Tag: weather

Thursday’s Theme Music

Road Trip! The air was warm and growing hotter as the clouds took to other areas. Our pod was feeling cramped and crowded. An impromptu road trip was suggested. After the voting was finished, the idea passed, 2-0. (The cats voted against it, but their vote is only symbolic. They were left in the house with extra food and water.)

We departed at 8:30 AM and just rolled north on the Interstate to Eugene. Light lunch and shopping followed. We were back home by 6:30 PM. The point was to break away, even if only for a few hours. Mission accomplished.

For the record, today is Thursday, March 7, 2022. Our high was around 85 degrees F. It’s 7:03 PM. Sunset is due in forty minutes.

Road trips always provide a fountain of ideas for the neurons to toss out. But I went with Fat Boy Slim and “Praise You” from 1999. It all started with a television show called “The Outlaws” which we’ve been watching. Stephen Merchant is one of the creators and writers and also stars in it, along with this guy called Christopher Walken. Walken, an actor for several decades, is also a dancer. After watching an episode of “The Outlaws”, I pulled up “Weapon of Choice” by Fat Boy Slim, which features Walken’s dancing through an empty Marriott. I always enjoyed that video, but the neurons then brought up “Praise You.” And here we are. BTW, Mickey Rooney’s son, Michael Rooney, directed the choreography for “Weapon of Choice”. You should check it out, even if it’s familiar to you. It has a good vibe.

It was a great trip – excellent weather, light traffic, little construction, no problems, etc. Stay positive, etc. Gonna go chill with the boys, aka, Tucker and Papi, our house floofs. Here’s the music. Cheers

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Wednesday’s Theme Music

Today began with a great force shifting the world as we hurtled through space. Then, like other days, another rotation was completed (although it was just a little slower than yesterday’s) and we moved a little further from the sun. All things are relative.

Today is the only ‘w’ day in the week, Wednesday, named for another god, Woden. It’s 47 in the valley. Bright sunshine strains the eyes and heats the skin. Sunrise came at a proper 6:45 AM, and our planet’s dynamics will move the sun out of our valley at 7:42 PM. In between, we’ll hit 76 degrees F, maybe higher. There are mixed feelings about that. The heat feels good, the sunshine is engaging and energizing, but we need water falling from the sky and filling the basins, lakes, rivers, ponds, creeks, streams, and cisterns.

For the record, this is April 6, 2022.

The only dream of note was about clawing out of something. It didn’t move the neurons toward any music. Instead, they’re channeling Hall & Oates and van Halen into the morning mental music stream. “She’s Gone” from 1974 is one of those break-up songs that torches the skin and screams through the bones in sympathy with what you’re going through. I was going through a lot when it came out, so it’s memorable to me.

But it’s not today’s song. That honor falls to “Young, Dumb and Broke” by Khalid (2017). As I was pursuing memories and thoughts that the neurons churned up this morning, I remembered when my wife and I were young and broke. The neurons, being the critters they are, immediately loaded “Young, Dumb and Broke”. It’s an entertaining song, though.

Stay positive, and so on. You know the pandemic mantra by now. I’m up for coffee; can I get you anything? No. Alright. Here’s the tune. Enjoy.

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Tuesday’s Theme Music

The sun strode into Tuesday at 6:47 AM with bright, bold steps that dazzled our retinas. Warmth is still trickling in, as we’re at 37 F right now, but hope to strike the fifties. A snowstorm hit the higher elevations during the last several days. You had to be at 5,000 feet to feel it, so we’re a few thousand feet too low. We hope it’ll add to the miserly snowpack, but dire predictions have already emerged for this year. Many meteorologists suggest it would take years of big storms to end the drought and replenish our lakes and cisterns.

The cost of water is skyrocketing. Looks like the city golf course can no longer afford water. Of larger concerns are the many small farms that dot our valley and provide us with local produce. The city and area are on top of this, building many more low-income units. These typically start in the 300K range and climb. Nothing stops the wealthy from buying them and renting them out, though. Some shout, “Low -income housing is what we need, look at the homeless here.” Don’t know where they think the homeless are going to acquire the money for a mortgage. Others say, we don’t need more housing, we don’t have the water. But the houses keep going up.

Today is April the fifth, 2022, a day pretty similar to many others. Sunset will be at 7:41 PM.

The neurons have been busy streaming several different songs in the morning mental music stream. They also added an old jingle: “To get right to the heart of the matter, where there’s smoke, where there’s smoke, where there’s smoke. Where there’s smoke, there’s danger of heart and lung disease.” I don’t know why the little monkeys played that for me.

Anyway, eventually they unearthed John Mellencamp’s 1983 song, “Little Pink Houses”, a song more in accordance with what was actually passing for thought in my head.

Stay positive, test negative, wear a mask if you need to, get the vax as, when, if needed, etc. Stay informed and think critically. Here’s the music. I’m going to go caffeinate some neurons. See if that settles them down a little. Cheers

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Monday’s Theme Music

Another milestone reached, because it’s another ‘t’ day. Yes, it’s today, April 4, 2022, a Monday, a new start to a new week, if you’re one of those who think of Monday as the first day of the week. I do, at least for today.

It’s rainy and chilly outside. Poured hard earlier, drumming on the roof and the vents, transporting us to a rock concert drum solo. Nice being inside, safe and warm, listening to the rain. I wish everyone in the world had such simple luxury, shelter, and security.

The theoretical sunrise, theoretical because the clouds were saying, “Nope, not this morning, no sunshine for you, Ashland,” was at 6:49 this morning while sunset, if we see it, will be at 7:40 PM. It’s now 42 degrees F. We might see 50 today.

Today’s song comes out of reflections for the cat who passed away last month. I miss him and his energy still fills the house while his memory is sharp in our minds, but, you know, he was enduring heavy pain and discomfort by the end. You know how it is; you miss them but you’re happy they’re free of their disease’s chains. You promise to meet up again sometime, somewhere, and wonder, can that be true? Is that possible?

So, it’s mixed emotions with which his passing is viewed. Hearing that, the sleepy neurons were like, “What? Mixed Emotions. Rolling Stones. 1989. Here we go.” I answered, no, no, I wasn’t asking for that to be played.

Well, here we are. The neurons won.

The song has a nice guitar-driven throwback for the Stones. It could easily be from the late sixties or early seventies instead of the late eighties. They were, are, an enduring band.

Stay positive, test negative, wear a mask as needed, etc. We’ve made plans for our next booster this week. Take care of yourself. Now, the neurons are demanded they be paid in coffee for their work, so I’m a mission to the kitchen. Here’s the tune. Cheers

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Saturday’s Theme Music

Sunshine petered into our valley for an hour and then the sun crested the mountains like a shining spring bloom.

Hi. Today is Saturday, March 33, 2022, or April 2, for the purists. We’re already at 52 degrees F today after the sun hit the valley with its warm light at 6:52 AM. The sun will ride our sky until 7:38 PM, pulling our temperatures up to a high of 66 F. No rain today; not a cloud in the sky right now.

The neurons continue having fun with me. This morning, out of nowhere, and I’m serious about that, it came from nowhere, they began singing a song called “98.6”. Released when I was a child, I had to search for who sang the song and the year. I was clueless about both. I know it sounds like a humbrag — and yeah, it is — but music is usually weirdly fastened to me via space and time, like details about who I was and where at the time I regularly heard the song, friends’ reactions to it, etc., along with the artist. But for this one, I knew I was a kid, and the lyrics were just sucked up. Of course, the lyrics are smooth and easy, following a simple rhythm, so I suppose that’s understandable. Turned out the song was released by Keith in 1966. I was ten. Such a different sound to pop in that era, innit?

Stay positive, test negative, wear a mask as needed, and get the jabs when needed. We are searching for another booster, and we’re still masking when in stores, etc. We’re not alone in that, either.

Here’s the music, which means it’s coffee time. Cheers

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Friday’s Theme Music

Let us turn the page. Turning a calendar page has a waning crowd. It’s like spending a dime. Dropping the penny. Looking a gift horse in the mouth or having a pig in a poke.

Today is April 1, 2022, Friday. Sun’s first light was peeping into the valley well before our official kickoff at 6:51 this morning. Clouds have faded into high pale shadows of themselves, trickles of white braced against a hazy blue field. Temperatures dropped to 33 F last night, driving the cats back in — well, just the one really, as the other is older and has decided he prefers indoor life and firm sunshine over the cold dark. We’re now up to 44, though, and expect the mercury to reach 66 as our high. Do young people understand temperature and our links to mercury references?

Which delivers me to the morning mental music stream. A friend referred to “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac from 1977 the other night. Inspired by being outside last night, listening to the wind blow as shadows and darkness took over after sunset, the neurons began playing the song for me. They have yet to stop. Oh, those crazy neurons.

Here’s the song. Stay positive, test negative, wear a mask as needed, etc. We’re on the hunt for a second booster. We were originally J&Jers and my wife is immunocompromised. Every small edge is pursued and appreciated. It’s not ready to be delivered yet, as no one in the valley has it available, except Walgreen’s in Medford. We’ll keep looking, calling, searching, etc.

Speaking of appreciation, I think I’ll go get my coffee. The neurons will appreciate it.

Cheers

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Thursday’s Theme Music

Here we go, the end of the month, Thursday, March 31, 2022. About a quarter of 2022 has fled into history. Gray cloud layers in the west fondle the pines on the ridges. Broken clouds up north hover like an anxious herd ready to flee. In the east and south, smaller, tattered pats yield to sunshine and blue sky. Are you up for rain? It might come. Might not, too. Just be a brief spit, probably, if it does.

Sunshine trickled in at 6:55 AM. The sun will do the fade at 7:35 this evening. Temperatures hunker in at 44 F right now, with a cold, northern edge to it, like winter is saying, let me stay. A high of 58, not too ambitious, is possible.

I went out with the cats this morning to feel the air. They found sun pools and stayed. I shivered and slipped back in. Somehow, in that process, the neurons decided “Take Me to the Pilot” by Elton John (1970) fit the moment and inserted it into the morning mental music stream.

Stay positive, etc. Sorry, I need my coffee. Here’s the song. Cheers

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Tuesday’s Theme Music

We’ve reached another milestone, a day that ends in ‘y’. This one is a Tuesday.

It’s March 29, 2022, for those of you playing calendar bingo. Sunrise came at — ta da! — 6:59 AM. Sunset will be at 7:33 PM.

A weak sunrise was experienced, one like a cup of tea made with a tea bag that’s already serviced a dozen cups as tattered rain clouds still harrumphed across the blue. We had a few stretches of steady rain yesterday, one bit of that which hit five on the Floof Scale. I always use the Floof Scale to measure precipitation. A five meant, find cover, it’s coming down. Ten is head for high ground and hang on.

Average spring temperatures remain the norm. The digits sit at 48 F now. We expect 67 F today. Back out to weed this afternoon.

Today’s music was brought on by yesterday’s writing session. I’d been finger dancing on a kb for a while as the muses whipped my back and urged more writing, faster. Stopping for a breath, I discovered the digits said it was almost four PM. The day had slid past in a word sprawl. The neurons, catching on to my surprise about the time, began singing, “Time, time, ticking, ticking away,” repeating that chorus. They were testing me, of course. “The Last Worthless Evening”, Don Henly, 1988, The End of the Innocence, I told my neurons. To reward me for getting it right, they started playing the song, and now it’s stuck in the morning mental music stream.

Stay positive, test negative, and remain alert to what’s going on. Here’s the music. I’m gonna go treat the neurons to a cuppa java. Cheers

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Sunday’s Theme Music

We’re in cloud city this Sunday, March 27, 2022, facing a temperature of 54 F. It’s expected to go up to 70. The sun bounced a feeble few rays our way at 7:02 AM. Sunset is expected at 7:31 PM.

Some of my balance has returned. It feels like a proper Sunday. Yardwork plans are in the offing. I’ve gone out, pulling weeds and trimming things, in the afternoon a few days this week. We cleaned yesterday, then I walked for a few miles on my own. The sun was full and strong, and it was beautiful to see the flowers in bloom, green flushing the lawns again, and leaves filling trees’ branches.

On the DIY front, I did buy a new thermostat and installed it Friday, which fixed the heating issue. Fifty dollars at the local hardware store, it’s a mild upgrade to the one I’d installed in this place about fifteen years ago. I reckon it’s the fifth thermostat that I’ve installed in my lifetime. The first was one with a mercury switch, a long time ago in a duplex that we rented.

My neurons are having fun with me this morning, inserting an old song, “Polly Wolly Doodle”, into the morning mental music stream. I haven’t heard that song in ages but remember singing it in an elementary school class with the teacher at the piano. You should hear my neurons snickering and chortling as the song goes round and round. I answered their efforts with that classic retort, “How old are you?” That should’ve put them into their place, but they reacted by pumping the 1999 Blink 182 song into the stream, “What’s My Age Again”. More of their mischief. Although it’s been a featured theme song before, I haven’t had any coffee and don’t feel like arguing with them. So, here we go, folks.

Stay positive, test negative, adjust as needed to the changing situation, and stay alert. Don’t let complacency take you down. I won’t, once I have some coffee.

Cheers

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