MaryAnn, I heard that they repeated the parade on HGTV. As you know, I am a golf fan.  became a golf nut once i retired, had never played before.  Had another friend who would play in any weather.  We played with colored balls in Feb. when there was snow on the ground. the one club we belonged  was open  all year,  When my husband was alive of course I watched hockey, as he had that on day and night.  He would go into the Islanders games, when they in the colosseum  and in Charleston he had bought a years passes, same set all the time. that was the  Styrays

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Marilyne, we watched the Parade.  It started here at 10 am (central time) on ABC.  I did not know that HGTV broadcast the parade without commercials.  Some of the young student  volunteers were interviewed and seemed quite excited about the chance they had to do so.  There were some beautiful and interesting floats.  The young girl that had the idea for the panda float was interviewed.  She was such a cute girl and was really enjoying herself.

Sorry to say that Callie's Oklahoma Sooners, did not end up as the Rose Bowl winners.  It was a very exciting game, with two evenly matched teams.  They were tied at the end of the game, so had to go to two or three overtimes, to determine the winner.
Callie, I hope you don't feel too disappointed . . . your Sooners were incredible!

Mary Ann - Ordinarily,  I don't have the patience to watch any football game.  The time-outs, and game delays drive me crazy.  A fifteen minute quarter can take up to an hour!   However, AJ really likes college football, and when our two youngest grandchildren were in college - LSU and Oregon State U - I started to get interested.  We live close to Stanford and San Jose State U, so I do like to keep up wth both schools.   I absolutely hate professional football!  Way, WAY too rough and violent for me, plus, I don't like the private lives and personal antics of the pro players. The money they make is absolutely obscene.

Sorry to hear that Dot is still not 100%, but glad that she will be seeing a doctor.  I hope Annie came by tonight, so you could give her your Christmas present. 

Patricia - Thank you for that cheerful & hopeful message for 2018!

Marilyne,  Thanks for the kind comments about the Sooners.  The Rose Bowl loss was a big disappointment but I'm sure the Sooners will be right back at it next season. 
I can't stand pro sports....period!  The only college teams I follow are the Sooners and the Oklahoma State Cowboys.  The Cowboys won one of the minor bowl games.  I've forgotten which one - there are so many of them now that I can't keep up. 
Re: the parade on HGTV.....  For some reason I completely forgot about it being on HGTV.  I've watched it there several times.  Oh well....
Onward and Upward. 

Hi Everyone. I am overwhelmed by the generosity of you all having the very cold temperatures to share them so generously with us here in the South.  It was 17 degrees when I got up this morning and will stay in the high 30's this afternoon.  At least we will be above freezing.  For some reason I doubt I am going to get any sympathy. 

I didn't leave the house yesterday and watched a lot of college football.  Both South Carolina and Georgia won but Clemson did not.  The Georgia/Oklahoma game was a nail biter and went to two overtimes.  Georgia now advances to play for the National Championship against Alabama.  I have nothing particular on the schedule for today so will continue my first of the year work here in my office and just take it easy again today.  The schools resume tomorrow so things should get back to normal operation around the community. 

We forgot to watch any of the Rose Bowl Parade and I did know about the HGTV broadcasting it without commercials.  I only watched a little of the Clemson/Alabama game as it was getting too late.

Hal, our forecasts for the upcoming days show some cold nights, although not as cold as last night, and getting warmer during the day.  I sure hope we have had our coldest day of the year.  It sounds like you are getting off to a big start with your week full of appointments. 

Mary Ann, it sounds like Tom had a good night driving and it was worthwhile to be out.  Like you I try to keep my focus on one day at a time. 

Sandy, it sounds like you got that heater just in time.  I have tired of watching some of the news that I have in the past as it is so much a constant repeating of the same stories all day long.  I would rather listen to an audiobook or read.  Pat watches a lot of Hallmark movies but usually with the headphones on so I can have it fairly quiet in the house. 

Patricia, it shocks me that you get your warmer weather from Siberia as that area is always spoken of as being so bitterly cold.  I think we all learned a lot from each other and I am still learning.  If only I could remember what I learn! Pat is having a time learning to use her Instant Pot and gets very frustrated with it and herself at times.  I hope over time she will become proficient in its use.  She has been looking at a lot of related videos and finding recipes for it that she wants to try.  For the last several days we have had our main meal at noon and expect today will be the same.  We have some burritos we got at Costco that we will have for our main meal today probably with a nice salad.  I liked that wishing you graphic.

Jean, it must be a thrill for the float designers to see the final product from their ideas. 

Marilyne, I have always marveled at how they put the floats for the Rose Bowl parade together and how they get all of those flowers on it so quickly.  I did see a program one time about building the floats and that it is a year round job for some in designing and building them as well as decorating them. It is enjoyable to have the decorations up but also very enjoyable when they are put away for another year.  You sound like my wife who complains about how long it takes to play the last few minutes of a game as well as the crowd noise.  Now we just mute the game and I listen with my headphones. 

deAngel, years ago when we first moved back to Georgia from Maryland for a couple of years we had a New Year's Eve party with friends from our church and played Bunco until midnight and then toasted the New Year with a few sips of champagne.  It was enjoyable and everyone stayed sober. 

Callie, like the Texas/OU game in Dallas, Georgia and Florida always play in Jacksonville.  Several of my coffee drinking friends in Georgia were ardent fans and attended that game every year until they got too old to do so.  That was sure a good game yesterday afternoon and evening and I hated to see either team lose as well as they played but wasn't unhappy to see Georgia end up the winner as have been a Georgia fan for over 30 years. Here in the Augusta area the fan base is divided between Georgia, South Carolina and Clemson.  I heard one of the announcers say there are 40 bowl games this year.  I have never heard of some of the companies sponsoring them. 

Marilyn, I've watched the Rose Parade in previous years on HGTV.  I guess I didn't watch enough HGTV recently to see any ad about the parade - and there usually have been in other years.  I just plain forgot about the parade this year.  I think I'll be able to get along without it. 

We are to have a nice day and have so far.  At 10:10 am, we have 17 degrees. supposed to go to 18 today and 19 Wednesday.  Then back down again.

Annie did not make it here last night but she and Tom did meet to exchange gifts.  My first request was for "services" because I don't need anything.  Then later I thought of a CO2 detector and Tom got one for me.  I'll see if someone can get me an indoor/outdoor thermometer for the kitchen window because mine bit the dust a couple of years ago; it would read LLLLL even with a new battery.  The thermometer is still in the kitchen window because I don't like to open that window even in summer because it is hard to open and/or close.  Annie will show up one of these days.

Larry, as for sharing the cold?  Misery loves company.  Tom told me the other day he is saving for a new-to-him car in two or three years.  He is driving a 2006 Camry with about 200,000 miles on it.  He has always loved the Camry and Norm would have had a fit if he knew what Tom bought because Norm was all for US brand cars regardless of the fact no US car is 100% US parts any more.  So Tom's driving Uber money is going for that goal.  I'm happy he is able to do so because it wasn't so very long ago that he had no job, no money.

Grand Haven is pretty what with the sun shining.  The reds show up clearly and the ice looks to be a little further out in the lake.  It is a bit-by-bit thing as long as the water is warmer than the air. 

Mary Ann

Larry, I thought about you and Pat yesterday.  Our daughter and husband were over and we played Farkle.  We hadn’t played it in years.  It was a gaming afternoon and we enjoyed a game Of Rummikub.  A fun way to start the new year.

Good morning from the Interior. Our low today will be plus ten, yesterday was plus six, so the warming continues along with each weather report varying widely. This is something I don't recall seeing before with those past reports.

Larry, Alaska has four geological and thermal sectors. I know we have different weather than the S.E. or Western portions of the state. While Marilyne has said in the past that their colder weather is reported to come from Alaska's gulf, that entire sector is part of Oregon and Washington's rainforest climate. Ketchikan, Alaska in that area, holds the record for the most rainfall in North America. The coldest places in the US have been in Minnesota, a fact that will surprise many.

USA Today reported in 2015, "While extreme winters may be anomalous in some of these areas, many places in the United States experience extreme cold every year. Fairbanks, Alaska, for example, averaged Fahrenheit temperatures of nearly 17 degrees below zero between 1981 and 2010."

You couldn't say that anymore. Our periods' of snow and long sustained, (Over two weeks);  severe weather hasn't been seen in years. Last year people joked about clearing their driveways with a tablespoon while this year we've had three foot of remaining snow. So when I say "We" I'm usually speaking of this area and not the remainder of the state. The part of Canada we are closest to is Northern prairie with winds.

MaryAnn, you are correct in your assumption concerning British and East Indian food.

While I don't usually watch parades, I want to mention that both Macy's parade and the Rose Parade are always on Youtube for those who might want to see what they've missed. I'm not a sports fan of either golf, football or other sports, however, this town has fanatical fans, and there are in the summer, youth and adult soccer, baseball and softball. In the fall you have football, hockey, curling; and besides the University, there are two ice arenas that you may use for winter sports year around.

Jean, I have never heard about, other than Larry's mention and now yours, either of those two games. Is the last one a form of gin rummy?

Has anyone been watch the Grand Haven lake. There are 3 people so crazy walking along the snow.

Also I watch the Camera on the new Baby Eagles in North Florida. Poor things. Nest is just frozen over but they seem to be O.K. The Parents keep bringing food and straw. I don't have the one up in Michigan now. They usually have young this time of year. Bet they would be frozen.  I always wonder like today here in my area what is happening to the birds. I don't see any.  Sun is out but not going above 7 deg today and at night we are going down to 18 below again.

Jeanne P - Not sure if those are two people I see in the snow on the Grand Haven web cam?  I hope not, because they don't seem to be moving?

At 2:10 pm there are six people on the shore at Grand Haven, five in one group, one alone.  I have seen snowplows in action on some days (not today) but it looks to me as if they have pushed the snow toward the water and there is a pile of snow there now.

Tom and I returned a short time ago from having lunch at a Mexican restaurant with James and Alicia and the twins.  I can't get over the smiles on those girls and they smile often.  They were so good today until about time to leave when they were tired and cried a bit.  When we left, they were going to see Dot and I know Dot would be thrilled to see them. 

My computer says it is 18 degrees and the sun is shining.  It really is a beautiful day.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann - I hope someone took pictures of the girls, so we can see how they've grown?  I've heard that twins are usually well behaved babies, and don't demand a lot of attention.  Reason being that they always have each other close by, to play with and talk to.  I guess that the downside is, that when one starts crying, the other will join in!

It does look like a high pile of snow, along the waters edge at Grand Haven.  I saw people earlier, on top of the snow.  They looked so still, that I was concerned . . . but the next time I looked, they were gone, so all is okay.   

Marilyn, looking at Grand Haven just now, there were three pairs of people on the pile of snow in different locations.  One pair went close to the water.  Just before I left the site another pair showed up.  I was glad to see the one pair leave the edge of the water because if they fell in, I think it would be too late to get help.  I notice the wave action has increased and when a wave hits the ends of the piers, there is a lot of spray.  For me, it's a fun thing to watch on the computer and I am sure I would not try to walk on the beach to the edge of the water.

Mary Ann

Interesting news about those Nigerian Princes needing our help to access their money...

"You know the Nigerian prince who promises to send you millions of dollars if you just give him a few thousand to cover the cost of the transfer?  Well, he was arrested, and he's a 67-year-old white guy from Slidell, Louisiana named Michael Neu.

SLIDELL â€" A 67-year-old Slidell man who served as a go-between for an international team of scammers running a “Nigerian prince” email scheme has been arrested after an 18-month investigation.

Michael Neu, who is neither Nigerian nor a prince, has been charged with 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering.

Neu helped shuttle fraudulently obtained money to his co-conspirators, some of whom actually do live in Nigeria, according to the Slidell Police Department.

The ubiquitous scheme, which begins when an email is sent to an unsuspecting recipient the scammers claim has been named as the beneficiary in a will, is designed to collect personal information that is then used to steal money and identities online.

The scheme nets millions of dollars each year, according to the SPD, and is difficult to track since many of the participants operate outside of the United States.

“If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal said. “Never give out personal information over the phone, through e-mail, cash checks for other individuals, or wire large amounts of money to someone you don’t know. 99.9 percent of the time, it’s a scam.”

Other versions of the scam involve people claiming to represent law enforcement agencies or utility companies.

To avoid identity theft scams like this, always ask for a callback number and verify the identity of the person attempting to collect the information, according to the SPD."

Hi Everyone. Not quite as cold her this morning as it is around 28 degrees and will only get into the mid-30's this afternoon.  They are having icy conditions in Florida and winter type weather is going up the East Coast but will not be getting to us.  I plan on staying in again today until late this afternoon when we are meeting Scott and Jennifer at the BBQ Barn for our dinner meal today.  They will then come on out to the house. 

Jeanne Lee called Janet Damon yesterday and Janet shared the following per Jeanne's request:

Now I have news about our dear Jeanne.  She called me this morning to say she's still praying for me, and when she can get CP (Wi-fi is sketchy in the hospital) she also prays for the needs here.  Yes, she is still in hospital, and doesn't expect to get to go back to her trailer, but will be going to rehab, assisted living or a care home, she doesn't know which or where yet.  Larry, she asked me to ask you to share this on Seniors and Friends as well.  And she said to tell you all that she needs all the prayers she can get!


Mary Ann, services is what I asked our son for as his gift to us at Christmas.  Like you we don't need anything else to sit around.  The CO2 detector is a good thing to have.  We don't have a need for one in this house since it is all electric.  I expect with all the driving that Tom does he will be in need of a different car in 2 or 3 years. 

Jean, my son, granddaughter and wife really enjoy playing Farkle and do so about every time they visit. Rummikub is also a fun game but it has been very long time since we played it. 

Patricia, Alaska is certainly a State with many variations in weather patterns.  One summer when we lived in Anchorage my job required me to visit a remote FAA site and that evening we ended up on Annette Island so spent the night there.  I don't remember it being very memorable other than being quite a distance away from anywhere else.  I hadn't thought about viewing the Rose Bowl Parade via YouTube.  FYI, the game of Farkle is played with six dice and by throwing different combinations of numbers the score is determined.  It is a simple game of chance and pretty fast moving. Hard to believe that people fall for the Nigerian scam.  It has been around a long time. Glad one of the abettors was arrested.

JeanneP, good to see your postings.  I hope you are not having to get out in that severe Illinois weather.  I remember some tough winter weeks when we lived in Springfield and had lots of snow and ice.  We lived in a new mobile home there and sometimes it was difficult to get the door open as snow would pack against it. 

Marilyne, hope you are enjoying the warm weather compared to a lot of the country. 

Farkle sounds very much like the game of Yahtzee

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahtzee

Larry, thanks for relaying the information about Jeanne Lee.  I know we all miss her posts. 

When I went to bed last night our temp was 7 degrees and this morning at 9:30 it is 11 degrees.  Not exactly a heat wave, but it is a bit warmer than we have had.

I had never heard of Farkle, let alone played it, until Larry mentioned his family plays it.  I hadn't heard of the other game either.  (Bubble, I have played Yahtzee.)

Annie came over last night to get her Christmas gifts and was pleased with what she got.  Before she left, she helped me change my bed.  I wish she would be here today because there is much more to be done.  I took something from the bottom of a pile and much of the pile fell on the floor where is still rests.  I have my work cut out for me.

The sun is not shining and we have snow.  I looked at Grand Haven and could see the frozen lake is out a bit further but I could not see the piers or the light houses.

I think Tom went driving this morning but did not stay long.

Mary Ann

Good morning from a warm Interior with a strong temperature inversion going on presently. This is expected to last until snow commences this afternoon and the inversion will collapse. My balcony thermometer reads plus 33 this morning. Some parts of the city read plus 5 and others read plus 30. Unfortunately, we will be riding to and through a ridge to a dome for our brunch today and coming back through a snowfall which should make for an interesting ride.

Thanks for the explanation Larry, It reminded me of Bunco. I have played Yahtzee for years, however. I will have to Google the other game.

I wanted to post a photo of two of my favorite gifts. I have friends who really "get me!"    


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Patricia,  cute sayings  on your mugs.   

Gosh, your temperatures are a lot warmer than we all are down here  in  the eastern part of the states. Would love to be having 33º here.

Thanks for sharing your mug pictures. My oldest son has a huge collection of all kinds of mugs from all over the world ...  some with some neat sayings.

Joy

Mary Ann - I just looked at Grand Haven, and it looks almost frightening to me.  I have never in my lifetime seen a frozen lake, or snow on a sand beach.  Photos yes, but that's it.  I feel bad for all of you folks who are dealing with this extreme cold.  I know you will stay inside, and I hope that Tom stays home too.

Sorry that Annie couldn't stay long enough to help you with more household duties.  I know how the young people are - they just don't understand what it's like to live in these old bodies. We can no longer bend over and pick up things that fall on the floor, much less put them away in their proper place. I have a grabber that I use for things I drop or knock over.  Seems that so many items slip right through my fingers and land on the floor.  A whole pile of stuff, would be very disheartening.  Maybe Tom can help you later today?     

Larry - Thank you for telling us about Jeanne Lee.  I know she has suffered with a number of health issues this past year, but knowing that she will never be able to go home, must be very depressing for her.  I will be thinking about her, and sending prayers and good wishes.

Read the news about Jeanne Lee. I am wishing for the best for her.

The locals had their "Polar Bear" plunge on New Year's Day with the help of River Rescue who chopped a big hole in the ice for them to dip into. When I got up this morning the temp was at 5. It is 18, now, and sunny. We won't see temps above 32 until Monday, but before that, Friday and Saturday will only be in the mid-teens during the day. I am not going anywhere until next week if I can help it, except maybe for my Library duties on Thurs. The Library is very slow this time of year so I think they can do without me this week.

My attempts to declutter lately have slowed down, so I must try to get back to that. There is a lot of stuff around that I no longer use or have lost interested in. Shan, on the other hand, is interested in everything, and is constantly underfoot or diving into things. If he makes enough of a racket, Oscar shows up to see what is going on. Those two are getting to be quite a pair.

Patricia, I love your mugs.  I possibly could use one about a cat but my hair usually stays put after I comb it in the morning; it's just the nature of the beast.

My computer room is absolute chaos anyway but last night I made it worse and I must fix that today.  I pulled something from the bottom of a pile and the rest of the pile went on the floor.  I now cannot get from here to there - until I do pick-up.

Marilyn, Annie was here late last night and Tom took her home which is why she could not stay longer.  And Tom works during the day so he is unavailable.  I try to not interrupt him, but it is very tempting at times.  We usually communicate by e-mail and that way he can read the message when he has time, then answers me.  He is going to take time out to go to the store.  I think he will not drive tonight, but will get up early in the morning to drive.  Most of his trips are within the city, but some take him out into the county.  When things slow down, he comes home.  Much to my relief!!!

Mary Ann

PS - Kendrick is quite interested in what fell down last night; it is stuff he hasn't investigated yet.  Since most of what fell is paper, I have to keep it out of his reach because he does chew paper. 

Good afternoon, just got home from grocery shopping and going to the bank, which is also in Stop & Shop.  I was happy when they open the bank last year.  To morrow we are suppose to have 10 to 12 inches of snow, with 50mil gust.   I just pray the power dose not go off, I do not know what I will do.

MaryAnn, nice that Annie got by for a little while at lest.  I cannot make my bed either, as the new mattress is so thick.

Larry, thanks for informing us about JeanneLee.   I know she must not be a happy camper, as I know what I felt like when they told me I would have to go to rehab.

Patricia, the play bunco every Thursday in the rechall.  We also use to play it when I was a kid, and listen to the radio.

Joan, we miss you.

Gloria, I guess you will also be snowed in to morrow.  I am suppose to go to the hematologist Friday, for my last shot in the series.

lindancer, I am here.  I check in a few times a day but not much to say.    Hate to take up room for a non interest post. 

Thanks for missing me.

Joan, I hope your daughter is still with you? I know it gives you peace of mine to know where she is now.

I just looked at Grand Haven and thought I saw someone or something at the edge of the snow on the ice, but it turned out to be something on my computer screen.  Thanks goodness!

It is interesting watching the Weather Channel highlighting the snow and ice storm.  We are used to snow, in fact, I think when I was younger, we had more snow but the years vary.  Some years we have a very light winter.  When Norm was in Germany during the Korean War we had close to 150 inches of snow the winter of 1951-1952.  We had a snowbank by our driveway that was higher than my dad (5'8").  One night we turned on every light in the house, then went across the street and took a picture of our house surrounded by snow and with that pile of snow at the end of our drive.  It got to where there was no place to put the snow.  We do not have to worry about shoveling or plowing here; it is done for us.  I'm glad to stay inside, however, I forgot to ask Tom to get the mail so I'll have to wait until early evening to have it.

Mary Ann

Angel, Rummikub consists of numbered tiles.  You have to do a lot of counting so it helps in keeping your mind sharp.  It’s a lot of fun.   In Farkle you only have to have 6 dice and paper and pencil to keep score.  Different combinations determine the score.  Another game we enjoy is Mexican Train that is played with dominoes (double 1s to double 12s).  Game playing is very big on both sides of our family.  I also spend too much time playing (mostly) word games on my iPad. 

Lindancer,  daughter is still with me.  Unfortunately I live in an apt with one bedroom and one bath.  We are trying very hard not to kill each other.  LOL

FlaJean,  my family plays Mexican Train after gifts/eating on Christmas.   This year, no one had the double 7 and there was only one domino left in the "draw pile" by the time it turned up!  That had never happened before. 

We used to play Tripoli with several other couples on New Year's Eve. We would get so involved in the game that we'd forget to watch the time and would miss celebrating the change at midnight.