Another Stormy Day

The early morning news shows trees toppled, big surf,downed power lines, even a plane having a difficult time landing at Seattle-Tacoma Int'l Airport.  Apparently it's going to be worse today.  Again, I'm off to work today then I'll be off until Monday. 

I've been getting Christmas cards everyday..many from England...it's so fun to get cards from my dear AOL Journal friends across the seas.  Thank you all.

Have a good Thursday...here's the latest weather email from KOMO TV in Seattle;

"Dear Linda,

Today begins with light wind and then rain increases during and it gets breezy with a SE wind @ 10-25 mph. A HIGH WIND Warning is in effect for all of western Washington for Later this afternoon into Friday morning. The forecasting models have been surprisingly consistent in both the general strength and track of this new storm. There are a few minor differences, but every model we have is on the same page, and any of the scenarios painted now lead to strong wind. What they're showing is a very deep area of low pressure (roughly 28.64" for central pressure) that is forecast form and move across the northwestern tip of Washington and/or southern Vancouver Island around Thursday evening. As long as the track is somewhere in that vicinity and passes to the north of Seattle, but not too far north, that classic recipe for a strong windstorm in Western Washington, so this really bears watching. The first place to get the wind will be the coast and Northwest Interior, which usually gets a "pre-storm" southeast wind. The wind will pick up around midday and early afternoon and gust to around 45-50 mph. Once the storm approaches and passes the coast in the late evening, winds will shift to the southwest and pick up in all areas. Timing for the winds to increase in the Seattle area will be somewhere between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. (models are still a little uncertain on the storms exact arrival.) Although it will get very breezy later this afternoon. Winds will pick up quickly and blow sustained 40 mph gusting as high as 65 mph through the night and into Friday morning. This is for everyone. Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Bellingham, Olympia, foothills, south, west, east, north -- everywhere. (We've had a lot of people ask about what to expect at Qwest Field for the Seahawks game. The odds are decent that the severe winds will hold off until after the game ends -- might be a windy drive home though. And in the interim before the wind arrives, it will be absolutely pouring. So rain will probably be a larger factor than the wind.) Saving the highest gusts for last A third wrinkle comes as the storm passes to the east of the I-5 corridor. A very strong push of west wind is expected in the storm's wake for the coast and Strait of Juan de Fuca. It is possible to see winds along the coast, northern Olympic Peninsula (Port Angeles, Sequim, Pt. Townsend) and Whidbey Island of 40-60 mph with gusts as high as 80 mph -- maybe even a touch higher in strong gusts. So people in these areas need to really be cautious and take precautions now. (Whidbey Island would be at the end of that rush of wind coming down the Strait). The rain and winds will stick around through Friday morning, then begin to taper off through the day, leaving scattered showers in the wake. Some of those showers could be pretty heavy though, and would not be surprised to see more thunderstorms and even some hail. Temperatures will cool through the day to the mid 40s as cooler air moves in behind the front. Updated Thursday 4:25 a.m. more...

Sincerely, KOMO 4 Weathercaster Jim Castillo"

OH MY GOSH, IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE !

First of all I was saddened to hear that Peter Boyle, the actor that played the father on "Everybody Loves Raymond" passed away at the young age of 71.  I always loved that show and still enjoy the reruns.  My heart goes out to his family and friends.

Today was a very interesting day weather wise.  I didn't have any trouble getting to work but I made it just in the nick of time. Within 10 minutes after I got into the building, it just poured rain and with the wind blowing, the rain was sideways and upside down. (Well, not upside down but it was awful) It was pounding so hard on the big windows of our office, we actually opened up the mini blinds so we could see it coming down. I looked out once, later in the morning and the sun was shining for about 10 minutes and then it proceeded to rain and blow the rest of the day.  Plus the temperature has dropped from a mild 50 degrees this morning to just under 40 degrees this evening.  There were several scary stories on the news tonight about what happened as a result of the wind today.  Several trees fell over on houses (no one was hurt, however) and the scariest...a big Douglas Fir tree fell across a school bus full of little kids up near Auburn, today.  Thankfully none of the kids or the driver were hurt. The driver called it a real miracle.   So what's next?   Well, here's my latest email from KOMO TV in Seattle.

" Dear Linda,

If today or Thursday happens to be your garbage day, you might want to check with your neighbors -- or perhaps the next county over -- to find where you trash can went. After gusts around the greater Seattle area nearing 50 mph today, an even stronger storm is on the way for Thursday evening and Friday. Gusts could generally be around 65 mph, but there are some spots that could see over hurricane-force winds. More on that below. In the short term, we'll continue to see winds gusting as high as 50 mph early (Boeing Field just had a 48 mph gust at 4 p.m.) and then winds will slowly taper off overnight. Otherwise, scattered showers with lows near 40. Thursdaybegins with scattered showers, and then rain increases during the afternoon as the storm moves in. A HIGH WIND WATCH is in effect for all of western Washington for Thursday evening through Friday morning. The forecasting models have been surprisingly consistent in both the general strength and track of this new storm. There are a few minor differences, but every model we have is on the same page, and any of the scenarios painted now lead to strong wind. What they're showing is a very deep area of low pressure (roughly 28.64" for central pressure) that is forecast form and move across the northwestern tip of Washington and/or southern Vancouver Island around Thursday evening. As long as the track is somewhere in that vicinity and passes to the north of Seattle, but not too far north, that classic recipe for a strong windstorm in Western Washington, so this really bears watching. The first place to get the wind will be the coast and Northwest Interior, which usually gets a "pre-storm" southeast wind. The wind will pick up around midday and early afternoon and gust to around 45-50 mph. Once the storm approaches and passes the coast in the late evening, winds will shift to the southwest and pick up in all areas. Timing for the winds to increase in the Seattle area will be somewhere between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. (models are still a little uncertain on the storm's exact arrival.) Winds will pick up quickly and blow sustained 40 mph gusting as high as 65 mph through the night and into Friday morning. This is for everyone. Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Bellingham, Olympia, foothills, south, west, east, north -- everywhere. A third wrinkle comes as the storm passes to the east of the I-5 corridor. A very strong push of west wind is expected in the storm's wake for the coast and Strait of Juan de Fuca. It is possible to see winds along the coast, northern Olympic Peninsula (Port Angeles, Sequim, Pt. Townsend) and Whidbey Island of 40-60 mph with gusts as high as 80 mph -- maybe even a touch higher in strong gusts. So people in these areas need to really be cautious and take precautions now. (Whidbey Island would be at the end of that rush of wind coming down the Strait). The rain and winds will stick around through Friday morning, then begin to taper off through the day, leaving scattered showers in the wake. Some of those showers could be pretty heavy though, and would not be surprised to see more thunderstorms and even some hail. Temperatures will cool through the day to the mid 40s as cooler air moves in behind the front. We calm down to just cool showers for Saturday and they drier weather for Sunday and Monday. Hopefully by then, you'll have found your garbage can...or at least you'll have a late addition to your Christmas list :) Updated Wednesday 5:10 p.m. more...

Sincerely, KOMO 4 Weather Producer Scott Sistek"

WINDY WEDNESDAY

It woke me up off and on all night....the wind.  I was afraid the roof of my house would come off......or like Dorothy...the whole house would be lifted up and go sailing only to land in the Land of Oz.   I'm so surprised there's power this morning, usually when it blows like that the power goes out.  So...I'm going to get off of here quick, go make my toast and head for the shower.  Then off to work...I have to work a 9 hour shift today, alone with no one to even give me breaks...oh well, I guess I'll survive.  Have a wonderful Wednesday, until later..Linda  

Here's the latest from KOMO TV in Seattle;

Dear Linda,

Updated 4:20 am Today another rainy and windy storm moves in and a Wind Advisory has been posted for the entire area around Puget Sound from 6 am until noon for a South wind @ 20 to 35 with the strongest gust up to 50 mph. This includes Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Everett, Bellingham, Bremerton, The San Juans, Whidbey Island….. Other Storm Advisories/Warnings for Today: High Surf Advisory today and tonight along the coast again. Seas 20 to 22 ft. today and up to 30 ft. tonight. Gale Warning is in effect for all Waters. Heavy Snow Warning for the Cascades. The snow level will drop from 4,000 ft to 2,500 ft. 1 to 2 feet today into tonight. Snow Advisory for the Olympics. Avalanche Warning for the Olympics and the Cascades. High danger of Avalanches mainly around 3,000 ft and above. Another Big Punch coming Thursday evening into Friday morning. The forecasting models are warning of a potentially very strong wind event with the third storm coming in late Thursday and into Friday. A High Wind Watch has already been issued for the Coast and NW Interior for Late Thursday and Thursday Night. This has the potential to be the strongest windstorm we've seen this year...and possibly in several years. Forecasting models today have the storm's center coming into western Washington around Forks and then moving northeast to about Vancouver. That is the bad scenario for getting strong winds around here. And with the forecasted strength of the storm, it could bring damaging winds to all areas. Timing on this would be the coast and North Interior would start to get windy late Thursday afternoon and Thursday evening, and then the winds would roll through the Puget Sound area in the early pre-dawn hours of Friday morning. Expect rain with the wind and highs in the 40s. Once that storm passes, we go into a very cool and showery pattern for the weekend. Snow levels will be dropping down fairly low -- around 500 feet-ish, but not too much moisture to work with, so might see a few rain/snow showers but nothing anywhere close to the snow event of late November. Friday into early Saturday would be the day some area could see a mix at lower levels. Something else we will be watching . Highs will only be in the upper 30s/low 40s both weekend days, with lows near freezing. **So you've got a good two-day head start here to at least get prepared for possible power outages and other problems with wind. Best to make sure you have a full tank of gas and have your flashlights and batteries at the ready. Remember that candles should not be used as an unattended source of light due to fire hazards, and make sure any generators are ventilated. We see stories every year of carbon monoxide poisoning with people using grills or generators indoors. Some Great advise from the KOMO Weather Team. more...

Sincerely, KOMO 4 Weathercaster Jim Castillo

ANOTHER STORM ?

Good Tuesday Morning.   Yes..another storm.  Monday's weather here in the great Pacific Northwest left much to be desired.  I think there might have been 15 minutes during the whole day when it wasn't pouring rain along with strong winds.   I came home after work to feed Gabi, turn the porch light on, close the blinds etc. before I drove back to the Back Pain Seminar at 6pm.  It was lightly sprinkling when I left home but by the time I drove the approximately 8 miles to the seminar site...it was pouring rain and the wind was blowing it sideways.  This particular facility has a huge parking lot to walk thru, in order to get to the entrance and when I was home I'd freshened my makeup, re-combed my hair, etc.  I got out of the car and my hair immediately was blown in every direction but I did grab my umbrella and the stuff I needed for the seminar and trekked across the parking lot into the building.  I keep a few things in a container in the back seat of my car, so grabbed a hair brush and took it in with me. Unfortunately, only about half the people that had registered showed up (no doubt because of the weather) and I felt a little sorry for the physician who gave up his evening at home with his family to come out and speak to such a small group. But, everyone there was very attentive and had numerous questions after he was through. So I think it was a success. 

Well, I'm off to work again this morning....it rained and blew all night. And according to the email I got from Seattle's KOMO TV this morning, it's not going to change anytime soon.    Have a good Tuesday........Linda

 

"Dear Linda,

Our latest wind storm is moving out and we get a tiny break from the wild winds. This morning is still very breezy with temperatures in the 40s and scattered showers. Today we will see showers and sun breaks from time to time and highs near 50. A Breezy South wind @ 10 to 25 mph. Wednesday another rainy and windy storm moves in and a Wind Advisory has been posted for the Coast and Northwest Interior for the strongest gust to 50 mph. Around Seattle expect a SW wind @ 20 to 30 mph and highs near 50. The forecasting models are warning of a potentially very strong wind event with the third storm coming in late Thursday and into Friday. It depends on the track of the low. Some computer models take the low to our South which would not be as bad as expected. This will bear watching, and of course, we'll be doing just that. But expect rain and wind again, with highs in the 40s and lower 50s. Once that storm passes, we go into a very cool and showery pattern for the weekend. Snow levels will be dropping down fairly low -- around 500 feet-ish, but not too much moisture to work with, so might see a few rain/snow showers but nothing anywhere close to the snow event of late November. Friday into early Saturday would be the day some area could see a mix at lower levels. Something else we will be watching . Highs will only be in the upper 30s/low 40s both weekend days, with lows near freezing. Updated Tuesday 4:20 a.m. more...

Sincerely, KOMO 4 Weather caster Jim Castillo"

 

CHRISTMAS SURVEY

I got this from Kathy who got it from Barbara who got it from Val.  I think that's how it went anyway....

 

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?  Both, it depends on the gift and the receiver.

2. Real tree or artificial?   I have a four and a half foot artificial tree that I keep completely decorated all time.  After the holidays, I wrap plastic around it and put it in my storage shed. That way if anyone wants a "Christmas in July" party...they can borrow my tree.  Just bring it in and plug it in..it's ready to go.and the new room isn't finished yet. 

3. When do you put up the tree?  As soon as I get enough energy to move everything out of the storage shed so I can get to it.

4. When do you take the tree down?  I leave it up until after my birthday...maybe taking it down by the second week of January.

5. Do you like eggnog?  I buy the ready made eggnog (light) and mix it half and half with 1% milk. YUM !!!!! And a little splash of it is really good in cocoa.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?  When I was about five years old..I got a beautiful doll house, a kid sized ironing board, a play iron...I think they were trying to get me ready to be a house wife. Unfortunately I was only one for about 12 years.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? I have several and I love them..it's just in my smaller house I don't have a place to put them all out.

8. Hardest person to buy for?  There is one person, who I choose not to name.

9. Easiest person to buy for?  My grand daughter.

10. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards?  I love to send out Christmas cards...start them shortly before Thanksgiving. Biggest ordeal of Christmas cards are the letters to out of town relatives and friends.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?  I can't remember ever getting a bad gift. I got a bad birthday gift once but that's another story.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?  Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (have a Holly Jolly Christmas)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I shop all year long, if I'm out and around and see something that looks appropriate for a person on my list I get it.  For instance I got some of my shopping done on my Alaska cruise last August.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?  yes....I'm sorry. Only did it because of lack of finances.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?  Turkey, dressing, green bean casserole but that's not what I'm fixing this year.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?  I love both on the tree.  My little tree has 200 lights on it.

17. Favorite Christmas song(s)?  "Mary Did You Know" (thanks to Mark Lowry for that one) And of course all the old traditional carols sung at church.  Least favorite Christmas song?  "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer."  It was funny until I became a grandma. LOL

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?  I will be at home for Christmas.  The only traveling would be locally.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?  "On Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, on Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen!"... and Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and Dixie
 
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?  White Lace Angel

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?  Well, I don't know ...this year my family dinner will be on Friday December 22nd.  If I get any gifts, I'll save one for Christmas morning for sure.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?  Nothing...I love it all.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?  I love ornaments that have the country look, rocking horses, old fashioned train cars, angels, snowmen.....I love them all.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?  Turkey and all the trimmings...but this year I'm cooking a spiral ham, scalloped potatoes, cranberries (they're good with ham, too) and various salads.  Dessert ? I haven't decided yet.  I'm not a pumpkin pie fan, so it won't be that for sure.

25. Do you have Jesus in your heart this Christmas?  Yes, that's best gift of all, one that's free....Salvation thru Jesus Christ.   I asked Him into my heart when I was 8 years old...that was over 55 years ago.        

         

What Santa Does In His Free Time

Visit the following site and log on to do a little "Elf Bowling."   It's actually quite fun.  Be sure and turn your sound up before you start bowling.

http://www.bowlersparadise.com/elfbowling/

The Movie

The movie was a cute one...again two girls heartbroken over lost loves.  One in Los Angeles, the other in Surry England.  The one in Los Angeles decides to leave town for a couple weeks during the Christmas holidays.  She goes on line and finds a lovely little home in Surry advertised in a "House Exchange" internet ad.  They email back and forth and decide to trade houses. That's all I'm going to say, other than...it's a sweet story and brought a tear or two as I recognized similar situations in my own life both past and present......and that it's strictly a "chick flick."  The guys won't like it (although there were a few men in the theater, no doubt brought there unwillingly by their wives or girlfriends.)  Now it's dark and I'm starving, ready to warm up some left overs for dinner tonight.  Hope everyone had a good Saturday...one more day off and it's back to work. Monday will be another long day for me...I have to work a "Back Pain" seminar from 6-8:30pm after working my regular 7a-3:30pm shift.  At least this one is in town and not across the bridge.  Although I hate to use the gas to come home and then go clear back across town to the hospital for the seminar. Speaking of gas...the prices are going up again.  I paid $2.39 a gallon the other day for regular unleaded.

Ok, until next time........Linda