End of Summer.

Post by **Mike Jackson** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 10:37 pm

Looks like today is the end of summer, officially speaking anyway. It is cold here with frost in the mornings and dustings of snow in the mountains. I watched a few minutes of news today, showing people along the Texas coast readying for a hurricane. They were flapping folded papers to stay cool as they waited in line, so I guess it is still very much Summer there.

Raymond, batton down the hatches and hold on! This one looks bad, too, as it is filling the entire gulf coast on radar.

Luckily, I managed to get photos of the Harvest Moon a couple of days ago as the sky has been cloudy and rainy for two days. I stayed inside all day taking care of paperwork.

Days are getting shorter fast now. Darla and I had our blood tested earlier in the year and the doctor advised us to cut back on our cholesterol intake and walk a lot. After getting the advice, I started walking between 45 minutes and 1 hour each day--seldom missing a day. My cholesterol dropped by 75 points in only 2 and a half months and Darla's dropped by around 50 points. Giving up one hour of daylight each day to walk wasn't that painful when we had a lot of hours of daylight, but it is getting harder now the days are shorter and colder.

I am considering getting a treadmill for the winter months. Normally, I don't think I would like the idea of staying in one place, wasting an hour, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I can watch some Lynda.com Photoshop training videos and other trainng DVDs while getting the exercise.

This post is probably a bit off topic...talking about the weather, cholesterol, and getting old, but somehow it seems appropriate enough as we watch yet another hurricane take aim on gulf coast cities with a lot of signmakers. Whether we are directly affected by the storm or not, we are all indirectly affected by the weather and the aftermath of these big storms. Our tourist economy will probably be adversely affected next year if gas prices don't go back down. Luckily, this all happened this year after the big tourist surge of summer.

Ironically, I write this post tonight while living not far from Yellowstone's caldera, site of "the big one" explosion some predict will happen. If that happens, Darla and I will be charcoal in a flash.

Best regards,
Mike Jackson

Raymond Chapman · Post by **Raymond Chapman** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 8:07 am

Well, we are a long way from frost. Yesterday, it was 101 with a heat index of 108. In the back of the shop (the unconditioned part) it was 96 and humid. I had better stop or Mike will get homesick and start packing to come back south.

Another record heat is predicted for today before Rita comes for a visit. It looks like we are in for a little bit of a storm.

We are inland about 250 miles so we should suffer only winds and a lot of rain, although the path shown now takes it directly over us. Should be in in our area Saturday night or early Sunday morning, although we will be getting some outer bands Friday evening.

Our area has been housing Katrina victims and now there is a flood of people headed north from the coast. We have four extra at our house and the church we attend is one of the designated shelter areas so we will be getting more beginning today.

We are prepared with batteries, food and water. The Katrina folks are beginning to wonder where they will have to go to away from storms. Just about all of Texas is full up at hotels and shelters. Now they are routing people into Oklahoma, Utah....just about anywhere north.

At least we are getting to meet a lot of new friends and finding out who our relatives are.

Lots of folks are going to be without homes. Say a prayer for them, and for us as we try to help the best we can.

Ray Skaines is in League City (between Houston and Galveston), so I'm sure that he is headed north. You wouldn't believe what the roads look like around here.

Off topic, but still events that are effecting many of our "family".

Bob Kaschak · Post by **Bob Kaschak** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 8:40 am

The leaves are changing in the Adirondacks, and there is some frost here and there.

I am going to do some hiking in the high peaks of the Adirondacks tomorrow. I will definately have the camera in tow. The leaves should be ripe at about 4,000 ft.

Yes winter is coming, and the changes in the weather keep us on our toes. I think I would have a hard time with the same weather all year round.

The bicycle has been getting a work-out lately, and it feels great in that cool autumn air, passing the apple orchards, and dairy cows. You can smell the leaves, and the farms harvesting.

ahhhhhhhh..... life is good.

Peace out,
Bob