Happy Holidays!

I saw these cute cards yesterday and bought some. This weekend I'm making out Christmas cards and setting up and decorating my little Christmas tree. I'm not going to any parties this year due to anxiety and remnants of depression. I'm doing better, but my life hasn't snapped back into place. It takes time folks. I don't' do well with large groups of people these days.

This weekend I'll light a candle and say a prayer for the friends and family of Jeri Suzanne Horne (Liquid Illuzion). It's hard to believe that it's been two years since we lost her.

Rochester will soon break the record for the most snow in December. The record is 46.2 inches (1.17 meters). We are less than 2" away! I guess I'll soon be using a dog sled to get around. Mush!

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas to ALL and to ALL a good night!

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Summer's Return

Pass the sun block and iced tea please! Summer has snuck back into Rochester. The next several days will be in the mid 70's (24c) to mid 80's (29c). Ah, it's so nice! Then it's back to comfortable, moderate temperatures. It's such a delightful time of year.

I'm looking forward to the wide array of beautifully colored leafs this Autumn. I might take a stroll through Highland Park, and perhaps a picnic. It should be spectacular!

For local folks, remember that the Naples Grape Festival is this weekend. Try one of Linda's yummy grape pies (roadside stand). I won't be going because I lost a nice chunk of weight, and it would be too tempting. Enjoy!

Personal Update & Random Thoughts

Cinnamon sprinkles in coffee smells and tastes wonderful!
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I'm doing well and feeling good. I'm eating healthy, and have lost a nice chunk of weight. I haven't had an episode of depression in about 8 months. This is a miracle considering that I'm out of work and have ongoing medical testing. I thank God that the depression has abated. I believe that It has something to do with healthy eating. Mmm veggies! My counselor is surprised that I'm doing so well. However, I don't think I'm out of the words yet. I’m working with my counselor to take small steps toward mental wellness. Physical tests are scheduled for the next few months. Your prayers and good thoughts are greatly appreciated. I hope they don't find any disease.

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I have a wonderful family. Sometimes I think that my aunt is an angel. She’s very caring and knows just what to say.

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I’ll be glad when Gray’s Anatomy returns on Sept. 23^rd. It’s one of the few good T.V. shows on non cable T.V. It’s cathartic because I often cry as I relate to Meredith Gray.

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Televangelists seem stuck in the 50’s or 80’s at best. Their teaching techniques, songs, and sermons, are stuck in the past. They basically have two teaching styles, they preach from the pulpit, or a few people sit and chat. They could learn a lot from Dr. Wayne Dyer who uses a mixture of lecture, multi-media, modern songs, short stories, and short testimonies form guests, all with a modern flavor. Why can’t they recognize that they are losing the younger generation and upgrade?
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Does it bother anyone else that God killed so many people and so often in the Old Testament? I hate killing. Little wonder that I consider myself a New Testament gal.
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This Rochester summer is beautiful if you like it hot. We have had lots of weather in the 80’s. We only had a handful of days in the early 90s. We have hard winters, but the other seasons are lovely! Temperatures are moderating nicely now, and I’m looking forward to a colorful, beautiful, refreshing, autumn.

Thank God for Air Conditioning!

The last two days have been in the low 90's (33c), today should be about 95f (35c). Some people love this weather. I like spring, or "blazer weather" as a friend of mine called it. But I can't complain, it's better than a snow storm. Hey, it's typical July weather. It will cool down soon.

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Well folks, I'm headed home to my wonderful air conditioned apartment. I'll write an update soon. I've been busy with paper work and getting my apartment cleaned for inspection. I tend to save too many things.

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Stay safe! If it's hot in your area drink plenty of fluids, and don't overdue.

Pass The Suntan Lotion. It's 86 Degrees!

Ah! Enjoying a preview of summer. It's a record breaking 86 (30c)! Tomorrow it's suppose to be 84. Then we have a bit of a cool down into the high 60's, but still nice. The weather in Rochester, NY has been unbelievable! No rain. In fact it's been on the dry side. Dry heat baby! ~Sipping Iced Tea~ What do you like to do in summer like weather?

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Quick Update - Spring?

SRING IN "ROCHESTER? - The news said that the East coast is getting slammed by severe rainstorms and floods. Not in Rochester. Yes, we are getting a good rainstorm, but nothing out of the ordinary. Flooding in low lands. In fact it seems more like Spring here! We recently enjoyed 7 days of sunshine in a row with temps 48-61. More beautiful weather starts Tuesday. Yippee! If winter isn't over, then this is one heck of a nice respite! MYSTERIOUS DISEASE UPDATE - I have a copy of my CBC, and think I know what it means, thanks to the net. Not good, but no immediate danger expected. I will see the hematologist the first week in April. I expect him to comfirm it. More waiting. Maybe waiting is good because it helps me to come to terms with a bear of a disease. BORING - Sorry that my updates are so boring. I can't wait until the festivals start! They are always fun! I'll get out + about, and tell you some nice things instead of the same old crap. Thanks for sticking around and caring! I really appreciate you folks!

Oh, What a Relief!

A snowstorm is not just a snowstorm. So far this winter has been mild, and almost snowstorm free. In general I'm glad for that, but there is something about a good old-fashioned snowstorm like we are having now. Living in Upstate, NY, I've seen them my whole life. Having one is a sign of normalcy, familiarity. It's the order of things around here. Snowstorms bring memories of childhood - sledding, angles in the snow, snow men, with hot cocoa and cookies after. I've been so preoccupied with the possibility of a looming disease that a snowstorm is a nice reminder of normalcy, and pleasant childhood days. So I look out the window and smile as the fluffy, clean, flakes, floating down. Then wrapped up in my warm flannel nightgown, I eat hot soup in my comfortable lazy-boy chair. Later I will have traditional hot cocoa. All is well. Normal. At lest for today. It's a temporary respite from my worried mind... Of course it dosn't hurt that I don't need to drive in this mess! ;)

Quick Update, plus Huge Storm Coming.

Quick, choppy, update on cell instead of using library computer because need food etc before huge storm hits Thus-Sun. TV says maybe worst in 2 yrs! Only 2nd notable storm this season...UPDATE FROM LAST POST-Left message for docs boss (not typical of me), said it's been 3 weeks since odd CBC results, and I won't get interpretation of it for a mo. Ek! Next day my doc called on his day off! He had called a hematologist who will give me a free consultation. Finally! Guess my doc got chewed out by his boss! Now waiting for hematologist to call. Busy studding disease I think I have. I'm tring to prepare emotionally for worst news, and to have some good questions for him. Prayers/good thoughts greatly appreciated!

NO Blizzard in Rochester, NY!

The "blizzard of 2010" gently brushed Rochester, NY. We got less than an inch of snow today in the city, (6" south of us). A dusting to 2" is expected tomorrow. Yawn! I don't know if I should feel lucky, or jealous? It's very strange to watch the local news, and hear about other cities getting slammed. This winter Washington, DC received more snow than Rochester! So far this is the only eastcoast storm that has reached us. They say that another storm is coming on Monday, but is expected to be mild here. So far it's been a nice winter in Rochester, but winter is far from over. Stay safe folks!

What Snowstorm?

Most winters Rochester, NY gets slammed by snowstorms, but not this year. We only had one storm worth mentioning to date. All of the eastern snow storms have missed us. So today we smugly look upon the rest of the nation and say, "Now you know what we go through every freaken year!" Ah, but don't worry, a storm is brewing here for the middle of next week. Please stay safe folks, and drive carefully!

Random Ramblings #6

Health Wise

I'm almost over the virus that I had. My sprain is getting better, but taking so darn long. I'm officially out of work. This has caused financial, and depression problems to worsen. I wrote a few blog post drafts concerning the depression, but glad I never posted them. They even scared me. I'm not happy to be alive right now. They say that it is always darkest before the dawn. Well, I hope so, because it's very dark now.

He Was Slapping Her

My asshole of a neighbor had knocked his girlfriend down and was standing over her slapping her. This happened in the hall. I immediately called the police. They arrived in two minutes. By the time the cops arrived they were in her apartment, and questioned them. I could hear the conversation. The dispute was over money, (I think for drugs). My favorite neighbor, and I agreed to call the cops right away if Mr. asshole starts in again. We don't want him getting away with it. (Sorry if my language offends you, but I can't think of a better word for him at this time.)

Rochester Weather - Tornados & Cool

Two tornado's hit the Western N.Y. area not far from Rochester on July 25th. They caused quite a bit of damage in Corfu in Genessee county, and a little in Hilton in Monroe county where they hit. Hundreds of customers lost electricity in those areas. The Darien-Corfu tornado had moderate damage to several buildings and trees and winds ranging from 86-110mph. The path was four miles long and 100 yards wide. The tornado in Hilton caused less damage. It's big news around here since our last tornado in Monroe county (my county) was in 1981.

I've been enjoying wonderfully cool weather lately! We have only had 4 days over 80 degrees (26.6 C) and none in the 90's (32-37 C). We just might break the record for the coldest July in history (since 1871) for Rochester. I just love it! Yes, we have more rain then usual, but it's no big deal. Not much flooding at all.

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Rochester, NY Winter Summery 2009 & No Kodak Bonuses

I'm a bit lazy today. I'm putting 2 posts in one. Both are short and Rochester, New York related.

Rochester, NY Winter Summery 2009 - Yes, I know that we might still get snow, but I'm summarizing it now, and crossing my fingers. The snowfall accumulation to date was 101.7" - not a record, but it's more then our average of 89.6". December was the snowiest month of the season, bringing 46.2 inches. We didn't have a blizzard. I don't believe that we had any major storms. We had several moderate ones. We rarely had those terrible mixed precipitation combo snow/ice storms that I dislike so much. We just got a good amount of steady snow throughout the season. Well, that's not such a bad winter for Rochester. See current weather and forecast here.

No Kodak Bonuses! - I'm getting so sick of hearing economic news, but this is a major change for our area, and has made national news. The Eastman Kodak Co. has been one of Rochester's largest employers for many decades. The company has suspended its bonus, and it means a loss of millions of dollars to Rochester.

Stores use to plan sales around Kodak bonus times. New cars, appliances, furniture, big ticket items. The only other time there wasn't a bonus was in 1934 during the great depression. Click here for local news and comments on the subject.

I remember when having a Kodak, or Xerox job met that you had it made for life - good money, benefits, and job security. Sadly, those days are gone.

Random Ramblings #2

Signs of Spring - 1) Hello mister ant! I haven't seen you, or your kind in months! Sorry but ~SQUOOSH~ I guess it's time to get some ant buttons. 2) I've had a case of the blues like I've recently been getting during the long, hard, Rochester winters. But my mood for the last few days has been a bit better. I even did a few very small positive things for myself. I haven't done that in a long time. It's been sunny, and warmer. Coincidence? I doubt it. 3) I heard a noise. I thought that maybe it was a snow plow. Then I remembered that we don't have snow now. The last few days have been above freezing. I looked out the window and the noise was coming form a lawn mower. I stood at the window glaring at it for several minutes in disbelief as if it was an alien from another planet. It was 47F (8.3C) degrees. Winter may still flair up in Rochester, but spring is around the corner...FINALLY!

No Perfect Blog Server - WordPress blogs disappeared yesterday. I'm sure they will reappear soon. Googles been playing tricks since they updated things. I've heard numerous complaints about MySpaces. None are perfect. I'm sticking with Google Blogger. I'm use to it, and the grass is not greener on the other side.


Neighbors Corned Beef - My neighbor dropped off some corned beef the other day for St. Patrick's day which was very nice of her, and appreciated. Yum! She knows that I'm virtually out of work. We help each other. Before I had car problems I use to driver her to the store occasionally. When my car is back on the road, I'll offer my services more often because I know first hand that it's almost impossible to get around Rochester without a car. (I will blog on Rochester's horrible bus system soon.)

The Luck of The Irish! - Look who won a FREE Olivia sweepstakes cruise for two. St. John Island anyone? Hey, don't cut that cake!

Food Storage Chart - This chart might come in handy.

Wonderful Friday 13th - Surprisingly things went very well for me that day. For example a supervisor at my phone company gave me a $50 credit to my account. (long story) That never happened before. I also had two other little nice surprises.

Disclaimer - No ants were harmed during the writing of this post. photo credit.

Storm Hits Rochester, NY - Snow, No Ice

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A winter storm warning is in effect all day for the Rochester, NY area.
Highlights...

-- 4 to 8 inches by 7pm.
-- Snow all day Wednesday.
-- Heaviest snow 8am to 3pm.
-- Total snowfall 8 to 12 inches.

On the news they said that the morning commute will be "manageable". However, we have had a inch or two of snow and roads are slick, so slow down. It's not until later that the brunt of the storm will hit. The good news is that Metro Rochester will not get ice. The souther tier might get a mixture of snow & ice. The power should stay on for the most part. Highs around 30. Winds will be 10 to 15 mph. As Rochester goes, this is a good size storm, but not one of our worst. For more weather click on the link below. A live weather blog will be on the link soon.

This information is from News 8.

Seattle WA + Snow = Insanity

My blog buddy Kim, put a link on Twitter that I want to share with you. It's from the Seattle Times. Kim recently was my guest blogger and wrote a wonderful post called "Snowmageddon" Thanks again Kim!.

Here are some of the highlights of The Seattle Times article. Hopefully the snow has since melted.
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"Seattle refuses to use salt; roads "snow packed" by design

Seattle's strategy for clearing roads relies on sand and de-icer, not salt, which is a more effective method of melting ice and snow.

"Plowed streets" in Seattle actually means "snow-packed," as in there's snow and ice left on major arterials by design.

"We're trying to create a hard-packed surface," said Alex Wiggins, chief of staff for the Seattle Department of Transportation. "It doesn't look like anything you'd find in Chicago or New York."

The city's approach means crews clear the roads enough for all-wheel and four-wheel-drive vehicles, or those with front-wheel drive cars as long as they are using chains, Wiggins said.

The icy streets are the result of Seattle's refusal to use salt, an effective ice-buster used by the state Department of Transportation and cities accustomed to dealing with heavy winter snows.

"If we were using salt, you'd see patches of bare road because salt is very effective," Wiggins said. "We decided not to utilize salt because it's not a healthy addition to Puget Sound."

By ruling out salt and some of the chemicals routinely used by snowbound cities, Seattle has embraced a less-effective strategy for clearing roads, namely sand sprinkled on top of snowpack along major arterials, and a chemical de-icer that is effective when temperatures are below 32 degrees.

Seattle also equips its plows with rubber-edged blades. That minimizes the damage to roads and manhole covers, but it doesn't scrape off the ice, Wiggins said.

That leaves many drivers, including Seattle police, pretty much on their own until nature does to the snow what the sand can't: melt it.

The city's patrol cars are rear-wheel drive. And even with tire chains, officers are avoiding hills and responding on foot, according to a West Precinct officer."

Click here to read the entire article.

Sometimes I'm glad that I live in Rochester! ;o)

Rochester NY 1st Real Snow Storm

Rochester NY is going to have it's 1st significant snow storm of the season. "A winter storm warning is effect from 8 AM this morning to 10 PM EST this evening." "Snow will develop later this morning. The snow will become steady late this morning through the afternoon when it could be heavy at times. The heavy snow be accompanied by some thunder. Accumulation 6 to 10 inches. Windy with temperatures steady in the mid to upper 20s. Northeast winds 10 to 20 mph becoming east and increasing to 25 to 35 mph." This storm is considered a moderate one for the area.

The Rochester city school district is closed, which is a big deal here. Many other schools are closed as well. See link below for the latest information.

The good news for Rochester is that it will be all snow and no ice. I hate those mixed precipitation storms that are so hard to clean up. Rochester can handle this, but today will be messy and a good day to stay home. I'm going out soon to do some shopping before the storm hits. I will put one of my snow shovels in my car, and leave it there all season. Then I will stay home safe & sound. It's a good day to make out Christmas cards to send to the relatives. ;o) The next storm is Sunday. It won't be as bad as this one. Click on the link below for the latest weather information.

This post was based on info from rochesterhomepage.net

UPDATE: Generally the Rochester area received 8" to 12" of snow. The official snowfall at the airport was 8.4". The next day many schools remained closed. Digging out was difficult due to the amount of heavy snow, and the cold. The road salt didn't have much effect because of the cold. 2 smaller storms would follow yielding 1'-4" each. As of 12-24-08 snowfall for the season was 43.8" normal average is 23.7. Buffalo had 42.9". Syracuse had the most with 64.3". Click here for snowfall stats.

D&C Local Paper: First snowy round slams Rochester region

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Rochester Recent Storms - Flooding, Hail, Crops Hit

Photo from 13WHAM.com of Springwater/Dansville N.Y.

It was just last month when the Rochester, NY area was hit by crop damaging storms. Well it happened again on Wednesday, but this time was a bit different. The storms and damage were hit and miss, however, we had flash flooding added. Some streets were closed, homes flooded, and hail up to golf-ball size.

"The recent severe weather in the Rochester area is hitting local farmers particularly hard. Rain and flooding has washed out some fields and crops, but isolated hail storms have caused the worst damage."

We were told on TV recently that soon we will see fruit, and vegetables in stores that have bruises, but are edible. The bruising is from the hail. Bloomfield farms got hit hard. with "golf-ball size hail, and strong winds leaving some bruises crops and broken vines in pumpkin patches. Farmer, Mr. White said, "This is as bad as it gets.""

"It is like a machine gun, just sort of riddling the field with little pellets and the stems just burst right open," Jim Ochterski of Cornell Cooperative Extension said.

Beside the crops being hit we had flash floods. The flooding hit around rush hour as three inches of rain fell turning Rochester expressways from roads to rivers in a matter of minutes.

"Employees at Rochester Colonial found themselves on an island. Those who dared to leave got soaked and stuck.

Parts of Mount Read Boulevard and Lyell Avenue were nearly impassable. There were white caps in the passing lane of I-490 East and portions were shut down for time; I-390 South in Greece was backed up all the way to the airport.

The parking lot at the Mall at Greece Ridge flooded in a matter of minutes as water climbed as high as the tires. Inside the mall, some ceilings began to leak."

Severe Flooding from Thursday's storms hit Livingston County, Springwater/Dansville, NY, (pictured above), leaving some residents homeless.

In Greece, N.Y. some resident and emergency crews were kept busy trying to rid basements of water.

"Greece's Ridge Road Fire Department fielded upwards of 100 calls in a matter of hours. "We had areas of the district with flooding that I haven't seen flooded in the 20 years I’ve worked here,” said Alan Bubel of the Greece Ridge Fire Department. "We tried to get our engine company to a job and we actually got stuck in some water…We had to get people out of the water--one woman in a wheelchair, another woman stuck in her mini-van, so it was crazy for awhile."

It's to early to know if any part of the Rochester area will be considered a disaster area. On a personal note, I am fine. There was no major flooding where I live, just a bad T-storm. Once again I'm disappointed I missed out on seeing hail! A few miles from me they had hail.

Information & excerpts from 13WHAM most links offer slide shows.

Severe Thunderstorms with Hail, Spells Disaster for Upstate NY

HAIL NO! On June 16th the Upstate New York, (NY), area got pounded by rain, and hail during a severe thunderstorms with winds sometimes exceeding 60 mph. The hail ranged in size from pennies to golf balls. It looked like it had snowed in some areas. It was the worst hail storm in years. The state agriculture commissioner will survey hail damage suffered by upstate orchards.

Agriculture officials say apple, peach, strawberry and cherry crops from the Niagara Frontier east to the Hudson Valley suffered extensive damage. Some growers reported losing as much as 75 percent of their crops in the storm, which also damaged corn and other vegetable crops.

Officials in Wayne County, on Lake Ontario just east of Rochester, have called on Gov. David Paterson to declare the county a disaster area.

The storms knocked out power to nearly 10,000 RG&E customers in Gates and Rochester.

It was a strange start to Wegmans LPGA week as hail fell during a weather delay at Locust Hill Country Club.

As for my area, we had a thunderstorms on and off all day, but no hail. Frankly, I was a bit disappointed.


This post was based on readings from...

Newsday.com

Buffalo News

WHEC-TV 10

And another WHEC-TV 10 article

View slide show here

Severe Thunderstorm Slam Rochester Area Now

Several severe thunderstorm are hitting the Rochester NY, Monroe county area. We had 60 MPH winds in Geneva for example. Some areas had Tornado watches, large hail, trees down. One woman on the news said, "My tress just fell like matchsticks." Thousands in the area lost power. Syracuse got hit badly too with 30,000? losing power. The worst is over for Rochester, but not some surrounding areas.

Basically now west of Rochester looks good except for East Lockport. But another round of storms are due to hit East and South of Rochester including Wayne, Ontario, Yates, and Penn Yam counties. Dansville, Wayland, and Naples are being hit now. The storm could include large hail, strong winds, downed trees, and loss of power.

The good news is that it cooled off the area. We went from 86 degrees to 72 in no time. Finally relief after several days of 90ish degree weather. It's odd to turn off the A/C after it has been on non stop for days.


Get the latest including a slid show at 13WHAM

For more about the first storm - Democrat & Chronicle
"The first storm swept through the area midmorning. That fast-moving storm included about 10 minutes of heavy rain, whipping winds, frequent lightening and small penny-sized hail. Winds were recorded in excess of 60 mph. At peak, about 8,100 properties in the region were in the dark." Several schools were closed....

Heat Wave - Marilyn Monroe & CDC Extreme Heat

Marilyn Monroe sings "Heat Wave" in the movie "There's No Business Like Show Business" (1954)



Rochester, NY has one more day of very hot weather. The prediction is 92 degrees, near record heat.

Here is some information from the CDC on Extreme Heat including heat stroke, and exhaustion. Keep cool!