Blue Sky Returns To A No Longer Freezing Texas

After day after day after day of gray, as you can see, via the view from my patio viewing platform, blue has returned to my location on the planet, along with an outer world heated to above freezing.

My SAD (Seasonally Affected Disorder) mood should soon dissipate.

I hope.

Due to the outer world still freezing when the sun came up this morning I once again aborted my regularly scheduled, much needed, hot tub hydrotherapy session.

Miss Puerto Rico is due to return today. She made it to San Juan yesterday, hoping to get out of town early by waiting on standby, hoping to not get stuck in today's ice disaster freezing up the southern part of the east coast.

However, Miss Puerto Rico was not able to get out on an earlier flight, and so had to spend the night in a San Juan airport hotel, inside the security perimeter, thus not easily able to have a fun night on the town.

Miss Puerto Rico's route back to D/FW goes from San Juan to Miami,  then a plane switch to get to Orlando, then another plane switch back to D/FW, with arrival on the ground in Texas scheduled for just before 5 this afternoon. I suspect flight delays will have Miss Puerto Rico returning much later than she hoped to return.

Which means I remain on cat sitting duty til further notice.

Speaking of flying somewhere.

Mr. and Mrs. Galtex are back in the air, heading to Portugal again. Seems like they just got back from Portugal, because, well, they did just get back from Portugal.

I have noticed that more often than not when the Galtex's leave town the sky turns blue. I suspect this is just some sort of freak coincidence.

But, I have also noticed that more often than not when the Galtex's return to town the sky turns gray, usually for a short duration. Again, likely just some sort of freak coincidence.

I called my mom yesterday to lament my SAD condition. Mom  told me that today the Phoenix zone is predicted to get into the 90s today, breaking the temperature record. I told my mom her temperature bragging was unseemly. Mom told me she was not bragging, just stating facts.

Are the record breaking temperatures in Arizona why we are warming up here in the way too often Arctic-like Texas?

I hope it lasts....

Seattle's Big Bertha Boondoggle vs. Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle

What you are looking at on the left is part of a tunnel which a machine nicknamed Bertha is boring under downtown Seattle.

Bertha came to a grinding halt a couple months ago. And then when she finally began grinding again, four feet later she overheated and stopped again.

And now Bertha has been grounded for what may be months due to problems with clogged clutter heads and a damaged main bearing seal.

Are we now at the point where this $3.1 billion project might be referred to as Seattle's Big Bertha Boondoggle?

Some are already comparing the Seattle project to Boston's notorious Big Dig Boondoggle whose original $2.8 billion dollar cost ended up being $22 billion.

The current state of Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct tunnel replacement project and its current potential boondoggle status got me comparing Seattle's Big Bertha Boondoggle to Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle.

I would guess that the Seattle project will fairly quickly get back on track and out of its current boondogglishness. As you can see, the Seattle tunnel project has already resulted in some impressive engineering, already having tunneled one-tenth of the tunnel's 1.7 mile distance, before Bertha stopped.

The Seattle tunnel boring only began in the last year, and already one sees more accomplished than well over a decade of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle.

The Seattle tunnel project addresses an actual serious problem. That being the fact that the Alaskan Way Viaduct could collapse in an earthquake, causing great loss of life. The Alaskan Way Viaduct was badly damaged by the Nisqually Earthquake, earlier this century.

The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle was originally propagandized as being a much needed flood control project, to protect downtown Fort Worth from a flooding Trinity River, by building an un-needed flood diversion channel, so that levees built over half a century ago, could be taken down.

So, unlike the Seattle tunnel project addressing fixing a real problem, the Fort Worth TRV Boondoggle addresses a non-existent problem, because downtown Fort Worth has not flooded in over a half a century, due to the protection afforded by those aforementioned levees.

The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle is also an economic development project, developing a blighted area north of downtown Fort Worth with a little lake, maybe some canals, housing, restaurants, other commercial developments, plus one of the world's premiere waterfront music venues, along with this century's first drive-in movie theater and summer time's Rockin' the River Inner Tube Happy Hour Floats on the pristine Trinity River.

Seattle's Alaskan Viaduct Replacement Project also has some economic development aspects. Such as upgrading the Seattle waterfront's seawall along with taking down the Alaskan Way Viaduct, opening up an area for a new waterfront promenade.

I wonder which town's massive public works projects will be completed first? I wonder which town's massive public works project will be successful? I wonder which town's massive public works project will get national and international attention of the positive sort? I wonder which town's public works project might gain lasting fame as a classic boondoggle?

I bet you can guess what my answers to the above questions would be.

Spencer Jack Sees Dean's Pies Instead Of Seeing Dick & Jane Run

This morning in my incoming email I saw incoming from Spencer Jack's dad, he being my favorite nephew, Jason, with the message in the email saying....

Spencer Jack's first grade reading assignment was to read the book "Dean's Pies". He learned that people named "Dean" dream of eating a lot of different types of pies.

So, what's the big deal about this Dean guy dreaming of pies and this book being Spencer Jack's reading assignment?

Well, those who know me well know my full name is Durango Dean Jones, with those who know me well usually referring to me as Dean, not as Durango.

Then again, it is also true that those who know me well sometimes also refer to me as Durango, or Durango Dean, or Mr. D.

As evidenced by this "Dean's Pies" book it would appear that first grade literature has evolved from the seeing Dick chasing Jane up a hill type books I read as a first grader.

I don't think I reached such an elevated reading level, as Spencer Jack's, til I was at least in 4th grade.

The text on the two pages Spencer Jack is holding up for us is...

Dean lies in bed. He dreams of pies. He dreams of apple pies, peach pies, and cherry pies. He dreams of cream pies, custard pies, and lemon pies. He dreams of pickle pies, carrot pies, and bean pies.

Pickle pies, carrot pies and bean pies? This particular Dean has never heard of those three type pies. The pickle pie sounds particularly disgusting.

Spencer Jack's book's Dean should be also dreaming about blackberry pie, rhubarb pie and key lime pie, because those are some of this particular Dean's favorite pies....

Another Special Weather Statement With Freezing Rain & Snow Again Falling On North Texas

This morning my computer based weather monitoring device is flashing red. I clicked on the flashing red to see the dreaded "SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT" announcement.

I clicked on the "SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT" to learn that the National Weather Service is once again predicting incoming icy cold, this time coming in from Nevada.

Last week the weather predictors missed the mark on their prediction, with the predicted snow falling in amounts more copious than predicted, resulting in extremely slippery roads, which were not predicted.

So, even though the forecasters are forecasting just a little sleet along with a little snow, with only a fraction of an inch accumulating, with most roadways and city streets remaining warm enough to remain wet, I am going to assume the forecasters may be off in their forecast, once again, and so I will refrain from driving anywhere tomorrow, lest I find myself in a repeat of last week's slippery icy scare.

Below is the aforementioned SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT....

...LIGHT WINTRY PRECIPITATION WILL AFFECT NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING...

AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING THROUGH NEVADA THIS MORNING WILL MOVE ACROSS THE ROCKIES TODAY AND ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS LATE TUESDAY. AS TEMPERATURES FALL BELOW FREEZING TONIGHT AND SPREAD SOUTHWARD...A MIXTURE OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND LIGHT SLEET IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP NORTH OF A COMANCHE TO EMORY LINE. AFTER MIDNIGHT AREAS SOUTH OF THIS LINE WILL SEE LIGHT RAIN BECOME MIXED OR CHANGE OVER TO LIGHT FREEZING RAIN.

ON TUESDAY MORNING...TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE REGION WILL BE BELOW FREEZING AND LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WILL BECOME MIXED WITH OR CHANGE OVER TO LIGHT SLEET. SOME LIGHT SNOW WILL ALSO FALL ALONG THE RED RIVER VALLEY ON TUESDAY MORNING WITH SNOWFALL AMOUNTS AROUND ONE TENTH OF AN INCH POSSIBLE. AS TEMPERATURES WARM TO OR ABOVE FREEZING ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON...THE PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME A MIX OF LIGHT RAIN...LIGHT SNOW OR LIGHT SLEET NORTH OF A LAMPASAS TO CENTERVILLE LINE. ON TUESDAY EVENING...THE WINTRY PRECIPITATION WILL BE ENDING WEST TO EAST AND SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE REGION BY MIDNIGHT.

PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT DURING THIS EVENT...BUT WILL BE ENOUGH TO CAUSE A LIGHT GLAZING OF A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH MAINLY ELEVATED SURFACES SUCH AS BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. ALTHOUGH MOST ROADWAYS AND CITY STREETS WILL REMAIN JUST WARM ENOUGH TO REMAIN WET...THOSE ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-20 CORRIDOR MAY BECOME ICY AND HAZARDOUS WHERE ROADS HAVE TIME TO CHILL TO OR BELOW FREEZING.
PLEASE STAY TUNED TO LATER WEATHER FORECASTS...AS SUBTLE CHANGES IN UPSTREAM SYSTEM BEHAVIOR CAN PRODUCE CHANGES IN THE DETAILS OF THE FORECAST.

A Cold Texas Bike Ride To Check In On Miss Puerto Rico's Jeep & Jalapeno Cheese Cornbread

Those are my bike's handlebars parked in front of Miss Puerto Rico's Jeep that you are looking at in the picture.

Today I decided to try and get myself some aerobic stimulation with its resultant endorphins via a bike ride around my neighborhood, hence part of the bike ride passing by Miss Puerto Rico's Jeep.

My morning hot tub hydrotherapy session went well. I sort of enjoyed getting my hydrotherapy in a gloomy foggy mist. A gloomy foggy mist always adds good atmospherics.

The bike ride did not go as well as the foggy hydrotherapy.

Too cold.

I had several layers covering several areas, but any area left exposed, cheeks for example, got way too cold. I only rolled my bike wheels a mile or two before deciding I really did not need any additional endorphins today.

And now changing the subject back to the aforementioned Jeep.

I had never ridden in or driven a Jeep before experiencing Miss Puerto Rico's. Upon first riding exposure it took me about a minute to wonder why anyone would want one of these noisy contraptions. And then on my first summer HOT ride in the Jeep I asked why the A/C was not on, to find myself being told that the Jeep does not have A/C.

Who buys a vehicle in this climate without A/C? Who sells a vehicle in this climate without A/C?

All the time Miss Puerto Rico has had the Jeep she has not switched it into 4 wheel drive mode. She is always saying she wants to go off roading somewhere where the 4 wheel drive mode would be used. I have suggested a location or two, but nothing ever comes of it. I think the furthest this Jeep has ever traveled is Dallas.

I must go make lunch now, something to warm me up, as in jalapenos and cheese cornbread with chili on top. That should warm me up....

A Warm Walk In Fort Worth's Quanah Parker Park Before Finding Mango Coconut Yogurt

I parked at the Quanah Parker Park parking lot on my way to Town Talk today and had myself a mighty fine walk for the first time in a few days.

Since I was walking at Quanah Parker Park that would make the body of water you see in the picture the Trinity River.

The Trinity River was flowing so clear today I could see the river bottom as the water flowed slowly by. But, I saw no fish or any other living creature swimming in the temporarily clear water.

Today I was not the only person at Quanah Parker Parker enjoying the respite from our recent visitor from the frigid north.

Town Talk was back to its Saturday norm, number of shoppers-wise, from last Saturday's pre-Super Bowl frenzy.

The most interesting thing I found today at Town Talk was a case of mango-coconut yogurt. That flavor combo sounds good to me. I also got a case of strawberry Power yogurt. Power yogurt is real thick, Greek-like, loaded with protein, hence the power-ful name.

Since it is currently being relatively warm in the outer world I think I'll go over to Miss Puerto Rico's to attend to my cat-sitting duty and to sit outside enjoying Miss Puerto Rico's elevated view of the world.

A Hot Tub Hydrotherapy Session Combined With A Texas Temperature Above Freezing Has Alleviated My SAD Symptoms

24 hours ago, looking at the ground 30 feet below my patio viewing platform, that ground was white, covered with snow.

That white snow is now mostly gone, replaced by a soothing shade of brown.

The temperature currently is only two degrees above freezing, heading to a high somewhere in the mid-50s on this 2nd Saturday of the 2nd month of 2014, if the temperature predictors are correct in their prediction.

Due to the temperature being at a relatively balmy one degree above freezing when the time of my regularly scheduled morning hot tub hydrotherapy session came around I decided it was hot enough for my first hydrotherapy session in three days.

The hot tub hydrotherapy session greatly alleviated my SAD (Seasonally Affected Disorder) sad situation.

I am hoping to experience additional SAD alleviation today by going on a hike, walk or bike ride prior to going to Town Talk.....

North Texas Remains A Snowy Icebox On The First Friday Of February

As you can see, looking down to the ground thirty feet below, from my outer world patio viewing platform, we are still not rid of snow at my location on the planet.

However, the snow has removed itself from the roads, for the most part, so, currently driving on those roads is not the treacherous nightmare it was yesterday.

But, snow is forecast as possible again today, with a possible repeat of yesterday's slick debacle.

I am now on my third day in a row of not getting my regularly scheduled hot tub hydrotherapy session. The lack of aerobically induced endorphin stimulation is starting to take a toll, as I seem to be slipping into SAD, as in Seasonally Affected Disorder.

Yesterday when I had my snow driving slip and slide to ALDI my intention had been to also go to Walmart, needing as I do an inkjet cartridge. But in ALDI I was told that Eastchase Parkway was a vehicle strewn mess on the Walmart side of the I-30 freeway. Even so, I almost risked it, not realizing til I almost got home how slippery that hill that leads down to Walmart would have been. I think I dodged a bullet on that one.

This current winter in Texas may be the worst since I've been in Texas, worse that the icy mess that greeted Super Bowl week a couple years ago. We still have plenty of winter to get through before the arrival of Spring on March 20.

I am thinking I may get myself some firewood today. I've only lit a fire in my fireplace one time previous.

I think a nice roaring fire might help break me out of my bout of SAD.....

North Texas Snowstorm Causes Me A Scary Slippery Two Hour Roadtrip To ALDI

In the picture you are looking at the snowy view from Miss Puerto Rico's elevated viewing platform on the world.

I walked over to Miss PR's over the snow covered ground without slippery incident.

I then walked up to Albertsons to get Fort Worth Weekly, again without slippery incident.

I saw no vehicles having slippery incidents on the snow covered roads.

And so, with me having a strong hankering for a hot pot of chili I decided road conditions were just fine for a short drive to ALDI to get myself what I needed to make a hot pot of chili.

I decided wrong.

I saw I had a problem when I saw the east side of the John T. White Road overpass over I-820 when I saw about a dozen vehicles in slipping mode trying to head west up the slight incline to cross over the freeway. When I saw all that slippage I knew I had to find another route back, if I actually made it to ALDI.

The only serious slippage, for me, pre-ALDI, was at the right turn on to Cooks Lane. When I got past that I saw the road ahead was being sanded, which made smooth sailing the rest of the distance  to ALDI.

Leaving ALDI I took the Ederville Road route home. That was slow going. There is one long downhill slope on this route that had me worried til I saw it was no problem.

I had some serious slipping by a QT gas station and again at the next stop light. After that I was back on a road that had been sanded, the I-30 overpass. I thought I was home free by the time I drove through the Albertsons parking lot.

And then I turned left on to Boca Raton, the road I'd driven slip-free on when I took off for ALDI. As soon as I turned on to Boca Raton I knew I was in trouble, because I was slipping and I saw a lot of other vehicles stuck and slipping, with a Fort Worth bus stuck at the top of the hill.

I had no steering control. I could go a slight distance and then lose control. I went til I could go no further because I was getting too close to a car trying to get up the hill. I got out and helped them, convincing the driver to slide in reverse back down the hill and try to get up it again by staying on the center of the road.

That worked. I now had a clear shot at the entry to my driveway. But, I again lost control with my right wheels ending up on the grass median between the road and sidewalk. That grass median gave me traction, so I was able to get to the bottom of the hill and the driveway entry.

I thought I was home free. But then when I turned into the driveway I lost control again. By that time I was shaking from the stress. After about 10 more minutes of slipping and sliding I successfully parked.

I am thinking what is happening in the D/FW zone today may be one for the history books.

Snow Is Falling On North Texas On This First Thursday Of February

Stepping out into the outer world on my patio viewing platform was a step of a duration only long enough to snap a photo of the snowballs falling from above.

Actually the falling ice was not in snowball form, the flash of the camera made it look like snowballs.

What actually is falling is snow in the flurry form, just as was predicted to be falling today.

I think it goes without saying that I will not be engaging in my regularly scheduled hot tub hydrotherapy session this morning. In addition to the falling snow the additional weather information provided by the graphic below provides an additional reason as to why a hot tub hydrotherapy session does not seem like a good idea this morning.

16 degrees with the wind and humidity making that 16 degrees really feel like no degrees at all.

Zero.

I do not remember being this cold in Texas during the previous winters of my Texas exile.

On a positive note, I think the Mountain Cedar Pollen problem has gone away. At least it has for me. I made it through the night, last night, without the need to spray anything into my breathing apparatus.

I do not know where, or how, I will be getting my much needed endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation today. I suppose I could go up and down the three flights of stairs which lead to Miss Puerto Rico's abode, if the steps are not slippery from snow....