Masshysteria's Weather Or Not Blog 

Tuesday, 05-01-12: Quoting Proserpina from her earlier post today on my April blogsite:


HAPPY MAY DAY
HAPPY MAY

Photo by Proserpina


Good Morning (((Pros))), Plap and Everyone!

Well, it appears May's starting out on a slightly soggy and chilly note this am. I can't complain too much about the rain, as we really need the replenishment on the ground and the reduction of pollen in the air! I only wish our temps were a lot warmer than the current 45F degrees. At least, we're entering a much better phase of our spring season, and it shouldn't be long now before we'll be back out in the sunshine and warmth while standing behind our fired up grill! Yum!

Thanks so much, (((Pros))), for your lovely transferred May greeting above, along with the perfectly enhanced flower pic which was taken from one of your spectacular gardens. It certainly makes for a wonderful start to the month (in spite of our current gloomy weather here). Happiness, sunshine, warmth, health and smiles to you!

Plap ~ I'm truly inspired by your daily initiatives to keep feeling productive and active. My hubby enjoys doing the same thing, so I'm always heartened when he reasonably challenges himself in spite of certain mental or physical limitations caused by his stroke. Basically, we should all make the most of what we've got, while also supporting and encouraging those who may be less fortunate.

Good Morning All!

Well, we're looking at another day of gloomy, intermittently rainy weather and it looks like it's going to last through half the upcoming weekend. Comparatively speaking, I guess it's a small price to pay considering the months of drought and above average temps we encountered over much of winter and early spring. Our much warmer than usual winter and unprecedented April was great for the pocketbooks and morale, but not so much for resulting potential fire hazzards. Currently, it looks like May's weather will be more on the normal side. Despite this week's rainfall totals, we still have a way to go before making up a fairly large deficit. Hope this comes in spurts and not glub glub. Looking forward to a bit of sunshine and warmer temps on Sunday. Would be nice to uncover and utilize our gas grill again! Love those summer weather menus!

(((Alley))) ~ Sorry I missed your May Day posting on the first! Thanks for the lovely greeting and graphic! With those much warmer temps currently in your area, hope you're beginning to feel better healthwise. I'm envious of those 80F degree days of yours. Can't wait till sunny warmth returns here and becomes the norm again. Stay well and keep in touch!

Plap ~ Seriously, you should have our own TV show, in Canada, giving household tips on how to fix just about anything and/or impressive baked goods made easy. You are most definitely what we would call "a Jack of all trades". Wish I had your skills, focus and energy right now. Hopefully, when the sun and warmth make a return soon, I'll miraculously develop the impetus to get going. LOL! Have a great day/week/month!

Good Afternoon All!

Well, it looks like we're playing the game of GUESS WHO'S ONLINE TODAY? , as WU has developed a glitch in updating the timing of posts when seen on the blog members list. It looks like everyone's taken a sabatical from posting since yesterday. LOL! I've taken the liberty of putting in a ticket to the WU tech support team and, hopefully, they'll be able to fix the problem sometime before the weekend arrives. Hee, hee, hee.

Our weather remains and ends on the chilly dismal side this week, but unfortunately no appreciable amount of rain has fallen to make up for our serious deficit. I'm glad, however, that this week's rainfall has come in the form of dribs and drabs rather than torrential downpours. Since it's still early in May, it shouldn't be too much longer before we finally get a real soaking. One can only hope that it's not in the form of a damaging storm. At least, for now, Sunday looks promising for some glimpses of sunshine and warmer temps our way. It would be nice to resume grilling outdoors again. Lucky Rob!

Hi Rob! ~ Hope you got to enjoy those grilled brats in some Floridian warmth and sunshine the other day. We can't wait till it's warm enough to resume grilling outdoors as well. Currently, Sunday looks to be the best chance for some sunshine and warmth to return. Would love to get out and grill some more chicken that day! YUM! Here's hoping! Enjoy your weekend, good buddy, and HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO! Hey, I'll use any excuse to celebrate anything these days.

Hi NEw ~ What a miserably gloomy week this has been! One would think that we should have received some appreciable rainfall out of this lengthy system, but nadda. Well, it's still early in May and we're bound to play catch up before the month is through. I only hope that it doesn't involve any violent or damaging storms.

Hope you make it through this troublesome Friday and will have an enjoyably relaxing weekend in store.

Plap ~ It's great to see you up and at'm this am. Hope you're feeling better today and will begin to pace yourself a bit more since your recent setback. May you have an enjoyable weekend and receive recent pics of your newborn grandson for some needed uplift! Please take care!

Hiya Rob and fellow blogging buddies!

I'm up late tonight so thought I'd do some very early Saturday am posting. Hope you get to enjoy some of those Cinco De Mayo refreshments while celebratin' today!

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Thought I'd post an interesting tidbit about the Perigee Moon. This "super moon" occurs once a year when it is closest to the earth. Thought there may be some blogging buddies who might be interested in knowing more about this, so I'm posting both a Youtube video and informational link, below, taken from mercurynews.com




Example of moon submitted last night, May 4th, by turbguy to Wunderground photos.



Link to SUPER MOON SHINES SATURDAY NIGHT by Beth Marie Nole of mercurynews.com

Need some mood lighting for a romantic evening this weekend? Look no further than Saturday evening's dazzling moonbeams. The full moon is taking its closest pass by Earth tonight, making it a "super" moon. The super moon will appear about 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than normal full moons and will be the brightest of 2012.

The source of the super moon's power: its elliptical orbit. At 8:35 p.m. the full moon will reach the part of its path that is closest to Earth, called its perigee. Because of slight variability in its orbit, this perigee is the closest of all the perigees this year for the Earth's satellite. The result is a grand, golden orb.

To experience the gravity of its grandeur, NASA astronomers recommend viewing the super moon during moonrise, when the glowing disc emerges over mere terrestrial forms. Behind majestic trees or even towering skyscrapers, the super moon creates an inexplicable illusion that it's even larger than when it's hanging in the sky.

The show starts about 8 p.m. Saturday. The super moon rises at 7:59 p.m. amid clear skies while the sun sets at 8:01 p.m. Though super moons sometimes get a bad rap -- particularly from werewolves and headless horsemen -- they mostly only use their powers for good. Super moons raise tidewaters an insignificant inch or so, and they don't lead to a spike in beastly attacks.

But the super moon does have to share its spotlight with other celestial events


It's quite doubtful that my area of the country will get to see this gloriously large illuminated moonlight, but if anyone else is lucky enough to capture it on camera, I would love to see the posted results on WU's photos.

Good Morning All ~

For now, it looks like Monday, Friday and the upcoming weekend will be the picks of the week, as there's a three-day long rainy period forecasted in between. This inclement weather just may provide us with more much needed rainfall to make up some of the remaining large deficit. I only hope that the end result will be for happy lawns or gardens and not encumbered sump pumps!

I plan on taking advantage of at least part of this lovely day by spending some time outdoors. These past few weeks and months, I've developed this Gothic-looking pallor from having to remain constrained indoors due to personal matters or rotten weather. I need to feel some warmth of the sun on my face while it lasts! LOL!

Hope most of you have a pleasant weather day ahead of you, as well, and will be able to take full advantage of parts of it, if at all possible!

(((Pros))) ~ LOVE THAT PSYCHEDELIC IRIS SWIRL! It's fairly symbolic of our recently crazy weather and lives! LOL!

Good Morning All! ~

We're fairly resigned to the fact that April and May have inexplicably exchanged weather patterns this year. After months of drought and warmer than usual temperatures throughout, we're now making up for this rain deficit with about a week's worth of rainfall and/or t'storms. Thankfully, this week's dour and dank isn't accompanied by the chillier temps of last week. Nevertheless, it remains hard to want to rally out of bed each morning no matter how much caffeine one consumes. For now, Mothers Day still looks like the pick of the week with sunshine and warmer temps. Hope for the sake of all mothers out there that this type of forecast will ring true nationwide!

We're continuing to keep our eyes to the skies today, as there could be a pop up t'storm later this afternoon or evening. I hope that we can miraculously escape this potential, as I remain quite the wimp when it comes to lightning and thunderboomers. For now, it appears this lengthy rain train is remaining due south of us, going through the Cape and islands, while sweeping out to sea in a northeasterly direction. Cape Cod is getting short-changed this year by being outside of our record hot pattern last month and now taking the brunt of these rainstorms. Hopefully, better more normal weather patterns will soon take hold by summer.

(((Pros))) ~ Seems that I remain three beats or more behind when responding to posts, etc. these days. Our recent and current rainfest doesn't help to motivate. LOL! I'm glad to know, however, that you're currently able to occupy your time and thoughts with much happier pursuits. I'm trying to do the same, as well as, find the time to catch up on needed relaxation. Just like flowers in a garden, people need care and replenishment to thrive as well.

Quoting Proserpina:
Hi Mass, Hubby is on the golf course, I hope he gets to finish his nine holes. OR more.

Time to go sit and relax while I continue work on my latest painting. Nothing exciting, just trying to keep my hands wet with paint so I do not forget how to apply color.

Take care and enjoy your cookout.

I'm laughing at your comment regarding Raindad spending enough time on the golf links. As much as we love and appreciate our hubbys, it's nice to find some quiet time away from them every now and then. LOL! Hope you'll be able to keep those lovely, artistically talented fingers of yours enjoyably busy for some time to come!

Good Morning All!

Well, we just got our power back on after a 5 plus hr power outage (4:00 - 9:20 am) due some dilapidated old tree, no less, knocking down an overhead wire somewhere on our street. (per electric co.) It appears 1,600 people in the area were affected. We woke up around 4:00 am to our smoke alarm making a loud brief squawk, then seeing the sky light up near to our house and road, then finally everything turning to black inside and out. There were no t'storms, heavy rains or winds contributing to this mess, so it's exasperating how little towns and electric companies have done in taking simple important measures to prevent such major disruptions. There are too many of these dilapidated old trees and heavy branches, both up and down our miles long street, that should be cut down! Would be nice to go more than six months between these outages for whatever the reason!

At least, the rains have increased our surrounding greenery which makes me think of the theme song to that decades old TV show, "Green Acres." Sadly, however, with all the recent power outages in downtown Boston, there's no difference between so-called modern or country living these days. I guess, these days, it's too much to ask for those once modern, simple reliable conveniences ... such as electricity! ARGH! Sorry for the rant, but these outages are wearing us down.

................................

Hope the remainder to the week runs better for us all. Thankfully, it's not mid-winter and temps are fairly comfortable right now.

(((Pros))) ~ Sounds like you received enough REM sleep the other night to rev yourself up for this am's gardening ambitions. Hope you didn't overdo it too much and that a nice relaxing bath or shower will alleviate those resulting aches and pains!

Plap ~ As always, nice to hear from you and hope things progress nicely with you and yours.

Good Afternoon WU friends and, especially, Moms!



It appears we have an intermittently sunny, cloudy day on hand, but with the big exception of a return to summery temps!! Glad that our temps, in the week ahead, look to reach near or above 70F, despite a few days of showery inclement weather. Currently, our local radar looks devoid of any pop up showers and hope that will remain until at least nightfall. We need some sun and warmth around here to help brighten our mood and distract from those miserably high pollen counts which keep us sneezin' or itchin'.

Hope all you Moms out there get to celebrate your special day doing what you love best and/or with those dedicated children of yours who either still live within or nearby your home. HOPE THEY'RE UP TO WAITING ON YOU HAND AND FOOT! LOL!

Coincidentally enough, it's also my hubby's birthday! This year, however, since his 90 yr old mother is in a nursing home some distance away and his father needs transportation to visit as well, we've decided to wait until later in the week to celebrate his special day. Nevertheless, we're grateful that both he and his Mom are still around to enjoy each occasions!

SUNDAY, MAY 13, 2012 - ALSO, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY HUBBY AND MANY MORE!

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Hope all of you are well and that any beloved family members or pets that are currently under the weather will feel back to reasonable health quite soon! Take care.

Good Morning Folks!

Hope all you Mom's out there were able to partake of an enjoyable Mother's Day with plenty of warmth and sunshine. We couldn't have asked for a better day, ourselves, as there were bright skies, warmth (temps reaching 84F without humidity) and good spirits for all concerned.

The start to the week has, once again, began on the dismal side with potential showers to occur around noontime and last intermittently until Wednesday. At least, this system's brought warmer temps than those from the past few weeks. No more threats of overnight frosts or freezes in sight! Hopefully, this rainfall will increase us to more normal levels (after a seriously months long deficit) and help to greatly reduce the ridiculously high pollen count. As I've also redundantly mentioned, we've really felt the allergic effects of this season. Les Miserables!! LOL! Looking forward to when all has finally bloomed and pollen completely dissipated!

Plap ~ Good Mornin', Good Buddy, and hope your "Queen" had an enjoyable Mother's Day with many of her loved ones at her side and at her beck and call. LOL!

I don't plan on cheating my hubby out of a birthday gift because of the same day celebration. We will wait till the better end of the week before marking his special occasion with some fine dining in a locally nice restaurant. We both deserve it! LOL! Thanks so much for your kind birthday greeting to my hubby! I'll be certain to pass it along!

Hope we miss those nasty storm cells that currently appear to be traveling our way in a NNE direction. Central Mass. is now receiving the brunt of it. Now that it's warm enough to receive some possible t'boomers today through Wednesday, I may end up being caught between watching the local radar on my computer screen and running to the door of our basement!

Currently 70F
Clear
Humidity: 63%
Dew Point: 57F
Wind: 1 mph Variable
Wind Gust: 7.0 mph
Pressure: 30.16 in (Falling)
Visibility: 10.0 miles
UV: 10 out of 16
Pollen: 8.20 out of 12
Clouds: Clear -
(Above Ground Level)
Elevation: 114 ft

Good Afternoon All!

Boy, I let this morning slip through my fingers and thought it was actually about 11:00 am instead of past 1:00 pm. Where is my head these days? LOL!

Looks like our days long rainy system has finally swept out to sea and made way for better weather and temps to finally return. It remains a bit overcast, but our temps are steadily rising to a possible high of 75F. Bring it on! LOL! Hope that our current weekly forecast for sun and warmth will hold up, as hubby and I would love to get out to do more outdoor grillin' again. We both have a hankering for more of that marinated grilled chicken we prepare and enjoy. These past many months of indoor meals have become so tiring or boring. We crave that outdoor summer fare!

Gardengrrl ~ I'm so glad you enjoyed my alternate version of your current hilarious avatar. Like you, I enjoy bringing and sharing additional cheerfulness and laughter to friends on the WU scene; especially, to those faced with challenging or difficult episodes in their lives. It definitely helps to balance the mood or situation. Naturally, we all wish you the best in the days ahead and are here to support you during those more trying times! I hope the photo-editing info. and sites that I posted on your blogsite will be of some help to you and your efforts to learn new effects or techniques. ENJOY!

Plap ~ Naturally, I can't begin to know what it's like for anyone who has had a stroke and the life-altering changes one must adapt to subsequently. I only know, as only a witness or observer to what's resulted since my own hubby's stroke over three years ago, that it's important to do my best in being patient, supportive, understanding, rational and, above all, adaptive to change(s). All one can do is take one day at a time and continue to seek out the best medical information available when dealing with or treating the aftermath. Hope you'll continue getting sound advice and care from your doctors, specialists or nurses (like Alley) as well! We all have your best interests at heart!

(((Pros))) ~ So nice to see you on the blogs this morning and thanks so much for sharing yet another lovely snapshot of a gorgeous creation from your garden. The coffee, or in my case, teacup, is a wonderful bonus. I'm definitely drawn to both this am! LOL! May you be feeling better and able to catch up on any needed sleep. A good night's sleep is becoming an increasingly rare commodity these days, I know! ~ ZZZZZ, Harrumph, AWAKE! ARGH! ~

~ RIP / DONNA SUMMER - BORN: DEC. 31, 1948 ~ DIED: MAY 17, 2012 (AGE: 63)

She, so sadly, succumbed to cancer Thurs. morning at her home in Key West, Florida. Her gifted singing voice and stage presence will be greatly missed.LINK TO WIKIPEDIA.ORG/DONNA SUMMER SUCCUMBED TO CANCER TODAY AT AGE 63.. The music industry has taken quite a hit this year with the loss of so many legendary gifted artists! GRIM!

Click on picture below to listen to one of her more recent fabulous recordings. It is her 1999 'Americanized' disco rendition of one of my favorite tunes, "Con Te Partiro", which was originally introduced and made famous in 1997 by Italian singer, Andrea Bocelli.

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HI (((W/P and PROS)))!

I happened to glance at the news much earlier on my server's website and was stunned to see a report of Donna Summer's passing this am. I had no idea that she was terminally ill, since she has seemingly remained out of the limelight for much of this past decade.

Like some of you, I wouldn't go anywhere in my car without first snapping on my favorite disco radio stations first. I remember, while being stuck in Boston traffic during am/pm rush hours, occasionaly one would hear Donna's singing voice emit from other driver's car radios as well. It appeared we were all in musical sync back then.

It also so reminds me of my twenties. I may have mentioned, sometime previously, that I was once a diehard disco-dancin' gal, at the time, and would spend a couple hours each night after work, practicing many of the latest disco steps or moves to decompress after a most stressful day at work. Once I felt confident enough, I'd then venture out on a Saturday night, with close friends, to our favorite Boston dance spot, to try out some of these latest moves on the main floor. What an incredibly fun and exciting time that was and shall never be forgotten! Unfortunately, my body's given up these days and I can only dance in my head. LOL!

W/P ~ So great to hear from you again! To answer your question regarding my current status, things have finally settled down on the homefront, for now, and I'm thankfully not as overwhelmed by the many problems that were thrust onto me, since January, concerning my aged ailing inlaws.

I'm also happy that the warmer seasons are upon us, here in the Northeast, which are helping to brighten the spirits, lessen the fuel bills and lighten the weekly load of heavier laundry. LOL!

Sure hope you're doing well! We miss your more regular postings when Emmy was around on WU. You gals were and still are two of the best Perhaps we can coax Emmy back to her WU site sometime in the near future? I know she's been quite busy with her current position, but hopefully she can find, at least, a few moments during the summer? Fingers crossed! Thanks for posting two more perfectly fitting Donna Summer hits. These couple of hits bring me back to those better days with a longing sigh. Time sure has a way of escaping from me these days. Hard to believe it's been 36 yrs or so, since Donna became an instant hit with that 17 min tune of hers! Now, that was the definition of an LP (long-playing) tune!

Pros ~ I just read your fascinating post and insights pertaining to Donna Summer on your blog site! I had no idea that you had been a student at the very same Jerermiah Burke High School in Dorchester. I thought you had grown up strictly in Quincy. You certainly must know your way around Boston and all its 'burbs! Amazing how in tune we are (pardon the pun) not only to her music but for our past love for disco dancin' and the like! We truly are Aquarian soul sisters! Donna's certainly left many of her fans with tremendous memories of an exciting bygone era that's never to be duplicated or replaced. My deepest sympathy goes to her close family and friends! ~ Forever RIP, Donna, and Many, Many Thanks! ~

Good Afternoon, Everyone!

Plap and Alley, so good to hear from each of you! I've responded to your posts below on each of your sites. Naturally, I hope that whatever challenges you're currently facing, whether they be health or weather-related, will be either effectively remedied or pass safely by real soon!

I don't mind repeating myself in saying that we have another glorious weekend weather forecast in store for us! It's so nice to wake up to sunshine and warmer days. I'm grateful to find that this Thursday's forecast has eliminated the threat of a possible t'storm. YEAH! I have a dental appointment (teeth cleaning) that afternoon and wouldn't want to be confined to a dental chair, with a power drill in or near my mouth or, for that matter, anywhere near by body during an electrical storm! Who would????!!! I feel for those dedicated hygienists. LOL!

Hope that my all my WU friends, across the nation and into Canada, have an equally pleasant weekend forecast and are also able to take advantage of it, if at all possible! ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND AND, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE U.S. CITIZENS, IT'S ARMED FORCES DAY, SO PLEASE TAKE A FEW MOMENTS OF YOUR TIME TO HONOR OUR SOMETIMES OVERLOOKED SOLDIERS, WHO SERVE IN THOSE BRANCHES OF OUR U.S. MILIARY. ~THANKS~

SATURDAY, MAY 19, 2012 - TODAY IS U.S. ARMED FORCES DAY! PLEASE TAKE TIME TO HONOR OUR SOLDIERS IN ALL BRANCHES OF OUR U.S. MILITARY SERVICE, DESPITE IT BEING SO CLOSE TO MEMORIAL DAY!

Good Morning Everyone!

Well, it looks like the Tropical Storm/Hurricane Season has begun quite early in the Northeast this year. Seems may be dodging Tropical Storm Albert come Thursday, see below, as it shows to be currently tracking away from us, in a more ENE direction, or as it heads our way and out to sea! WHEW! Will provide further updates throughout the week.




Since it's another incredibly gorgeous day outside today (currently 75F and Sunny), I'm heading out to partake. Hope everyone is enjoying great or decent weather their way, too! See you on the blogs tomorrow!

Good Morning, Folks!

We seem to have entered yet another few days of unsettled weather with either rain or pm t'storms indicated for much of the week. As I mentioned to NEwxGuy on his site the other day, I sure hope that Thursday's current threat for pm t'storms will vanish, as I have a dental hygienist's appt. scheduled at that time. The last place I'd want to be during a t'storm is constrained to a dental chair while having the hygienist place metal objects or electrical instruments in or anywhere near my mouth, etc.! I don't even want to think of a lightning zap occuring during the dental xray phase, despite my upper part being shielded from radiation! LOL! Fingers crossed!

Thankfully, Tropical Storm Alberto, is now seen as a Depression and should pose absolutely no threat to our region as it heads in an ENE direction towards the Northeast but further out to sea. WHEW! Too early in the season for storms like that!

Plap ~ You must have quite an excellent camera phone to turn out such a great snapshot of Abbey nuzzling with that caged bunny the other day. Thanks for clearing up the identity of that lovely gal sitting within the same fenced-in area as the bunny. Nice to know that both you and Abbey seem to have your instinctual habits in tact, i.e., dog chases prey while owner chases skirts. LOL! In either case, remember that sometimes the pursuit may be more fun than the actual catch or its consequences. LOL!

NEw ~ It appears that the Red Sox's higher ups must must have had quite the tete a tete with a certain star pitcher of their team, as he seems to now be redeeming himself from those recent off-field defiant acts considered petulant or contrary. Hope that the team has finally gotten its bearings and will remain on a more winning roll.

It does look like we'll have to muddle through yet another few days of unsettled, rainy, stormy weather until a return to sunshine and flowers by Friday. Thank goodness, Sunday and Monday's forecasts currently show excellent weather in which to both celebrate and/or honor those lost loved ones during our 3-day Memorial Day weekend ahead. Would love to be able to spend some quality time outdoors with surviving relatives and/or close friends.

Good Morning All!

I hope each of you (in the States) had a decent Memorial Day holiday weekend in which to take the time to honor, commemorate or appreciate our valient U.S. soldiers or vets who have been lost to past/present wars, etc. Thank you, my dear Canadian friend, Alley, for your lovely commemorative graphic left below and to Pat for posting Billy Joel's most phenomenal musical tribute along with the moving heartfelt lyrics. In years past, Billy Joel certainly was brilliant at descriptively illuminating the plight or conditions of either our soldiers, vets or the working class through his music. Wish there were more musicians out there, of his ilk, who could pick up where he left off.

Weatherwise, we had a remarkably perfect weekend. The sun remained throughout and our temps were comfortably warm. Glad that those original threats of severe pop up t'storms never materialized, so we were able to make it to and from our destinations safely and with ease.

Currently, it's quite overcast and gloomy outside with cooler temps in the mid-60's. I continue to hope that any/all threats of t'storms, later today or tomorrow, continue to dissolve! My nerves can't take any further thunderous crash boom bangs whether inside or outside of the house!

CURRENT NORTHEAST WEATHER RADAR




Hope that those WU friends, living in the T/S Beryl affected portions of Florida, didn't end up too submerged or effected by its overwhelming rainfall and high winds. It's really quite remarkable how early these tropical storms have developed compared to more recent ones. Let's us all get through this Hurricane/Tropical Storm season totally unscathed! Keep the faith and keep your eyes to the skies!

SOUTHEASTERN STATES - INCLUDING FLORIDA