Strong wind from the east, unusual, on a very cold morning, makes the water surface shiver all up and down. It looks cold out there. The lotus pond had frozen yesterday morning. The large pond will lose heat fast with this wind blowing.
We have, several weeks ago, pulled the beautiful viewing bubble we were gifted. It amused the fish greatly. They’d get up in the bubble—koi are curious—and their tails, projecting below it, would steer it about. Foot plus long Ari would get in it from time to time, and the magnification would show this one great, curious eye looking at the world above.
It’ll be safely and warmly stowed in the basement.
We’re trying a new thing on the flooring—online carpenters say to spray the bowed side of the plywood with water —the concave side—and put a weight on it, since the two sides of the plywood tend to dry differently, and if they do, a bow results. So we will see.
I’m off to the opthamology people this morning for a consult.
On an unrelated note, has anyone experienced any trouble getting into CJ’s page? The last couple of days, I’ve had it stall out on me repeatedly. I don’t know if it’s something local or not; the last couple of days we have also had terrible lag for our MMORPG. Nothing like lining up to fire a torpedo at someone, then suddenly your starship is in a completely different part of the map, or facing the wrong direction.
I’ve had to retry a couple of times.
I’ve not noticed anything, but of late I haven’t been ’round more than once a day. 😉
It’s been its normal, pretty speedy self got me.
A few days ago I was unable to connect to the site. I don’t remember exactly when. Over the weekend, maybe.
Ditto
no, I haven’t noticed a lag….
More unrelated notes, as I putter my way around the internet this evening: the New York Times has a good review of Cambridge University Classics prof Mary Beard’s SPQR: History of Ancient Rome. I am tempted to get it (but my bookcases already overflow onto stacks on chairs and floor and I have so many books as yet unread).
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/books/review-in-spqr-a-history-of-ancient-rome-mary-beard-tackles-myths-and-more.html?hpw&rref=books&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region®ion=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well
We hope that you and Jane were not seriously impacted by the hurricane force winds that ripped through Spokane yesterday and today. Stay cozy and safe.
Its killing me that I still don’t know what “Convergence” is. It does NOT match the naming convention of Foreigner novels. I am hoping its the promised Cyteen 3. Or the S&S project fleshed out?
Hope all is safe up in Spokane.
it is the next book in the Foreigner series. “Visitor” ends the latest trilogy, “Convergence” begins the next trilogy in the Foreigner series….
That’s straight from the author and her collaborator……
Do we get a report on the ophthalmology people? I hope it turned out OK.
Toes crossed that the opthamology appointment went well.
Proge is trying to winter over water hyacinth along with the papyrus he usually does. He just set up the very small fountain in his studio, which is the only place where we can keep Aloysius away from the papyrus. It’s like candy to him. I don’t know how harmful it is to cats, but his inroads are extremely detrimental to the plants!
P.S. I can;t remember how to change my picture! Can anyone help?
@smartcat, I believe you’ll need to go to gravatar.com and upload an additional avatar or choose from ones you already have. IIRC, you choose which one’s your current avatar for WordPress et al. I don’t recall whether it’s two separate procedures or if you can do that all in one go.
Today’s weather report: We reached today’s high of 68 by dawn and we will be going down throughout the day. For about half an hour now, tehre’s been a gentle, soaking rain, moderate, the kind that’s good for the plants. The rest of the country gets snow, but we’re getting rain, of course. We’re supposed to have further rain today, dip down to maybe 41 overnight, up to 57 or so tomorrow, then down to 39, more or less, tomorrow night. Possibly with rain tomorrow too. There’s a wind advisory, but so far, no wind.
My thermostat’s screen has died. I’m not sure if its functionality has died with the screen. The fan (attic fan, maybe) is running, but it hasn’t been really cold enough yet for the heater to kick in. It’s working, but the thermostat may nix it. So I may be huddled under the covers Sunday night. But right now, it’s cozy in the house. — My budget’s flattened until after next week, so I can’t get the new thermostat or have someone come replace it until after Thanksgiving. However, next week is supposed to be warm/cool again, so I should be fine until then. Minor annoyance, overall. After the start of the month, I should be able to get a new one put in. :-/
Continuing on with font projects, in order to increase my income. I think I may have one font-family ready to submit in December, but even so, with the vetting process (and so on) it won’t produce income until January at earliest, and it’ll depend on public interest, as to how well it does. (Much like novel writing is feast or famine and a long while between bursts.) I’m hoping once I get something out there, and have others in process, that I’ll be able to even out a strategy that gives me a steady, livable income. But…I’m skating on thin ice through the end of the year, at least. (Oh, bad metaphor for a climate where ice and snow are rare.)
Going with it, though, as my best chance for the immediate future.
BCS, did you check the battery inside the thermostat as a possible reason for the blank screen?
Either it ate a comment I made yesterday, or I pressed Preview when I thought I pressed Post.
Yes, I checked the thermostat’s batteries and replaced them, though I’d replaced the batteries earlier this year. I also tried leaving the thermostat off and removing the batteries, so as to get it to reset. I checked that I had put the batteries in the right direction for each of the three. No luck, no joy. The screen’s still blank, dead, and Sunday and Sunday night and tonight, the heat did not kick on, despite that the heater is working and the temperature was low enough it should have kicked in. So…the thermostat has gone to the great bit bucket in the digital ether. Alas.
However, the lows the rest of this week are very livable. Next week’s lows are not so good but still livable, not below freezing.
It looks like my budget will (maybe) squeak by through the end of the month, and after the start of the month, I should be able to get a new thermostat and have it installed, which is a necessity, with the rest of winter on the way.
However, the cats have decided they like being on the bed together again, and they make excellent foot warmers and companions. I have nearly everything for a small Thanksgiving dinner, just myself this year and the cats. So in the grand scheme of things, I’m counting myself fortunate.
I made another milestone towards getting a couple of font projects done, but even so, I don’t expect to get those submitted until January, if I meet my goals. Past that, there’s a vetting and approval process before sales can begin, so any income improvement is several weeks past that. So…I still need to make it until then, and what I do needs to be at least a mild potboiler to produce an income, with a strategy to get that flowing steadily to support myself better, as current income is not doing that well enough.
I replaced the thermostat in my current house with an upgraded one. I still have the old thermostat, and if you can pm me (say on Shejidan) with your address, I can send it to you.
Joe, Thank You! This is very much appreciated. — I PM’ed Joe and he’s found a PDF of the instruction book and is sending me the thermostat today. It may arrive by Saturday, or else early next week. This saves me the cost of the thermostat and I’ll only need to get it installed. Very, very welcome.
The forecast says this week will be warm and mostly sunny until the weekend. Next week is predicted to be colder, but not down to freezing at night. Even so, winter weather here can change quickly. It’s not uncommon to have 70’s for highs at Christmas, but we can also have temps down into the 30’s, below freezing day or night, in winter. I’ve seen it reach down to 12 or 15 Fahrenheit, night and day, for a few days, twice in my lifetime. So it depends greatly what results we get.
I’m native here. I’m acclimated (as much as can be) to our summer heat and winter cool to cold. But my idea of cold and when to wear a coat, lol, is much warmer than people further north, such as Ohio, Virginia, and so on.
Joe, thanks so much. This is a big help and saves me the money for other things needed. Best Wishes and Happy Thanksgiving!
Got Dell? “Dell’s security-shattering PC root certificate debacle: What you need to know
The full scope of the incident is still unclear, but there’s a removal tool available.”
The report is here.
If their patch and pushed update work properly, it may stop being a problem, but what about damage already done? 🙁
I’ve already notified herself via PM.
I went and checked my Insprion 15….fortunately, it’s in the 5000 series…the affected Inspiron 15s are in the 7000 series….
I guess it may not be just the pond that is shivering, if I can be forgiven for making light of it. Unless there’s a Con or trip, it’s not like her to be absent so long. I expect cell towers will be out too.
Do they have a fireplace in the house?
I have an “Earth Stove”, gas water heater, and oil lamps. I’ve been out for 36hrs once, but I did OK with the wood stove for emergency heating and warming food, hot water for showering, and light for reading. Only problem was the fridge–naturally there was no ice to be had anywhere around.
Well that’s just great! Not only is my XPS in the shop w/ hardware problems and now I have to fix this when I get it back.
I could scream.
While they have the computer in the shop, could they patch the security vulnerability too?
No, it’s in for a hardware fix and I’ll be lucky to get my HD back with the data intact. Dell are pushing out a software fix I believe. It’s a PITA.
Has anybody heard from herself recently? I’ve not seen recent postings here. 😮
“Nearly 20,000 households in Washington state’s second-largest city have been surviving without heaters, lamps and TV screens for nearly a week Tuesday, after howling winds ripped apart power lines, trees and the electrical grid.
Gov. Jay Inslee visited Spokane to inspect damage from the worst windstorm in the region’s history, promising to explore whether Spokane County qualifies for federal disaster assistance. The storm Nov. 17 packed gusts up to 70 mph that cracked trees and sent them crashing onto cars, killing three people in the state.
More than 180,000 customers lost power at the storm’s peak, and those still in the dark a week later face a freezing forecast as Thanksgiving approaches.”
I sent Jane a text a few minutes ago… I think the number I have for her is still good…..although it’s possible that it’s been changed. No reply, and Spokane is without power for about 35,000 people, according to the news…..
Oops, see reply above! 🙁
Not sure where CC is hosted, but no one else seems to be having trouble posting here (my previous complaints about reloading notwithstanding). One hopes our gracious hostess is still fully powered, and is simply busy with holiday preparations.
An outage map is here:
http://outagemap.myavista.com/external/default.html
Click the + button to zoom in.
I didn’t make it to Shejicon, I don’t know if she’s in/near one of the affected areas.
Yes, they are very close to one of the reported outages…in fact, they might have reported it themselves. I checked the map and zoomed in to their house address (which I will not divulge here for privacy reasons), and it appears to be one of the places affected.
This does not bode well for the aquaria, especially the marine aquarium, as without power, they cannot run the heaters, the filters, the water processing equipment in the basement, etc. This is an expensive power outage, if the aquaria do not survive. I had a similar power outage in Virginia Beach one year, back in the mid-90s where power was out for 41 hours. I lost most of my freshwater tropical fish because the water just got too cold and I had no way to keep it warm.
I have a 5,500 watt generator, but the problem with that is that it has to be outdoors, and because it’s portable, it’s also easily stealable, and it has to be properly grounded. My thoughts are to get a natural gas powered generator that kicks on when the power goes out. They can be large enough to power the whole house, or just critical circuits, such as heat, cooking, lights, aquaria….they’re not cheap, and you do need natural gas service to your house, but they don’t take up much room on the property, can be discreetly placed where they’re not prominent, and can be a lifesaver if you’ve got medical issues and have equipment that is vital to survival.
Avista customer restoration may stretch through Friday evening
Labor-intensive work of rebuilding distribution lines in neighborhoods continues
Spokane, Wash. Nov. 24, 2015, 3:00 p.m.: Avista crews, along with contractors and mutual aid crews from six western states and British Columbia, are working 16-hour shifts to restore power to the remaining 18,000 customers who are without power since the devastating November 17 wind storm. Plans call for the majority of these customers to have power by midnight tomorrow, Wednesday, November 25. However, based on what we know about the extent of damage in certain areas, as many as 5,000 customers may not have power for Thanksgiving. The areas with the highest risk for continued outage include the neighborhoods in the 99205, 99203 and 99223 zip codes in Spokane. Avista crews will target restoring power to these areas by midnight Friday.
As of this point in time, 90 percent of the 180,000 customers who lost power last Tuesday have had their power restored.
“We are keenly aware of the hardship, stress and frustration people are experiencing, particularly with today’s weather and the holiday approaching,” said Avista CEO Scott Morris. “Our crews and support staff will be working through the Thanksgiving holiday, and we will do what it takes to restore power to every last customer.”
Avista has more than 100 crews in the field – about 700 individuals — that continue working on a rotating basis around the clock. That is more than five times our typical workforce for the company’s entire utility service area, and it is 10 times our typical Spokane work force.
Sure hope they’re OK and warm. Possibly, they just needed a break after getting the latest book turned in, but it’s not like CJC and Jane not to post this long. Months ago, I had tried to email them (each email) but it didn’t get to them and I ended up posting a note to their blogs.
If electricity is out, it could affect either cell phone towers or else the batteries on their cell phones might be down, unless they have a car charger adapter, say.
IIRC, Patty Briggs lives in a city nearby, and should have their (land) phone numbers and mobile numbers. Felicitous Sk8er may live in Seattle, but could be affected by a power outage too.
CJC and Jane, we all hope y’all are doing fine, even if your power’s gone out. :HUGS:
Spokane. I meant to say Spokane.
* I think I have an email address for Patty Briggs. I will also post at the Hurog fan forum from her blog. That way, a phone call or visit can check up on them.
Email sent to Patty, CJ, and Jane. Digits crossed, ears up.
Hi — I hadn’t realized that no one here knew what’s happening in Spokane. Last week a windstorm pounded eastern WA and left several hundred thousand people without power. Almost all of those folks have power now…but there’s a small dark spot within the city limits—about 27 homes—where the power hasn’t been restored and (you’ve guessed it by now) Jane and CJ are among the 27. The city’s told them that they *should* have power by Thanksgiving, so: any time now!
Their home is pretty well insulated, but they’ve been fighting to keep their fish, both inside and outside, alive. I’m not a fish-person, so I don’t really understand the strategy and tactics, but I know they’re fighting hard.
They’re also bored and frustrated: can’t write, can’t play Guild Wars Two, and everyone around them HAS POWER, but they’re well.
I’m sure CJ will tell the story with gusto and verve once the power’s back on.
(If a situation like this ever recurs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. If you don’t already have my email address (Google has it) you can connect with me on Facebook.)
Lynn, Thanks for the update. I was afraid that that was the case, when I heard about the wind storms and looked at the map of outages. What’s that saying? If it wasn’t for bad luck I’d have no luck at all. One gets the impression that CJ and Jane have been having one of those years…
Lynn, I’m remiss in not sending a copy of the email to you also. My apologies. I know better, but I didn’t *do* better.