Hope everyone's Holiday week comes together. Good luck to the citizenry to get everything together and to get to where they're going safely.
53 thoughts on “December 19, 2016: Hectic”
My first day back at work since my tonsillectomy. We'll see how this goes today. I'm going to try to keep my napping to a minimum
Bah, I broke down and finally bought a snowblower just now. I just hope it fits in the back of the Sorento.
Two-stage?
Definitely. As much as I would have loved to have saved money on a single stage, this past snowfall would have been too much for one.
I'm not sure how many people enjoy this degree of cold, but I'm one of them. I went out last night to fill up the tank on our commuter, which lives outside. Dark Sky was telling me it was -12º F outside, with a "feels like" of -21º F. Curious, I checked the temperature in a few other places: Minneapolis, International Falls, Embarrass, Moscow, and Tromsø. It was slightly colder in Embarrass and International Falls, but everywhere else was warmer than the People's Republic. (Moscow, where sunrise hadn't quite happened, was 38º F warmer.)
Then, just for fun, I checked Yakutsk, the capital city of a Siberian republic just slightly smaller than India. It was noon in Yakutsk. The temperature was -24º F at noon. That is a level of cold that fascinates me. By comparison, Yellowknife (capital of the Northwest Territories), which is about thirty miles closer to the Arctic Circle than Yakutsk, was roughly the same temperature at 8pm.
I can't say I enjoy it, but as long as the wind isn't blowing very hard I can dress for it and cope okay.
We hit single digits here in StL. While I don't "love" the cold, I certainly tolerate it well. You won't find me complaining, because I grew up in much worse.
Yesterday was a beautiful day, temps aside, and I fully intended to go out to play in the arctic air and let the neighbors know I was full-fledged crazy Minnesotan. Instead I moved furniture around inside the house and never made it out. I do "enjoy" being out in the cold when equipped for it. I think it's due to it being a minor thrill and literally "braving" the elements. That cold can actually kill you. Being smart enough, "tough" enough to live and work and play in those elements is a minor point of personal satisfaction. Competent adulting, or some such.
My wife and kids went to see the Nutcracker on Saturday afternoon (when it was 20F warmer than yesterday). I went for a 9-mile hike in and around the Coon Rapids Dam park. I only really got cold standing atop the dam trying to make out and take pictures of the waterfowl. Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, Mallards, and Canada Geese abounded. I also found two Red-breasted Mergansers, and a "Lesser" Canada Goose (not a Cackling Goose). I could not find the Gadwall that had been seen on Wednesday and Thursday.
The 2PM matinee at St. Kate's? We took my mom to that show for Christmas.
I'm a big fan of that particular Nutcracker. It's well done and more affordable than some of the others in town. (Plus the jalapeno's friend was the "lead mouse" in some of the performances.)
I'm also quite curious to see the James Sewell Ballet company's Nutcracker (not so) Suite, but I don't think I'd bring any young'uns along.
Yes. That one.
Definitely too cold to make out on top of a dam.
Especially solo.
You saw my e-mail re: another winter vulture sighting?
I have now. No time to respond til tonight.
Right there with you.
I'm loving it, a little more this winter since I don't have to worry about my car starting as much, although the first time it dropped below freezing this year my new car managed to flood itself, which I had no idea was a thing with modern cars.
Had my car for a few years now...I found the heater plug just the other day under the Buick hood. I should be good.
I hate the cold. But I did get new Carhart bib overalls and jacket for early Christmas over the weekend, which greatly helped get my car ready in the single digit temp, double digit winds this morning.
I was wondering how the switch to gasoline combustion was treating you this winter. The last diesel I drove in this kind of weather was a '73 240D. Glowing the plugs effectively in this kind of weather took only slightly less time to accomplish than the heat death of the universe.
I've always been on gas.
Now getting my GD tractor/blower to start on Saturday - that sucked. Fresh gas, put the space heater near-ish the engine to get that all warmed up, battery jumper hooked up and plugged in. Still nothing
I'm guessing he meant to respond to me, since I'm the one foolish enough to drive an old-ish diesel in this climate.
I figured as much too, but since I was having engine troubles too over the weekend, I thought I'd throw my hat in the commiserating rink.
Yep. Clicked the wrong "Reply" link.
Somewhat related, several churches around here called off services yesterday due to the cold. Now, granted, it got to about twenty below, but there was very little wind and the roads were fine. This isn't "Little House on the Prairie", where we're hitching up the horses and riding the buckboard ten miles to town. Sure, people with health problems should stay inside, but I expect them to have the sense to do that. For the rest of us, there was no reason we couldn't get out and go to church yesterday.
I was amazed how empty our service was yesterday. I don't usually go to that one, so maybe it's often that small, but this seemed... remarkable.
Sure, people with health problems should stay inside, but I expect them to have the sense to do that
I know a couple of people who feel so strongly about their need to attend church every. single. Sunday. that I don't trust them to keep a bigger picture in mind.
They cancelled the Saturday night service because bad roads. The early service Sunday was a bit light, but heavy online presence on the streaming site.
I have absolutely no problem with calling off services because of bad roads.
My dad was a pastor in Minnesota for 6 years. I don't recall him ever calling off services because of cold, at least for Sunday morning. He also had Wednesday night and Sunday night services and those might be called off more easily, mostly because they would be very sparsely attended when the weather got too cold. Sunday morning would only be called off if the roads were too dangerous to drive on.
Dude. I miss the bracing cold in a way that I can't describe. I don't have the clothes for really cold temps anymore, and a 35˚ day in NOLA is pretty miserable (as the dampness really cuts through). I miss the sensation of having your nose hairs freeze, and the crunch of brittle snow under your feet.
I don't particularly enjoy the cold but my favorite weather things happen in the bitter cold. There's that crunch of the snow or how quiet it is because everyone else is wisely staying inside. My favorite would be light pillars (another picture). I've only seen them once when it was very cold. In addition to the pillars of light, the air itself twinkled. I would have stuck around outside longer when it happened but I would have been late for work. Plus it was bitterly cold.
I love running in bitter cold. Perhaps connected to ZG's comment.
Twins had the #1 and #10 batters with best OPS as cleanup hitters last season?
so nice of you to have waited a full day to mention how bad that month was. It was a whole month of turrble wrapped up into 24 hours.
Pepper, my bus seemed to be delayed by ten minutes for a reason I couldn't grasp. Yours wasn't.
You (and your claret coat... 10F is where you draw the line?) were nearly a block past the "Drop Zone" when I got there.
I've got an office holiday breakfast party tomorrow morning, so there will be no cookie for you until Wednesday at the earliest.
Mine was just a couple of minutes late. I left a mark in the snow atop the drop zone, which you may or may not have noticed.
I don't have an official cutoff temp for the claret coat, but that sounds about right. I wear the black one only when I think I'll be uncomfortably cold in anything else. (I was only mildly cold this morning. It was amusing feeling my damp hair gradually freeze at the bus stop this morning.)
I'll be sure not to run early on Wednesday.
It was amusing feeling my damp hair gradually freeze at the bus stop this morning.
ahh, that takes me back to high school and waiting for the bus back when joe had long-ass hair.
Does Joe also like his chicken spicy?
Did not see the mark.
Assuming the snow hasn't been disturbed, it should still be there tomorrow.
I couldn't make it out.
We always used to freeze dry our hair in the winter in college, then brush the frost out of our hair when we got to the cafeteria.
It's beginning to look a lot like effing disaster. Russian ambassador assassinated in Turkey; truck plows into a crowd in Berlin.
I never wanted to live in interesting times.
Don't forget the Islamic center shooting in Zurich. You know, just in case...
I mentioned this on the Tweeter, but I heard promo on NPR that mentioned how important it is to have access to "fact-based" news. Funny that that has to be qualified.
facts are biased.
that was at the bottom of the screen on my google news feed, so I missed it the first time through. Oy.
Scheiße. We were just in Zurich last week, in and out of the Bahnhof numerous times.
Nice win for the local cagers tonight. It seemed like they missed every bunny and layup but I look up and see they scored 115 points. Ricky Rubio had some beautiful outlet passes and I think only 50% of them ended up scoring points.
When PHX couldn't take advantage of the late (over the final 1:45) offensive misses, I thought the pups might actually hold on. From the four-letter, a bit of trivia that, although not 'really' surprising, is kind-of fun:
... the Wolves are the first team in history to have three 21-year-olds averaging at least 20 points per game.
My first day back at work since my tonsillectomy. We'll see how this goes today. I'm going to try to keep my napping to a minimum
Bah, I broke down and finally bought a snowblower just now. I just hope it fits in the back of the Sorento.
Two-stage?
Definitely. As much as I would have loved to have saved money on a single stage, this past snowfall would have been too much for one.
I'm not sure how many people enjoy this degree of cold, but I'm one of them. I went out last night to fill up the tank on our commuter, which lives outside. Dark Sky was telling me it was -12º F outside, with a "feels like" of -21º F. Curious, I checked the temperature in a few other places: Minneapolis, International Falls, Embarrass, Moscow, and Tromsø. It was slightly colder in Embarrass and International Falls, but everywhere else was warmer than the People's Republic. (Moscow, where sunrise hadn't quite happened, was 38º F warmer.)
Then, just for fun, I checked Yakutsk, the capital city of a Siberian republic just slightly smaller than India. It was noon in Yakutsk. The temperature was -24º F at noon. That is a level of cold that fascinates me. By comparison, Yellowknife (capital of the Northwest Territories), which is about thirty miles closer to the Arctic Circle than Yakutsk, was roughly the same temperature at 8pm.
I can't say I enjoy it, but as long as the wind isn't blowing very hard I can dress for it and cope okay.
We hit single digits here in StL. While I don't "love" the cold, I certainly tolerate it well. You won't find me complaining, because I grew up in much worse.
Yesterday was a beautiful day, temps aside, and I fully intended to go out to play in the arctic air and let the neighbors know I was full-fledged crazy Minnesotan. Instead I moved furniture around inside the house and never made it out. I do "enjoy" being out in the cold when equipped for it. I think it's due to it being a minor thrill and literally "braving" the elements. That cold can actually kill you. Being smart enough, "tough" enough to live and work and play in those elements is a minor point of personal satisfaction. Competent adulting, or some such.
My wife and kids went to see the Nutcracker on Saturday afternoon (when it was 20F warmer than yesterday). I went for a 9-mile hike in and around the Coon Rapids Dam park. I only really got cold standing atop the dam trying to make out and take pictures of the waterfowl. Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, Mallards, and Canada Geese abounded. I also found two Red-breasted Mergansers, and a "Lesser" Canada Goose (not a Cackling Goose). I could not find the Gadwall that had been seen on Wednesday and Thursday.
The 2PM matinee at St. Kate's? We took my mom to that show for Christmas.
I'm a big fan of that particular Nutcracker. It's well done and more affordable than some of the others in town. (Plus the jalapeno's friend was the "lead mouse" in some of the performances.)
I'm also quite curious to see the James Sewell Ballet company's Nutcracker (not so) Suite, but I don't think I'd bring any young'uns along.
Yes. That one.
Definitely too cold to make out on top of a dam.
Especially solo.
You saw my e-mail re: another winter vulture sighting?
I have now. No time to respond til tonight.
Right there with you.
I'm loving it, a little more this winter since I don't have to worry about my car starting as much, although the first time it dropped below freezing this year my new car managed to flood itself, which I had no idea was a thing with modern cars.
Had my car for a few years now...I found the heater plug just the other day under the Buick hood. I should be good.
I hate the cold. But I did get new Carhart bib overalls and jacket for early Christmas over the weekend, which greatly helped get my car ready in the single digit temp, double digit winds this morning.
I was wondering how the switch to gasoline combustion was treating you this winter. The last diesel I drove in this kind of weather was a '73 240D. Glowing the plugs effectively in this kind of weather took only slightly less time to accomplish than the heat death of the universe.
I've always been on gas.
Now getting my GD tractor/blower to start on Saturday - that sucked. Fresh gas, put the space heater near-ish the engine to get that all warmed up, battery jumper hooked up and plugged in. Still nothing
I'm guessing he meant to respond to me, since I'm the one foolish enough to drive an old-ish diesel in this climate.
I figured as much too, but since I was having engine troubles too over the weekend, I thought I'd throw my hat in the commiserating rink.
Yep. Clicked the wrong "Reply" link.
Somewhat related, several churches around here called off services yesterday due to the cold. Now, granted, it got to about twenty below, but there was very little wind and the roads were fine. This isn't "Little House on the Prairie", where we're hitching up the horses and riding the buckboard ten miles to town. Sure, people with health problems should stay inside, but I expect them to have the sense to do that. For the rest of us, there was no reason we couldn't get out and go to church yesterday.
I was amazed how empty our service was yesterday. I don't usually go to that one, so maybe it's often that small, but this seemed... remarkable.
Sure, people with health problems should stay inside, but I expect them to have the sense to do that
I know a couple of people who feel so strongly about their need to attend church every. single. Sunday. that I don't trust them to keep a bigger picture in mind.
They cancelled the Saturday night service because bad roads. The early service Sunday was a bit light, but heavy online presence on the streaming site.
I have absolutely no problem with calling off services because of bad roads.
My dad was a pastor in Minnesota for 6 years. I don't recall him ever calling off services because of cold, at least for Sunday morning. He also had Wednesday night and Sunday night services and those might be called off more easily, mostly because they would be very sparsely attended when the weather got too cold. Sunday morning would only be called off if the roads were too dangerous to drive on.
Dude. I miss the bracing cold in a way that I can't describe. I don't have the clothes for really cold temps anymore, and a 35˚ day in NOLA is pretty miserable (as the dampness really cuts through). I miss the sensation of having your nose hairs freeze, and the crunch of brittle snow under your feet.
I don't particularly enjoy the cold but my favorite weather things happen in the bitter cold. There's that crunch of the snow or how quiet it is because everyone else is wisely staying inside. My favorite would be light pillars (another picture). I've only seen them once when it was very cold. In addition to the pillars of light, the air itself twinkled. I would have stuck around outside longer when it happened but I would have been late for work. Plus it was bitterly cold.
I love running in bitter cold. Perhaps connected to ZG's comment.
Twins had the #1 and #10 batters with best OPS as cleanup hitters last season?
Nice to see we're out of Decemeber today.
so nice of you to have waited a full day to mention how bad that month was. It was a whole month of turrble wrapped up into 24 hours.
Pepper, my bus seemed to be delayed by ten minutes for a reason I couldn't grasp. Yours wasn't.
You (and your claret coat... 10F is where you draw the line?) were nearly a block past the "Drop Zone" when I got there.
I've got an office holiday breakfast party tomorrow morning, so there will be no cookie for you until Wednesday at the earliest.
Mine was just a couple of minutes late. I left a mark in the snow atop the drop zone, which you may or may not have noticed.
I don't have an official cutoff temp for the claret coat, but that sounds about right. I wear the black one only when I think I'll be uncomfortably cold in anything else. (I was only mildly cold this morning. It was amusing feeling my damp hair gradually freeze at the bus stop this morning.)
I'll be sure not to run early on Wednesday.
It was amusing feeling my damp hair gradually freeze at the bus stop this morning.
ahh, that takes me back to high school and waiting for the bus back when joe had long-ass hair.
Does Joe also like his chicken spicy?
Did not see the mark.
Assuming the snow hasn't been disturbed, it should still be there tomorrow.
I couldn't make it out.
We always used to freeze dry our hair in the winter in college, then brush the frost out of our hair when we got to the cafeteria.
It's beginning to look a lot like effing disaster. Russian ambassador assassinated in Turkey; truck plows into a crowd in Berlin.
I never wanted to live in interesting times.
Don't forget the Islamic center shooting in Zurich. You know, just in case...
I mentioned this on the Tweeter, but I heard promo on NPR that mentioned how important it is to have access to "fact-based" news. Funny that that has to be qualified.
facts are biased.
that was at the bottom of the screen on my google news feed, so I missed it the first time through. Oy.
Scheiße. We were just in Zurich last week, in and out of the Bahnhof numerous times.
Nice win for the local cagers tonight. It seemed like they missed every bunny and layup but I look up and see they scored 115 points. Ricky Rubio had some beautiful outlet passes and I think only 50% of them ended up scoring points.
When PHX couldn't take advantage of the late (over the final 1:45) offensive misses, I thought the pups might actually hold on. From the four-letter, a bit of trivia that, although not 'really' surprising, is kind-of fun: