Turning the page

I changed my "page a day" horse calendar to JAN 7 today and looked at the quote for the 6th, "It is the quality of our work which will please God and not the quantity," Mahatma Gandhi. I would sure be in trouble if that's what pleases God. And it's not very Biblical and would only apply to certain tasks. Just think of all you do where quantity matters; then which work needs the top quality. The best. Think about wiping a sick child's nose. Will you let that poor little snot covered face just fester because you can't do it perfectly and only once ? Or the 5" of snow I'm looking at outside my window. Individually the flakes might all be perfect, but frolicking together they surely are massively magnificent (as long as you don't need to go to the grocery store). I understand the thought behind the quote--do your best, merit matters, excel even in the smallest job, nothing is too small, etc.--but I know that God is pleased with the imperfect effort if done with a loving heart

Snowed in on Saturday

We finally have measurable snow. About 4.5" on our deck railing (a very scientific figure). Some of central Ohio got up to 6". I'm baking lemon cookies this morning. It just seemed to go with snow. Bob says the streets are still too slick for us to be out, so we won't go to the gym today. We have too many friends on walkers and canes, healing from broken bones and surgery.  I'd rather not join them.  I picked up 2 books at the library yesterday, Pale Rider about the pandemic of 1918 for March book club, and Blackout by Candace Owens, which I bought for $1.00.  So it will be a cozy day with wonderful smells from the kitchen.

Weather snowfall:  we're next to Hilliard.

It's warm for December, but January is coming

Our weather is quite mild right now, 58 degrees predicted for New Years Eve,  but the weather reporter on the local channel just reminded us January is coming. That's usually our snowiest month, and he recalled January 1978 (before he was born) when the total snowfall was 34.4 inches and the blizzard we had.  I just checked the predictions for January, and I don't see any daytime temp below 32 degrees.

Ice Melt vs. Rock Salt — Which Is Better for Your Business? Earth Development (earthdevelopmentinc.com)

Sonja loves snow

She was hoping for a white Christmas and she got one. We get very little snow in central Ohio, and only rarely on Christmas, but we had about 3 inches by 10 p.m. last night.  Sonja got her wish.  Our lights on our deck outside are buried, but muted.  And she’s thinking about her friends Ann and Phil.  Annie died of kidney cancer in February, and our Phil died of glioblastoma, brain cancer, in April. Sonja is in recovery from breast cancer.  As children they were all members of UALC, and their parents all are friends or ours.   Sonja spoke at Phil’s service in June at Gender Road Christian Church.

"It is so quiet and peaceful. . .what a blessed Christmas Eve, even as I have a few tears as I am sending love to my Annie and Phil in Heaven. Annie would be loving this snowfall, and Phil would be loving his Christmas tree.

Thank you God for this white Christmas, my soul needed it. . . kinda makes me want to dig out my little tree, and put it up, instead of continuing to bah humbug the festivities, but honestly, not decorating the inside of my house has kept me focused on the reason for the season, and I know it sounds strange, but it has made it really special to me."  (Facebook post, Dec. 25, 2020)  Photo is Phil and Sonja in February showing off their hair after chemo.

And yesterday, Christmas Eve, we also got a call from Keith, a friend of Phil's who has been under the weather with that nasty virus we've all been trying to avoid. He's almost completely recovered now. He was wonderful support for Phil and us when he was ill, and spoke at both the GRCC service in June and at Lakeside interment of ashes in August.

Keith and Phil in February

Prescott, Arizona

We're planning a trip to Prescott.

Short trip to the fitness center

We decided to change our routine a little--we got 4-5" of snow last night (still falling) so rather than take 2 cars to Lifetime Fitness where we work out (about 2 miles), I decided to go with Bob in his car.  We had driven 2 blocks north when his SUV began to spin out--he couldn't get it to straighten out, so on about the 3rd spin as we went into the southbound lane and on coming traffic, he said, "Well, I guess we won't go this morning," and we continued south with our new best friends, and returned to our garage. It's supposed to warm up today, but he was also planning to take paintings to a UAAL show in Friendship Village.  That will need to be evaluated as there are no plows out yet either for our condo or the streets (7:15 a.m.).  I've already got my heart rate up. . . but this is not the way to do it.

How to handle a few inches of snow

When I was in college, there was no e-mail, and the dorms had only one phone to a floor, so we couldn’t even take messages from the college administration on how to handle a few inches of snow. It was just one of those things it was assumed we had learned from our parents who had lived through the Great Depression and walked to school uphill both ways in 6 feet of snow.

This is what Ohio State University sent out to the “campus community.”  I’ve been retired for 18 years, and I still hear from them.

“The safety of our campus community is our top priority. Please remember to take precautions while traveling in winter weather.

• Plan ahead and allow extra time.
• Check scheduled activities in advance to make sure there are no changes or cancellations.
• Dress appropriately for the weather (boots, hat, gloves).
• While walking, take it slow to avoid slipping.
• While driving, allow additional distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
• Know your route and pay special attention to changing and/or declining weather conditions.”

Now for a little snow humor

Friday Family Photo--Christmas songs

My great niece Catie who lives in Florida asked on Facebook what was our favorite Christmas song.  I mentioned "I'll be home for Christmas" as a secular choice, and "Mary did you know" for religious, but then later I added this memory about White Christmas.  It got so long, I decided to add it here along with a photo.

"White Christmas" is a favorite song, too. When your Grandma Yoder and I were little kids we lived in California, and that's the first time I heard that song--Christmas 1944. It had come out in 1942, so if I'd heard it before I was too little to remember. We went to a community center for a Christmas party (I don't think we had a church), and a group of teen boys sang it. Just about everyone in our community (Alameda, CA) was from somewhere else--and it was damp and foggy as usual in the Bay Area--so the song had a lot of impact. By Christmas 1945 we were back in Mt. Morris, the war was over, dad and his brothers, brothers-in-law, and cousins were home (about 500 men just from our rural area were in the military), the country had recovered from the Depression, and I still remember the gifts. In 1944 I'd gotten a small glass cat figurine, but by 1945 we had "real" presents--like a sled! One was the doll house that we 3 sisters were to share, and you and your mom as children played with it later in the basement of my parents' home on Lincoln St. My mom's camera was broken when I was little, so I have no photos of those Christmases, but I do have one of your Grammy Yoder in the snow in front of our house at 203 E. Hitt St. Probably winter 1940. She's the little one--she was very tiny for her age.

Tuesday Musings

I had a hair appointment this morning. It's the only time I see People magazine. If you think the Oscars were white, you should see the Golden Globe awards. Even the double page of ladies dressed to the nines didn't have a black or brown woman.

Also, I picked up my new glasses, although they aren't that new--the frames are from my 2008 prescription.  When I looked through the selection of frames, they didn't look that out of date.

Today there are over 31 percent more women on college campuses then men, so why do we need lopsided assistance like special grants, scholarships and workshops exclusively for women? This isn't your grandmother's university.  http://www.criticaldifference.osu.edu/

About estimates. Apparently the measuring stick (device) was lost in the snow of the blizzard in Washington, and now they don't know if there was a record! These are the experts predicting the demise of the planet within a fraction of an inch of the ocean. Also, Washington Post and New York Times reported "hundreds" attended the March for Life on Saturday when in fact there were thousands, you can even count noses in the photos, and there were probably hundreds just stranded on the PA Turnpike. These are the brilliant news sources that create the polls to tell us who we should be voting for.

EWTN's Doug Keck was reporting on radio this morning that in returning to Alabama his group got stranded, and stayed at a Walgreen's.  I assume the staff couldn't leave either. I checked Google, and found photos of a storm in 2014 where people were sleeping in the aisles of a Walgreen's using packages of Maxi-pads for pillows.

Already?

I was talking to my brother in northern Illinois yesterday when he mentioned the snow and predicted chill factor.  I hadn’t been watching the weather report, so I thought he was kidding.  No.  Snow is early this year, especially in South Dakota.

http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/crime/2015/11/20/sioux-falls-snow-weather-forecast-south-dakota/76094970/

Fourteen inches of snow were reported in the southwest quadrant of the city by Friday evening, the National Weather Service office said. On the other side of town, Sioux Falls Regional Airport recorded 7.1 inches by 6 p.m.

The numbers shattered the previous snowfall record for Nov. 20, which was measured at 3.8 inches in 1975.

Other parts of southeast South Dakota had a variety of snowfall levels. In Harrisburg, one area measured a whopping 17 inches of snow, while Huron did not see a single flake, said National Weather Service meteorologist Kyle Weisser.

Snow totals for Friday

Tea –18 inches

Southeast of Harrisburg – 17 inches

Southwest Sioux Falls - 14 inches

Tyndall – 11 inches

Yankton – 8 inches

Salem – 5 inches

Chamberlain – 4 inches

Dell Rapids – 2 inches

Madison – 1.2 inches

Flandreau – 0.3 inches

Farmers Almanac prediction for 2015-2016 snowfall

All I need to know about life I learned from a snowman

It’s okay if you’re a little bottom heavy.

Hold your ground, even when the heat is on.

Wearing white is always appropriate.

Winter is the best of the four seasons.

It takes a few extra rolls to make a good midsection.

There’s nothing better than a foul weather friend.

The key to life is to be a jolly, happy soul.

It’s not the size of the carrot, but the placement that counts.

We’re all made up of mostly water.

You know you’ve made it when they write a song about you.

Accessorize! Accessorize! Accessorize!

Avoid yellow snow.

Don’t get too much sun.

It’s embarrassing when you can’t look down and see your feet.

It’s fun to hang out in your front yard.

Always put your best foot forward.

There’s no stopping you once you’re on a roll.

 http://www.inspirationalarchive.com/1552/all-i-need-to-know-about-life-i-learned-from-a-snowman/#ixzz3L1ietOoF

Snow has closed or cancelled much in the DC region

“Snow totals varied considerably, but most residents reported significantly more of the white stuff — between eight and 15 inches — than they had seen since the Snowmageddon winter four years ago. The National Weather Service reported 11 inches of snow in Rockville and 12 in Kensington as of 6 a.m. There were about six inches of snow at Ronald Reagan National Airport, 9.5 inches in Arlington, 11 inches in Herndon, 14 inches at Fairfax Station and 12.5 inches in Rockville.” Washington Post.

My niece Karen has posted some great snow photos on FB.

She says she’s the only one in her complex who has shoveled out her car—can tell she’s from Mt. Morris—no snow sissies there.

Chris Bradley’s prediction for February

Chris Bradley is our Channel 10 weatherman in Columbus.  On Facebook he said,  FOR WEATHER GEEKS ONLY: The weather pattern has been cold with fast moving Clippers for the last week or so. I see even colder weather for the end of January with subzero temperatures very possible.

But today we are seeing signs of a pattern change that could make for an interesting February. If you like heavy snow.. the change I see happening after the third of February will bring a smile to your face. It appears the Jet Stream will be shift with a trough in the West. I've attached the GFS 500 mb which shows us the wind patterns across the country. This trough allows storms to develop across Texas and Oklahoma and ride up into the Ohio Valley. You heard it here first these are the storms the dump lots of snow. Lets keep an eye on this friends!

Later: I'm calling for temperatures to start falling next Monday with a low in Columbus of 5 Tuesday morning, zero Wednesday morning and 2 Thursday morning. While the low temperatures next week aren't as severe as the first Polar Vortex last week, they could be worse when a second wave of cold air arrives a week later. I have posted the GFS and ECMWF maps which show temperatures by January 27th ranging from 15-20 below. If you experienced problems with your home or car last week... do what you can now to prepare for even colder air later this month!

7 inches possible for Columbus

However, we rarely get the snow that is predicted.  My husband did the mail run for me this morning (from one UALC campus to the other) and said the side streets are very slick.  I stayed in and drank my own coffee instead of going out.

“The impending storm promises to be the biggest blizzard since a storm called Nemo paralyzed the northeast last February, and may work to bring the northeast corridor to a standstill. Late Wednesday, Boston mayor Tom Menino announced a full closure of city schools on Friday, a full 36 hours in advance. That city appears likely to take the brunt of the storm.” Daily Beast

New, fresh snow

In book club today we discussed "The sweetness at the bottom of the pie," by C. Alan Bradley. It won an award in 2009, his first, and now there are 5 in the series about an 11 year old girl, Flavia, who solves crimes. I recommend it, and I almost never choose to read a mystery unless it's on a list from book club.

Columbus weather--very messy and slow going.  Lots of cancellations tonight.  It took 35 min. to do a 12 min. trip coming home from book club this afternoon. Fortunately, the other drivers were patient and courteous, so we all kept moving at a safe crawl.

How great to drive home through the snow and know I had yesterday's oven fried chicken and pasta ready to warm up.

Five blogs

were updated today--Illegals Today, Growth Industry, Church of the Acronym, Collecting my thoughts, and Coffee Spills, plus several Facebook entries. Snowed in.

Is the city supposed to clear its sidewalks? Or just the residents?

I think I've seen a requirement for residents in our city (Upper Arlington, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus) to clear their side walks after a snow storm. We haven't had the snow that the northeast or west of Chicago have had, but we get 2-3 inches from time to time. Today I noticed that when driving west on McCoy Road, all the sidewalks on the south (residential) were clear, and all the sidewalks on the north (Thompson Park) were icy and snow covered and dangerous, because that's where people go to walk.

Thinking about snowy Minnesota

They are really socked in, aren't they? The roof of the Metrodome caved in! And it's snowing here in Columbus, too, and we're not good with snow. We'll be socked in the rest of the day, and I'm guessing the children's choir concert will be cancelled this afternoon, plus school tomorrow. Time to get out the Douglas County Record for some old fashioned, small town news. I've never been to Douglas County, MN but reading that paper sure brings memories of back home in Illinois 50 years ago--deer hunter ethics award; piano recital photo from the Baptist church; Republicans having a Christmas party (and even calling it that); all kinds of photos of the 4-H members' awards; and would you believe it, a 2 for 1 special at the Pit Stop Restaurant during NASCAR races! You can't find better snowy day reading than a small town newspaper. Last January, Pastor Borchardt of the Millersville Trinity Lutheran Church said, "When it hits 30 below I promise I will turn on the furnace."