I am Done With the Snow!

Last week I heard on the weather channel that a snow storm was going to hit our area Saturday and Sunday. I was surprised when I woke up on Friday morning to 12-16 inches of snow and it was still coming down.

I went out and did the mandatory shoveling. My neighbor taught me that you shovel the first 6 inches off and then the next six, instead of trying to do the whole 12 inches at one time.

My neighbor was out shoveling and I mentioned that I thought the storm was going to come this weekend. He said that it got here early.

So the snow stopped around 2:00 yesterday and it warmed up into the 40's (4.4C) and a lot of snow melted from the sidewalks and street, which is great, cause you don't want it to turn to ice.

I woke up this morning and opened up the window blinds and OMG there's ANOTHER 6-8 inches of snow and it was coming down pretty heavy. It appears to have stopped within the last 15 minutes.

I hear California is bracing for a rainy day. Stay inside you guys where it is safe and dry!

I heard that because of this narly winter we are having that the weather guru's are predicting a narly hurricane season. That sucks! My mother, who had her home rebuilt after Katrina, could potentially loose it again! Well, we'll just have to wait and see.

Ciao

Let's Talk Weather!!!

Houston is expecting snow today. That's wild!

My sister lives in Houston and she actually got snow weeks before we did here in Pennsylvania.

I haven't written about "black ice". Mainly because I haven't seen too much of it, which is a good thing.

I first learned of black ice when I was in Iceland. I took this picture while in Iceland. This was right outside the door of my hotel. I wonder why they didn't put salt on the ground. The sidewalk was one sheet of ice. I walked in the street most of the time I was there. Talk about slippery.

Well, I guess by now everyone knows that we are experiencing an El Nino affect. Which will be followed by a La Nina affect.

I was poking around on the Internet and found an interesting website that pretty much forecast the weather for quite a bit. Talking about how the global warming that began in 80's would be ending around 2017 and then a global cooling will begin. Here is the link if you want to check it out http://forums.accuweather.com/index.php?showtopic=13603. It's a fascinating read that's for sure.

So right now California's bracing for more rain. Houston, Pennsylvania and Delaware are going to get a few flurries, not a big snow storm like we experienced a couple of weeks ago.

Ciao

What's Up With the Weather?

Man we've got some crazy weather going on. Yesterday, there was snow reported in 49 of our 50 states! Hawaii got lucky! Lots of states that
never see snow are seeing it. 10 snow flurries can shut down a state, if it hasn't seen snow before. They don't have salt or snow plows. No one knows how to drive in it.

Here's something that I have learned about the cold... if you dress for it, you don't feel it. I put on my boots, coat, hat and gloves before leaving the house. I can't say that I have actually felt cold. Maybe it is an age thing. I remember when I was younger that I didn't want to dress appropriately for the weather. I wanted to wear what made me look good...lol..lol.. And if that meant not wearing a coat when it was 40 degrees outside.. well that's what I did. And then I pissed and moaned the whole time about the freakin' weather, cause I was cold. Go figure... live and learn..lol..lol..

I took this picture outside of the back of my home. I am not sure what kind of tree it is. It sure looks like Christmas holly.

Ciao

Yesterday's Blizzard

The blizzard is all over. Mr. Sunshine is looking down on us.

Click on the picture, it's a video. I made this video yesterday. I decided to take a walk and check it all out. The only places open on Main Street were The Dollar Store, Subway Sandwich Shop and The Candy Store. The Candy Store was packed with college students.

Today is when it is suppose to be bad if you didn't shovel your sidewalks, or shovel near your car or even brush the snow off of your car. Because today all that snow that fell freezes and you have a big blocks of ice blocking your car in, on your car, and on your sidewalks. Good luck moving those! Yesterday most of my day was spent running in and out shoveling and brushing off my car. I just went outside and I must say, I am in better shape than most in the neighborhood.

So it's all over... no more snow storms this winter. The Farmer's Almanac says that by April 1st it will be seasonally warm in the northeastern part of the US.

I am truly thankful for this experience. I feel that now I can hold an intelligent conversation about living through a blizzard. Been there... done that.. Next!

This I know for sure: my next winter will be spent in front of a fireplace, I will never winterize windows again and I will not be sweeping snow or shoveling snow from around my car again.

I will be making my last move in the US in a few months and the place I move to will have newer windows, a fireplace and a garage for my car! Yippppeee....

Ciao

First Real Snow Storm

I took this picture last Saturday. It was of the 6 inches of snow that we got from the storm that paralyzed Washington, D.C. and Delaware.

Another storm is here. Supposedly, by the Farmers Almanac, this is the last one we'll get.

It started snowing last night and it is really coming down now. The news guy said we would get 10 inches but I think he might have been off a bit.

I have been watching my neighbor across the street. He has a 3 car garage and a giant driveway. He began shoveling the snow from his driveway this morning as it was still coming down. I really don't understand why he didn't just shovel the path in front of the garage door so his wife could get her car out and go to work. Because half way through shoveling the driveway there was already 3 inches of snow that had accumulated in the part he just shoveled. It's really coming down like crazy.

The weather man said it was suppose to stop this afternoon. If it keeps up like this we could get a good 2 feet of snow! Now I am getting to experience real snow! So far... so good.

Earlier this morning I saw a yellow truck that shovels the snow going down my street. That was about an hour ago and if you looked outside right now you'd never believe he was here.

I don't need to go anywhere... yippppeee! So it's probably a good time to just pull out the paper work and begin working on the my taxes... not so yippeee.

Ciao

First Real Snow

Remember a few weeks ago when Philadelphia was hit with a big snow storm? Well, we only got about 2 inches of that. And up until this morning, that was the most snow that I had seen.

A new snow storm hit last night. It was a storm that came up from the Gulf of Mexico, first drenching the southern states with rain and then, as it moved up a northeastern path, it turned to snow.

The snow seems magical to me. It comes in the night and is soooo quiet.

We got 6 inches which is more than I have seen before. It is sooooo white and light and fluffy.

My neighbor showed me how to make a snow angel. She actually laid in the snow and moved here arms and legs and when she got up there it was ... an angel in the show.

Ciao

It's Raining Cats & Dogs in LA

California's getting 4 rain storms in a row. This is much needed rain for the state. There is a lot of flooding occurring for 2 reasons; 1) a large amount of rain is coming down in shorter periods of time; and 2) for the last 9 months people have used the storm drains as garbage cans. It's pretty gnarly in LA right now, especially since Californians don't know how to slow down while driving in the rain. That makes for a lot of accidents. Which pretty much makes it unsafe to go anywhere so a lot of people are staying home, calling in to work sick, cancelling lunch plans... it's pretty funny to me.

Where is the snow? Where is the 1 to 3 feet of snow that the northeast is suppose to get in the winter time? The most snow we have gotten, so far, is about 2 inches. Everything has melted and it looks like a beautiful spring day outside with the sun shining! It's going up into the low 40's (4.4C) today. I love it!

The picture was created with color splash photography. I just learned how to created photographs like that. You turn a colored picture into black and white and only leave whatever color you want to stand out. It's pretty fun to do and really makes your pictures pop!

Ciao

9am and 10 degrees (-12.2C) Here

The sun is shining and it is beautiful outside! Yes it is a bit chilly, especially if you aren't dressed for it.

Last night I went to dinner with some friends and we went to a fancy restaurant. All day long I wondered 'what to wear'. I don't have any wool pants. I lived in California!

On Friday I went out in the snow falling weather to; 1) keep mobile; and 2) see if I could find a pair of wool pants. No wool pants to be found but a ton of spring clothing! Go figure.

I decided to wear this long gypsy colorful skirt, with black thick stockings, brown sweater and black floor length coat. I walked out of my door and across the street and it was 10 degrees. It felt a bit cool but nothing to ruin what turned out to be a delightful evening. I believe it went down to 4 degrees ( -15.5C) last night.

As I look out of my bedroom window I see people walking their dogs and possibly just running errands. I will soon be one of them. I am going to jump in the shower get dressed and walk to the post office and grocery store.

I sincerely apologize to my friends in Texas if I have offended you with my posting on my blog. This is my interpretation of how I see the world through my eyes. And personally, I don't think that complaining about the weather or a heating bill that hasn't arrived yet, is cool. You can continue to do it and I will still love you. It only makes sense to me in a way that "misery loves company". You don't have to heat a whole house. Get a $10 space heater, like I did, and layer your ass off with clothes, like I do. Be happy! I am going to give my compassionate thoughts to those who are really and truly suffering. Thankfully I don't know anyone who is. But I am going to put it out there in the Universe that those who are without... will find a way ;-)

This is a picture I took of the Godafoss waterfall in Iceland. It's one of the famous waterfalls in Iceland because in the year 1000 the powers-that-be decided to make Iceland a Christian county. If you weren't Christian they threw you from this waterfall.

And don't forget.... Today is Pomegranate Day!!! Pomegranates can be found in the produce section of your grocery store. Here's the video to see what to do with your pom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKyHx4k1pPc

Ciao

Weather Languages

Right now it is the same temperature here, in Bloomsburg, PA, that it is in Jaspter, TX.... which is 21 degrees (-6.1C).

The snow stopped here yesterday evening. Right now the sun is peaking out from between the clouds.

I woke up to the sound of, what sounded like a zillion birds, flying by, yapping away. Really I thought that all the birds had migrated down south. Go figure...

Last night I heard the weather man say, "This cold snap will only last a couple more days and then it will warm up." A "cold snap" is unseasonably cold weather. Are they saying that down south? Surely they are getting unseasonably cold weather. I wonder what lingo they are using down there.

I also realized that I will not hear the hear the weather man say the words "coastal eddy". This is said a lot in the spring and summer in California, when the clouds roll in and sit along the coast. It is a big contributor to the "June gloom" in California.

June gloom is just what it sounds like.... overcast gloomy days. No sun shine! Bet you never thought that could happen in California? I lived in the San Fernando Valley which is surrounded by mountains so the June gloom did not make it to my side of the hill. If you lived in a beach community, such as Santa Monica, Playa del Rey, Marina del Rey, even inland to Beverly Hills, you inevitably experienced those days.

Stay warm everyone ;-)

Ciao

Tea Kettles & Snow Flurries

Isn't this a beautiful whistling tea kettle? I purchased it less than a month ago and it is falling apart. I pulled out the paper work and it has a 5 year warranty. I only paid $20 for it. I called today and was told to mail it to Canada and they would fix or replace it. It will cost me $20 to mail it to Canada! I am going to try to return it to the store that I purchased it from, I have the receipt.. but not the box.

It's cold here, 21 degrees (-6.1C) and the high expected today is 25 degrees (-3.8C). We might get a couple of snow flurries. Yesterday I saw a few snow flurries flying by the window, nothing stuck to the ground.

I was talking to a friend, who lives in Texas, and the cold is vastly different down there. Their is a humidity that makes the cold go straight to your bones. Yipppeee the cold here hasn't affect my bones.

I was told that the sun didn't come out here most of the winter. Well... so far it has come out 95% of the winter days. In facts, I see it peaking out right now.

Today is the first work day of the new year so... off to work I go ;-)

Ciao

Last Day of 2009!

I know a lot of people who are glad that this year is ending.

It seems as if everyone on the planet has experienced some sort of major change in their lives this year.

I personally think it is ending too fast. I mean it just seems like 3 or 4 years ago we were all worried about the new millennium meltdown and that was a decade ago!

2009 was the year of my major cross country move from the west coast to the east coast. Followed by 2 months living in Wilkes-Barre and then a move to Bloomsburg. Humm.... 2 moves in one year and I am not settled. One more move and then I will be settled. That move will take place sometime between March 2010 and July 30, 2010. I don't know where it will be to and am not even contemplating looking until March.

The snow arrived while I was sleeping last night. Kinda magical how that happens. I went outside to shovel off the side walk and it was quiet. The only thing I heard were other shovels scrapping the sidewalk and the smell of fireplaces burning filled the air. I like it! I got in my car and went to the store to get the traditional corn beef and cabbage to throw in the crock pot tonight. I am very proud of myself for sticking to resolution of not becoming immobile because of the snow. I have kept moving and living and going with life.. and I don't think I have gained a pound...lol...lol...lol..

My new friends, Eric and Sara, are having a New Year's Eve party complete with live band. They invited me to join them. I have declined. Eric and Sara are young. Up until around the age of 30 you think that you have to be awake at midnight or you will miss something. After the age of 30 you go to parties and sit around looking at your friends asking each other "Is it midnight yet?" You just want it to be over so you can go to bed and go to sleep. Around the age of 40 you realize that New Year's is going to get here and be the same even while you are sleeping....lol..lol...lol..

The last thing I am going to do this year... is going to be something I have never ever done in my life. My neighbors have invited me over, in the early evening...lol..lol.. to play Wii. I have never done it before and have heard it is a ton of fun.

Be safe and have fun ringing in the new year!

Ciao

The Snow is All Gone!

Yesterday was such a beautiful day, sunny and 50 degrees (10C). There were dark clouds and a few sprinkles but nothing to ruin the day.

I talked to a friend in California yesterday and she said "It's cold here, it's 50 degrees". I laughed and said "It's warm here and it's 50 degrees!" 50 degrees just doesn't seem all that cold to me after experiencing the 20 degree (-6.6C) weather. I ran my errands yesterday with just a turtleneck sweater on, no coat, no scarf and no gloves. I think I am learning that I am more adaptable that I actually thought I would be.

The sun is shining right now and we might get some snow tonight and/or tomorrow. I have now figured out... snow is like rain! And sometimes we get more rain than we should and sometimes we might get more snow than we should. I was really under the impression that once it started snowing it snowed for days, weeks and months. I had no idea that it was pretty much like rain.

This picture was taken during the month of November right when the leaves started to change. What a beautiful golden color they are. I am still in awe of the colors I have seen here.

Ciao

A Light in the Window

This is something that you never ever see in California.... a lone light in the window. It is done a lot here, mostly during the wintertime. A lady at the store told me that it began many many years ago before there were street lights. A house with a lone light in each window feels so warm and inviting to me. It's like you just know there must be fireplace, bowl of soup and good book inside.

While searching for lights I found that there are two kinds. The ones with cords, which are a royal pain and the ones without. The ones without are on a sensor. They are off for 16 hours and on for 8 hours and last about 3 months. Then you just change the batteries and are good to go. About 1 percent of the people who put lights in the windows leave them up all year. I think I will pack mine way when spring arrives.

The weather here was nothing like they said on the television. Which is pretty amazing. Philadelphia is 3 hours south/east from where I live. They received 23 inches of snow last weekend. We got 2-3 inches of snow.

Yesterday the high was 33 degrees (.05C) here and I took a walk. It reminded me of my trip to Iceland which was done in the month of February. I was out walking around in the cold everyday all day on that trip. The minute the sun started to go down which was around 4:00pm or 4:30pm, it felt like the temperature dropped 30 degrees instantly. And going out at midnight, standing in the middle of a field for 2 hours to see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) was the coldest I have ever experienced. But it was soooo worth it and I would do it all in a second!

Ciao

Shoveling Snow is a Social Thing Here

So yesterday morning I walked outside and within minutes ALL of my neighbors where out. The sun was shining and it was sooo beautiful. Lots of chatting going on and a little bit of shoveling. Other than the chatting... it was super quiet!

It really wasn't as bad here as they said it was on tv. It went up to about 40 degrees (4.4C) and the sun was out for most of the day. I actually got in the car and ran a couple of errands.

It's funny... in October my neighbors said "November is when the weather gets really nasty." And that didn't happen. Then they said, "December is when the weather gets really nasty." And well.. that hasn't happened. And now they are saying, "January is when the weather gets really nasty." Okie..dokie... I'll just sit back and wait for that nasty weather to arrive!

Well, it's going to be a short but busy week. Only 3 work days. Lots of people will be on the road Thursday, Christmas Eve, or running last minute errands.

Another techie picture of Mario. I was looking all over for my remote!

Ciao

I Now Know Why I Like the Snow

I LOVE the silence that comes with the snow. I think it's magical. And when I look out of the window and see a guy walking his big black dog it just seems so serene. The only thing I hear right now is a crow and that's fine with me. I tell you.. the older I get the more noise bothers me.

I don't really understand people who let the weather affect their moods. I never moved to California for the weather. Lots of people live in California for the weather. And lots of people live in Pennsylvania for the seasons.

I took this picture an hour ago from my bedroom window. (taken at 8am)

I see one of my neighbors is out shoveling the snow off of the sidewalk, although I think I still see a flurry here and there. The city ordinance is that you must shovel the snow off of the sidewalk in front of your house within 12 hours after the snow has stopped, or you get fined. My landlady emailed me that information last night. So I am off to shovel.. I mean get some exercise....lol....lol...

Ciao

It's 17 Degrees Out (-8.3C)

I think when I was here last January the temperature got down to somewhere around 5 degrees (-15C) and I remember thinking to myself, "Anything below 10 degrees (-12.2C) feels uncomfortable to me."

In California, I remember the magic number was 110 degrees (43.3C). Any higher the temperature and I began to feel sick to my stomach.

Today the high will be around 32 degrees (0C) with some sunshine. And then snow tomorrow and tomorrow night.

Did you know that I am a "book reviewer"? To date, I have posted 385 book reviews on amazon. You can see my profile by clicking here http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/AIJ6XU28MF3B/ref=sv__4.

I also post my book review on my YouTube book review channel www.youtube.com/Readerofeverything.

I have loved reading since I was a kid. If I go about 3 days without reading something I start to physically feel weird. I read just about any and everything. Nowadays, people send me books asking for me to read and write a review. And since I LOVE books... I literally have at least 100 sitting here for me to read. Out of all of the books that I have read, I think, only 5 I could not post a review of. If a book is really bad, (i.e. jumps all over the place, doesn't make much sense, no point to it at all, or disgusting.) I will return the book to the author with a note that I don't feel comfortable posting a review. After all, reviews are my personal opinion and not fact.

The picture is of my techie cat, Mario. Thank God, he is not a kid or he would probably be asking for every techie product out there for xmas....lol...lol...

Ciao

It Snowed Last Night

Once again I woke up to find about an inch or two of snow on the ground. It's so weird cause it wasn't raining when I went to sleep and I just didn't hear a thing. It wasn't snowing when I woke up and it didn't snow today. In facts, the sun came out.

And once again, I went outside with shovel in hand, to shovel the sidewalk, and there wasn't any snow on it. My sister says that the people who lived here before me must have put a ton of salt on the sidewalk. Yipppeeee... lucky me.

Remember I told you that I really am a seasonal worker, well ... I have been working my ass off. I have, from day one, had problems with the office I got in Delaware in June of this year. Well, earlier this week I found another place so I spent part of Monday and yesterday changing the address on lots of things, (i.e. bank accounts, business cards, labels, stationery, etc.).

Well, I haven't been happy with the website for my legal business, Professional Legal Assistors, so today I decided I would build a new website, from scratch, by myself. I tell you, GoDaddy has this down pat and first class customer service. I called this morning, with my list of questions in hand, and the guy at GoDaddy not only answered all of my questions but pointed me in the right direction and emailed me some great useful information. I began at 8am and stopped for 1 hour to put a roast in the oven and then went back to it. By 8pm the new website was not only complete but up live! You can see it here www.biz-usa.com.

Tomorrow I will be busy doing legal jobs that came in today but I didn't do because I wanted to get the website done.

I told my sister this morning, "When I get this website done I am going to feel so empowered. I am going to feel like I can fly!"

Ciao

It Seems Like Yesterday...

This time last year I was visiting beautiful New Zealand! It was an amazing trip that I will never forget.

Well, it appears that my friends and family are all thinking about me here in a much cooler climate than I have ever lived in. Gifts of scarfs, gloves, pjs, long underwear and down filled robes have arrived! I am truly a lucky girl!

The cold hasn't bothered me yet. Maybe I am more adaptable than one might imagine. Today the high was 42 degrees (5.5C). Tonight it will go down to 24 degrees (-4.4 degrees). Tomorrow the high will be 28 degrees (-2.2C) and for the rest of the week it will not get above freezing, 32 degrees (0C). We might get some snow flurries tomorrow.

I am lucky that I don't really need to get out and drive in the weather. So I can schedule my errands on days that are driving friendly..lol..lol..

I was thinking the other day that most of my vacations have been when the weather is cool. I wore a coat in Spain, London and definitely Iceland.

Lets see... what's going on in Woodland Hills, CA... well, Walt Disney's grandson, Patrick Disney Miller, was arrested, in his Woodland Hills home, on suspicion of illegal gun possession....lol...lol... No really seriously.... sorry about the laughing... it's just so LAish..lol...lol...

Hummm.... Bloomsburg, PA news... well a couple of cars slipped off the road when they hit a patch of ice yesterday.

I don't know about you but I would rather have weather related news any day than some hearing about some Dude hiding guns!

Ciao

Reason, Season and Lifetime

Have you seen that poem? It's great and I am going to post it here for you today.

Some news.... I have been bad this week about blogging... but promise to be better ;-)

Lot's of changes going on... the weather has changed and gotten colder and not much snow so far. It snowed one night but since the sun has come out all of the snow is gone. I went to Wilkes Barre and Williamsport, both are a bit north of here and they must have gotten a lot more snow because people's front lawns are still blanketed with several inches. On Friday the high was 27 degrees (-2.7C). I was out running errands. Yesterday the high was 37 degrees (2.7C) and that seemed a bit warmer to me, instead of just plain cold. I hear it is raining in Woodland Hills, California.

Besides the weather changing.... there have been other changes in my life... "special guy" has gone to North Carolina to be his special self. And the #1 question I have been asked is... "Are you going back to California?" And the answer is, "NO." I did not move to Pennsylvania because of him. I am eternally greatful that we met and he provided the opportunity for me to get to see and know this place.

Check out this beautiful poem. Ciao


Reason, Season and Lifetime


People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.
When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need
you have expressed outwardly or inwardly.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty,
to provide you with guidance and support,
to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part
or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something
to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met,
our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered
and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON,
it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn.
They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
those things you must build upon
in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson,
love the person/people (anyway);
and put what you have learned to use in all
other relationships and areas of your life.

It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

~Author Unknown

More About the Ferrets in California

So today I turned on the television and their was a program on called "Extreme Dr. 90210". On there was a girl whose nose and top lip was missing. When she was a child she was attacked by a ferret. She lives in California and has spent the rest of her life, after the incident, lobbying the State of California to keep the law in place wherein it is illegal to own a ferret. Pretty wild stuff I tell you.. pretty wild stuff.

It is snowing outside! It has been snowing since around 10am this morning. It's really beautiful. I had some errands to run this morning and was a bit hesitant because ..... well.. it's snowing. It snowed in Houston yesterday and some of the freeways were closed. Snow can close roads in areas where people aren't use to it. I looked out of the window and saw 2 little old ladies, with their red hats and coats on, walking down the street in the snow like it was no big deal. And I remembered the promise that I made to myself that I would live life normally and not become paralyzed by the snow.

I noticed about a dozen birds sitting on an electrical wire outside in the snow. It was amazing.

Ciao