respublica

2020 strikes again

I've barely spent much time watching the news lately but one story popped up that has us all sighing with that, "of course this is coming, it's 2020."

We're about to see dust from a Saharan Dust Plume. Big dust clouds starting in northern Africa will begin blowing over the Gulf of Mexico this weekend and residual dust will affect us as the days go on. The good part? This dust may hold off tropical storms and hurricanes in our south. Also, we could see some of the best sunrises and sunsets.

If true about the sunsets, Facebook will be filled with these photos. Get those cameras ready.

How about the weather?

Yesterday, April 7, St. Louis temperatures rose considerably from what we've been used to. The high was 86 and seemed much warmer. So much warmer in fact that our main floor air conditioning came on unbidden by 5 p.m. It was quite a surprise to us. But, the furnace system is the type that when it is set at 67 (in our case heat), if the house heats up higher than that the cooling system kicks in. The upstairs heating/cooling system does not do that so going to bed last night we went from a fairly chilly downstairs to awfully warm bedroom.

I finally shut down both systems.

The high today may reach close to 90 and the earliest 90 degree day St. Louis gets is usually May 21. Unfortunately, we may be in for severe storms late in the afternoon which will cool things off, but possibly bring, hail, damaging winds, and torrential downpours.

I hope they are wrong with this prediction. We've had enough worries on our plates these weeks.

Dog at the -Day whatever

We stand the chance to have some bad storms today so our dog greeter at the front door is ready.

My brother in law gave us this rain slicker for Ferdie many years ago. Yes, the same brother in law who dressed as a shark to go grocery shopping this week.

Honestly

Two things during this trying and boring time:

1. I wish it would quit raining and the sun would come out.
2. I wish every news channel would quit breaking in to tell us of any new individual who has been diagnosed with the virus. Also too many news conferences.

Let the sunshine in

One of the more difficult things about this isolation due to the Coronavirus is the lack of sunlight, at least in this area. Every day I've gotten up and hoped we'd have sun, but no, same old dreary clouds and chilled temperature mixed in with occasional drizzle.

What we need for our minds and body health is being able to get out into sunny, warmer weather. Being couped up is making things worse. We have to stand on the promises of God will see us through.

Isaiah 9:2

The people who walked in darkness will see a great light

For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine."

 

 

 

 

 

Now that's a big umbrella

It's raining this morning and I was watching kids heading for school and this little girls was hanging onto one of the bigger umbrellas I've seen.

Let's face it, we aren't used to real cold

This has been rather a miserable winter with mostly cloudy chilly days, lots of rain, some bits of snow and sleet. Nothing which lasted too long, but common enough that its been tiresome. Not nearly as awful as last winter when it snowed frequently and deep.

However, today is something totally different, real bitter cold. I just walked out into 4 degree weather and realized I needed more layers and fast. Of course the sun comes out when it does no good at all. Katie's high school cross country coach told her at the beginning of her freshman year that the human body can adapt to heat with regular exposure to it, but the body will not adapt to frigid temperatures. Maybe that's why highway workers and other outdoor workers can stay at their work in the worst heat of summer days.

Connor's new birthday bear even seems a bit reluctant to go outside.

Happy Valentines Day. It is pretty outside with the sun, sun is a mood changer.

Speaking of the cold as I did in the post below...

This day in St. Louis area history is often cold and snowy. Check these out

Last year:

2016

2011

I have more from other years but you get my point.

Don't leave your car running

A St. Louis news item from KMOX's traffic reporter, Rodger Brand this bitter cold morning. "Three cars have reportedly been stolen within the last 20 minutes, all of them with the keys left in them running. To stolen in Brentwood, and one in Maryland Heights."

My guess is people went out to get their cars warmed up, went back in the house or coffee shop and someone came along and stole the cars. St. Louis seems to be rife with car thieves these days. My only thought was why are car thieves up and out so early when it's so cold. Nothing stops them, it seems. Do these guys track weather and go to places they figure will have unlocked cars warming up? How do they get to those places?

If you plan to turn your car on to warm it up, then use a second set of keys so you can lock that car. If you don't have extra keys, don't do it and go out and have some keys made.

Iced over

Last night it started raining which changed to sleet which turned to ice and then some snow to top it all off. Not a lot, maybe an inch or two on our cars, but the freeze made it all stick to the car and windows like gorilla glue. I could not even budge my car doors to open and know enough not to force this action for fear of tearing the rubber molding. Car people call this rubber edging a gasket.

I couldn't even scrape it off the windows much less open the doors to run the engine. So what to do? Dale is gone so I couldn't ask him. It's Sunday and no one is around here. Google is my friend and should be yours. I googled how to open an iced up car door and got the best advice ever.

The first answer was to use a plastic scraper or a rubber spatula along the edges of the door and try to dig off some of the ice. That worked pretty good but not enough. The second answer had all kinds of liquids that might melt the ice, including a de-icer like Heat, rubbing alcohol (no no no), windshield wiper fluid, and plain tap water. Also mentioned was using a hair dryer, but you have to get an extension cord and a plug in spot and worse, the heat from the dryer could cause the cold window to crack.

I used the rubber spatula and then got a pitcher of cool tap water and poured it all along the edge of the door, top and side. This was amazing, the door opened immediately. Another life lesson learned. You don't need hot water (never!) or even warm water. The normal cool tap water is still warmer than the ice.

The rest of the truck is still ice/sleet/snow covered but if I have to I could drive it.