.org/
California fire stats
http://www.fire.ca.gov/index_incidents.php
Federal incidents in California
http://www.fire.ca.gov/index_incidents_federalv1.php
The NIFC and InciWeb sites get really hopping this time of year …
Great sites Tiamat! I will bookmark them!
Ruh roh !!
I must be stuck in the spam box … cause I put linkies in my last post …
Just retrieved them for ya!
Hey Janice..
Glad you got your glitches fixed..I know what you mean about being computer dependant..it is such a wonderful way to communicate and navigate..it would be hard to live with out it now…
The sun is shining here today..after 2 days of rain..which was badly needed..but my high grass is calling my name..so I guess that will be my evening project..mow…mow..mow…
Speaking of food..I am fixin’ to make a big salad to eat on today…fresh spinach,tomatoes,mushrooms.cucumbers.carrots, green onion, topped with croutons and lite 3 cheese ranch dressing.YUM…
I know you have had a rough week, so enjoy your weekend…get that handsome firefighter of yours to give you a foot and back massage…
Peace and Love
Deb
That salad sound delicious! I think I’m going to get one too for lunch. It won’t be made with TLC like yours though, Deb!
I can’t wait to start the weekend ASAP! yipppeeeee!
Huh..I didn’t put those big spaces between my food sentence..and the smiley faces are gone…great sadness
Awww…that wouldve been too cute!
<- there’s one for you from me!
Janice,
I thought the jet stream moved from the west to the east….does the jet stream ever blow from the east to the west….For example….All those fires in California and the smoke rising from them ever have a chance getting blown out over the Pacific Ocean rather than back across the state and eastward?…..I thought I would ask the best weather person I know….Janice Dean “The Weather Machine”
Thank You for any reply,
Michael Edward Woods,
Chester,Illinios
Hey Michael - no unfortunately the jetstream never reverses direction…everything pretty much moves from west to east in the U.S….It would be great to get some of that smoke to blow out to sea. Right now it’s not really going anywhere since the air is pretty stagnant. Glad you came aboard our blog Michael! Welcome!
Hey Deb,
You’re talking about food again and that’s making me hungry! The big spaces in your last post were because the blog justifies both the left and right margins. You didn’t put spaces between your veggies so it moved that to the next line and spaced out the shorter line. One of my posts did that when I included a link so now I hit enter and put links on a separate line so I don’t look “spaced out!” Now back to this food… I think I’ll find out what they’re serving in the cafeteria for lunch! Have a great day!
Margie
TnDeb…………on another Fox blog the word ‘crac ker’ (using spaces because it may not take again) wasn’t excepted by wordpress……..probably thought it was being used as a racial slur. This wordpress is getting very anoying.
Thanks Margie..
Your right..I was being a bit lazy and didn’t use s p a c e s ..between my veggies..OH Well!!
I hope they have something good in the cafeteria..I wouldn’t mind sharing my salad..
Have a good one …
Deb
John..I know what you mean about WordStress/WordMess…haha…I can assure them…my veggies aren’t racially motivated..
Hey Deb,
Too bad I live so far away because I might have taken you up on your salad offer! I’m guessing you’re at least 500 miles from here so that’s a little far to go for a salad! Here’s what’s on the menu in the cafeteria: beer battered cod with fries, chicken sandwich, roast pork loin, grilled yellow squash, green beans with almonds, etc. The squash is really good so I’ll probably have that with the fish. They use canned green beans and I don’t like the flavor of those. Man, now I’m really hungry! I think I’ll head to lunch…
Enjoy your salad!
Margie
Howdy! Gald Jason was able to hep you out ..
Great weather here now….Making zucchini bread for a picnic I am going to tomorrow….
YUMMY! I love zucchini bread. that sounds scrumptious!
I’m glad you’re back online, Janice. I like being able to read your posts on your blog.
You remind me of a girl I met when I was a student at Northwestern University. She was from Vermont, not Canada. Like you, she was quite beautiful and had a great sense of humor. We were in several European history classes together and always sat next to each other.
She had what I call a New England nose. It sloped slightly at the top, then downward. I thought she had the cutest nose around! She didn’t like it and hoped to have it straightened someday.
Unfortunately for me, she had a boy friend back in Vermont. They planned to marry after graduate school. She planned to get a master’s in history.
We often had lunch together, and a few times we went out for pizza at night. She was a good friend.
Her name: Janice!
Your buddy,
George Spink
Los Angeles
Awww that’s a sweet story George! I hope your friend Janice appreciates your kindness and great storytelling! And I hope she didn’t get a nose job either!
Hey Margie..
The menu doesn’t sound too bad..I am not a fan of green beans right out of the can either…but you can simmer them on the stove for 2-3 hours..and they taste almost as good as fresh picked cooked ones..
500 miles would be a little far to get a salad…imagine the GAS it would take..or should I say liquid Gold!!! But I will gladly dedicate it to you..Bon Appetit!!!
Welcome to Virginia Janice!!
It’s going to be hot and humid here in Northern VA this week-end. Hope the church as central air!
Me too! I’ll be ready!
Janice A wedding sounds so nice! I bet it will be beautiful!
I’m looking forward to it Kathy! I love weddings!
Hey Deb,
Thanks for dedicating your salad to me! The health system has really good grilled chicken Cesar salad from time to time and I always take advantage of that, as well as regular salads. I had fish, fries and squash for lunch and now I’m full! The squash was not grilled as advertised–it was soggy! I guess they boiled it and they completely overcooked it, which they don’t often do on this campus. Over at Memorial they seem to have the soggy stuff, but this campus is usually pretty good. Oh well, I did eat some of it.
I imagine it would take a lot of gas to go to Tennessee just for a salad (or anything else for that matter). I wonder what gas prices will be when I take my trip in October. Since I stayed in TN the last time I went to the Smokies, I’m going to stay in NC this time. I’m going to start saving my money so I can pay for my gas!
Oh well, I better get back to work. I hope you have a great weekend. I hope it’s not too hot when you go out to mow your grass. I think we’re supposed to be near 90 today and in the 90’s for the weekend. Oh well, like I’ve said before, at least we don’t have to deal with floods or fires so I won’t complain.
Take care,
Margie
Hi, JD: Glad you’ve got the old computer back in commission. We’ve been missing you! Hope you and Sean have a great weekend in Virginia.
Margie: Saw your comment to me in the previous blog regarding the lightning. I remember when I was a child that my dearly departed mother would unplug almost everything but major appliances during thunderstorms. We were also told to never sit on the hearth in front of the fireplace or be in the shower during a thunderstorm. Sounds like she knew what she was talking about.
Gwen
Did anyone happen to see the report this morning on the iphones?
I really dont see the the reason for all the mad rush for the next generation of iphones. It seems like with more technology, people seem to become more dependent on it, and that can lead to road rage incident. That is why you notice a lot of more crazed people on our highways nowadays.
Not to mention the fact that using cell phone too much, can cause brain cancer later in life. I would rather stay with the cordless ones.
Hey Janice-
I am glad you got everything figured out. Computers problems can be a hassle, but when you get it figured out, its a whole lot better.
I know what you mean about being computer dependent. I dont know what i would do if without an internet connection. I wonder how we ever survived back in the old days?
Hey Margie-
That sounds like a lunch menu from a local TGI Fridays. I love the food there.
I know what you mean about the taste of canned beans. But i heard that canned salmon is a whole lot healthier that the fresh ones. Because you can eat basically all of the fish, even the bones, which are high in calcium.
Have a great day.
Hey, George, I have a special Janice in my life… Mom! (Although she prefers “Jan”)
Reminder I am doing videos on my blog over the weekend! Last weekend was The Eagles. This weekend I am doing two different groups of eye candy comedy acting fun!
I have become addicted to you tube!
Glad to see the computer is back up and running JD, I need to read back some blog entries from my fellow Weathermachine bloggers. and reply to questions about Itouch etc. hehe
Enjoy the wedding JD, take some pictures and share if the bride and groom allows.
Deb - The space bar is your friend …
LOL
I want my rain back … Waaaaahhh
Thanks tiamat…I could always use a friend.
I will file a complaint about your rain..;)
Hey Kathy-
Awesome blog, you should be comended with an honorable Webby Award.
Btw, i really like The Eagles. Yet another one of my all time clasiic bands. Hotel CA was my favorite!
I still manage to hear a lot of thier songs on the radio.
I guess you all heard the news about another female soldier has gone missing.Her car was found in flames. Some reports are saying that this latest case was planned so she can collect the insurance money.
There was also a casualty in those CA wildfires. A burned body was found in a home near the area affected. I guess the person probably was burned alive. Its so discouraging and sad.