evening
Our Church services were cancelled tonight.Heard a Csx train coming through town as we cleaned off the driveway.They were stopping them short of Garrett due to lack of crews.Will be going to G+G house tomorrow.Merry Christmas.
stay safe
Joe
We are up in wesern Michigan (everywhere’s the Land of No Trains when you’re keeping an eye on the road!). Last night was a major lake-effect storm in the entire area (and along the entire route). Some areas of Indiana were expected to get eight or more inches of snow. Today’s windy, and it’ll be drifting…I hope the plows will be able to keep on top of it. We’re back from church, and after brunch with my family (those who can travel), we’ll be headed home. I’m more optimistic now tha I was this morning about conditions–we actually got a glimpse of the sun leaving church. Skies are supposed to clear off in Indiana by the time we get there (but it will still be windy).
Our Christmas gatherings (last night and today) were marred by kids who had the flu, and two mothers who were dealing with brand-new baby boys (12/20 and 12/23). This was the “off” year anyway, so it wasn’t all that bad (“off” meaning the alternate year, when our families are usually at their respective in-laws).
I had a surprisingly good day in Grand Rapids on the 23rd. No trains running that I could find, but the cars that were sitting in the various places we could get close to were, as it turns out, totally amazing. I made nine entries on my notepad, and eight of them consisted of new series, new series to me, new reletterings, and old reletterings for which I could dig up new information. That was two days ago, and I’m still busy (the next sightings report will go to ten pages, I’m sure!).
Things are smelling mighty good here, with the aroma of cinnamon and baking dough overowering the more natural evergreen smells. So, before the rest of the family arrives, a very
Yes, Merry Christmas to all!
I did not get to church this morning, for my ride apparently forgot to pick me up (he has a house full of company). Some time this afternoon, I expect to go to my younger daughter’s house to share CHristmas with her and her two daughters.
We had a light snowfall last night; not enough to bother traffic, and the sun is shining now.
Carl,
I don’t think I can blame lake effect but we got seriously dumped on yesterday and again today. I ain’t even thinking about going out in it, and it’s going to get colder than h… tonight.
I just got home from supper at my younger daughter(Ginny)'s house–and came home with a copy of Steam’s Finest Hour. When it was published, I felt that I could not afford to buy it–and now I have a copy.
Daughter informed me that a book I put on the Christmas wish list has been ordered, but is back ordered, so I’ll see it when they get them printed. It’s a fire service book - postcards - and I have an autographed copy of another book by that author, who was here for the SPAAMFAA convention last summer.
She said he’s called her several times with updates. That’s customer service!
-13 degrees this morning on the way to work. The calendar changed to winter last week and Mother Nature flipped a switch. [|(]
Afternoon
Wind chill advisories here.Watched the CSX local come into town.They were having switch problems at west Defiance.They backed the train from track 2 to track 1 westbound at FC.Then they continued on track 1 east to the yard.Saw a couple other frieghts.Q 200 was eastbound with one engine and a long train.Hope he makes it to Toledo.Matt and I are going to warm up.
stay safe
Joe
Bright sun and cold at my house today with sixteen above the current measurement.
Meanwhile, just 20 or so miles south of me, the police are discussing closing the Interstate due to zero visibility. You can see where for yourself if you check the TYX weather radar.
http://www.northernchateau.com/northernchateau.htm
You can select any of the cams for yourself, and see where they are. May I suggest the Montague #2 cam…
Bright sun and +34 degrees here now. I am not sure if we had more snow last night or not. There is still snow, with some bare spots on the roof over the entrance (just below my window).
Larry, glad it is not like that here. Went to my WW meeting this morning and the roads are dry & white with salt residue and the temperature showing 0 degrees on the cars thermometer. Came out of the meeting and took a breath and my lungs told me they didn’t want air that cold. I can’t imagine what its like in Miningman’s Saskatchewan at a -30 degrees and VIA’s train having fuel issues. Thankful for furnaces that keep us warm.
Just wanted to stop by and wish everyone a Merry Christmas.
I was up at my sisters place for Christmas dinner with her and her husband, and my two youngest nephews. I am getting old when the youngest two by quite a bit are in their first year of university and the last year of high school.
We had a white Christmas. It is now -8ºF with a windchill of -26ºF. The humidity is up over 75%, which has everyone I met in the last couple of days complaining.
Enjoy the rest of the Holiday Season!
Bruce
For all our freezing Canadian friends. Happy boxing day !
That cold air is making it across the border. Minus numbers (F) right through the weekend…
Called out this afternoon for a shed fire - it held the wood supply for an outdoor furnace/boiler. The shed was gone when I pulled in with the pumper, but the wood pile was burning just fine… Temps were around +20F…
Seeing reports of snow accumulations in the 2-4" per hour range in the snow belt…
-4F this morning when I left for work (5 AM). Almost everybody waits until almost the last second before leaving the station house to board the train. Fortunately, my area got only 2-3 inches of powdery snow so far. Northwest Indiana and western Michigan are getting lake effect snow.
-21F.
Out for another fire call last night - problem with an outlet, but it took out all of the power for the house. At least we didn’t have to flow any water.
afternoon
Cold day today.Csx had trains parked here and there.Mow was out and about too.Saw local propane man make sure the switch heaters tanks were full too.Going to warm up.
stay safe
Joe
My furnace required a call from the furnace guy today and my patio door is frozen tight as a bank vault.
It’s colder in Saskatoon than at the poles and we are 10 deg C colder than yet here in town. It’s colder in Alberta than it is on Mars.
Saskatoon is colder than both the north and south poles
Since the North Pole is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, it’s a little tricky to get an accurate temperature reading. But the Norwegian Meteorological Institute tries their best, and their estimate for this week was that the top of the world was no colder than -23 C; six degrees warmer than Saskatoon’s Wednesday low of -29 C. Meanwhile, the South Pole — which is consistently the colder of the two poles — is -23 C.
Forecast for tonight’s low for Encinitas will be +48F on the hilltops (300 to 400’ msl) and maybe +40F in the inland valleys.
It’s not too surprising that the South Pole is currently warmer than Saskatchewan. After all, it’s the beginning of summer down there![:D]