Soda Shoppe November 1 , 2026

RAMMEL · November 05, 2026, 09:34:10 AM

Quote from: Amy on November 05, 2026, 07:31:18 AMDoesn't hurt that I butter them up with buttertarts.

Bribery will get you everywhere.

patricia19 · November 05, 2026, 12:26:15 PM

Good morning, I wish it were +58 here. Instead, we have +18, and more sleet and ice are expected. I got my new wheeled mesh garden cart with a folding handle. There are so many times I've been unable to get items from point A to point B. I'm so appreciative because I've been looking for a while, and it was one of only two left. Others here with them gave me the idea.

BarbStAubrey · November 05, 2026, 03:45:28 PM

Yes, wheelies are the way to go aren't they Patricia - since I'm no longer able to do much out of doors I purchased a couple of wheelies for in the house - one nice 2 shelf wooden one that is out all the time and the other a 3 shelf metal one so that I can get things from shelves, put them on the wheelie and take them where I'm either working or to a new location - I'm even using them now to take my laundry from my closet to the washer and dryer and then back to my drawers. I really need a small 18"X18" but tall in the kitchen so get my prepared food to the table or things from frig to stove or sink area - spilled applesauce last night trying to carry it and my dinner in one trip to the table.

Air has finally turned chilly and so I've left open the front door and pulled the window down showing the screen on the outside door allowing fresh air to circulate - most of the windows have a storm window that cannot be opened and the one in the kitchen does have a screen but I cannot manage to open the inside window and so the door is it... Temps in the 70s just now hitting 81 however, anything below 80 feels chilly in these parts.

Need to go take my short walk - started a walking program that starts this week walking daily from my garage down to the mailbox and back...

Ciaobella · November 05, 2026, 05:01:05 PM

Good afternoon, all! The temps are dropping to the 50's and it is cloudy outside which makes me want to read and snuggle up with my dog. Oh, how nice it is to finally be rid of the calls and texts since the election is over.

Barb, I too decided to keep the tv off and not deal with all the election commentary.

Phyllis, so good to hear you and David are getting back to your normal lives.

Patricia, I am not surprised AI and Data Centers are not as welcoming as expected. I personally refuse to use AI/ChatGPT. I want to remain relying on my own brain to converse and comprehend so it doesn't turn to mush. lol

On election day our leaves had hit their peak in colors and now today the trees are almost bare. Oh, how I hate seeing them go, but as Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us... "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."

Me and my dog Brinkley.

patricia19 · November 05, 2026, 06:19:52 PM

My biggest issue is groceries. From the car or taxi to the porch. From the porch to the elevator, to my floor, and down the long haul to my apartment. Each of those segments has two, three, or more segues, depending on how many grocery bags I have.

Or the 38-pound kitty litter box I buy every three months or so.

Then there is laundry, mail, garbage down to the in-wall drops, or broken-down cardboard to the first-floor cardboard disposal.

RAMMEL · November 05, 2026, 06:22:17 PM

Quote from: Ciaobella on November 05, 2026, 05:01:05 PMBarb, I too decided to keep the tv off and not deal with all the election commentary.

But now we have those repetitive Medicare adds - and they also will soon be over (for the year).

patricia19 · November 05, 2026, 08:04:37 PM

For all you Jessicas' out there. You share a unique bond with Shakespeare.

Marilyne · November 06, 2026, 12:38:45 AM

Three Jessica's in my extended family. Granddaughter Jessica Kathryn, age 30, is the daughter of our son Brad and his wife Jackie. The other Jessica is our grandson Danny's wife. I think she's 40? Last February I posted a photo of their new born baby boy in his hospital incubator. He's now nine months old and doing well.

Amy · November 06, 2026, 04:46:34 AM

Good morning

Temp is starting out at 48° and rain again today. No need for heat on today..do need to bring more wood in.

Will nip into town have tea with friends then pick up a few things at the grocery store.

Rick, these are a great group of men. They knew when Kyle was buying for a customer that he wanted good wood....no splits, no hockey sticks and not knotty wood.

Patricia, that is just what you need!!

Barb, I would take laundry downstairs holding onto the laundry basket and the handrail.....now thanks to son he suggested laundry bags. I fill them take to the top of the stairs and throw them down, then go down pick and drag to machine! Much easier and safer to do.

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

RAMMEL · November 06, 2026, 09:35:21 AM

Quote from: Amy on November 06, 2026, 04:46:34 AMno splits, no hockey sticks and not knotty wood.

It's good when they sort of know you and what and when you need certain stuff. Early on, in my younger days, I dealt with two places that got to know me, and would "dig" through the pile to get me good pieces. One guy even asked me to come back "next week" and he would find me a heart wood piece for a supporting post on my porch. That piece is still out there in all sorts of weather - and still looks good.
No "Big Box" stores back then.

phyllis · November 06, 2026, 12:32:34 PM

I like the small family store, too. And I think you get better service because they try harder. And, there are a few still doing an adequate business amongst all the big box stores just because they are your friends and neighbors and you know the whole family and the kids all went to school together.

patricia19 · November 06, 2026, 12:40:11 PM

I remember those days before, when we were still a small town. Plus, my uncle owned a popular saloon; my father was foreman of the city garage, did a side job welding various pieces for folks, and retrained difficult hunting dogs; and my mother worked in various sales positions all over town, eventually becoming secretary to the librarian at a local high school.

We were a territory until 1959, and we didn't have many services that states took for granted until statehood.

Amy · November 06, 2026, 01:25:36 PM

While out getting a load of wood I came across this little fellow.
He is a wooly bear caterpiller or Isabella tiger moth.

Folklore has it that he predicts winter..

Canadian and U.S. folklore holds that the relative amounts of brown and black hair on a larva indicate the severity of the coming winter. It is believed that if a Pyrrharctia isabella's brown band is wide, winter weather will be mild, and if the brown band is narrow, the winter will be severe. In a variation of this story, the color of stripes predicts the winter weather, with darker stripes indicating a harsher winter. In reality, hatchlings from the same clutch of eggs can display considerable variation in their color banding, and a larva's brown band tends to widen with age as it molts.[10]

Another version of this belief is that the direction in which a Pyrrharctia isabella crawls indicates the winter weather, with the caterpillar crawling south to escape colder weather. There is no scientific evidence for winter weather prediction by Pyrrharctia isabella

RAMMEL · November 06, 2026, 01:51:31 PM

Amy, so now, with all that info & data, how do YOU think the winter will be?

patricia19 · November 06, 2026, 02:14:52 PM

What an interesting caterpillar, both name and legend.

I don't recall ever seeing a caterpillar, truthfully, although we must have had them. I wonder how the name Isabella came to be included?

I looked it up: "It was first formally named by James Edward Smith in 1797," but it didn't say why it had a feminine name attached.

patricia19 · November 06, 2026, 02:50:10 PM

I just had a very strange experience. Many people ask if I will accept their packages, as I'm usually home. I always say it's okay as long as they don't expect it every time.

I was at the door accepting a Walmart package when an Amazon delivery guy was heading back down the hall. I looked up at a noise and saw the Meals on Wheels guy heading toward me. Everyone stopped and looked at me. What came out of my mouth was totally unplanned. I told everyone I was an equal opportunity neighbor. Not one of my brighter moments.

MarsGal · November 06, 2026, 03:55:33 PM

Interesting problem, Patricia. Pyrrharctia appears to be a made up word. Neither pyrrh or arctia, according to what I have read so far, can be traced back to any definite origin. However there are suggestions/possibilities. Pyr is the Greek word for fire, and arctia, someone suggested, may refer to northern or cold climes because the spelling is so close to Arctica. Isabella is more straightforward. It is Spanish/Italian for Elizabeth. There is speculation that it traces back to the Hebrew for Elizabeth. I have a mind to see if Smith knew someone by that name. It is not his wife, and so far, I haven't seen any reference to children. His wife, Pleasance (ne:Reeve) Smith, collected and edited his writings and had it published. I saw a sample page of it on Google; looks interesting. Maybe there is some reference in that.

BarbStAubrey · November 06, 2026, 04:31:18 PM

Amy I threw my laundry down the basement stairs when I lived in Kentucky and my children were babies - here the only reason you have a basement is if you want to breed snakes is the belief - actually the ground does not support a basement - before slabs there were pilings.

Predictions Patricia - does the Farmer's Almanac still count? It says; "an overall milder-than-normal winter for Alaska in 2026–2027, though sharp cold snaps are expected in late December, mid-January, and mid-February. Snowfall totals are anticipated to be above average overall, with northern areas receiving above-normal precipitation and southern regions staying below normal."

And for you MarsGal and Rick - ""tricky winter" marked by snow, sleet, and rapid temperature swings across the Northeast for 2026–2027. Inland areas are expected to see heavy, wet snow particularly in January and February, while coastal zones face a variable mix of rain, sleet, and ice."

PHyllis you must fit in this category as I do, "The Farmers' Almanac predicts a stormy, wetter-than-normal winter across the South driven by an active storm track, whereas The Old Farmer's Almanac forecasts a generally milder season with localized variations."

Monarchs came barreling through on their way to Mexico a couple of weeks ago and now that I have a couple of Vitex (Chasteberry or Texas Lilac) small trees, the purple blooms attracted a few as a rest stop however, they do not leave eggs or larva when on their migrating journey so no caterpillars to measure color band widths.

Looks like the young man across the street graduates High School next Spring - there is a sign in their front yard about his graduating in 2027 - hard to believe a quarter of a century has flown by - seems like yesterday we were worrying if the computer would reset something about the clocks.

patricia19 · November 06, 2026, 05:25:32 PM

Barb, the Alaskan weather predictions from the Farmer's Almanac are in line with what is possible but not probable. Many of the long-range prognosticators, including "Weather with Travis," have a different opinion.

The state is divided by multiple historic mountain ranges, and the southern Alaska Range tends to keep most moisture from reaching the Interior from the Southeast. I'm not saying this is always true; in the winter of 2022-2023, the Interior had an unprecedented amount of snow and little of the needed equipment.

Anchorage responded by sending snowplows and other equipment, skirting the foothills and plowing north to reach Fairbanks and other snowed-in areas. Fairbanks then purchased much-needed equipment, and the weather responded by keeping winters mild, with little or no snow.

You cannot have sharp cold snaps and above-normal precipitation.

Predictions from NOAA, or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

The precipitation picture divides the state. For October through December, NOAA slightly favors drier-than-normal conditions in parts of the Central Interior and the Aleutians. A modest wetter-than-normal signal runs from parts of Southcentral into Southeast Alaska.

As winter advances, the dry signal expands. For December through February, NOAA's historical El Niño comparisons show below-normal precipitation favored over most of mainland Alaska, while Southeast retains a tendency toward wetter conditions.

That could mean a less dependable snowpack in the Interior and other mainland areas. If temperatures run warmer, some southern and coastal communities could also receive rain in storms that might otherwise have produced snow. Southeast and the coastal mountains could still accumulate substantial snow, particularly at elevation, even during an overall milder winter.

The outlook would be a marked change from the winter of 2025-26 in many Alaska communities. NOAA calculated Alaska's statewide winter temperature at 2.8 degrees below the long-term average, placing it in the coolest third of the 102-year record. Fairbanks recorded its coldest winter since 1970-71. February brought exceptional snow to parts of the Interior, and March produced record or near-record cold at several long-running stations. Juneau also endured one of its snowiest seasons on record.

Statewide precipitation last winter was near average, however, underscoring how differently one season can play out from region to region across Alaska.

This winter may therefore feel more moderate in many places, but "warmer than normal" is not the same as warm. And "drier than normal" does not mean snow-free. Seasonal outlooks describe the average across three months.

The Arctic regions are extremely dry, with little winter moisture, like other deserts. Long-range predictions reflect that.

Amy · Reply #49 - Re: Soda Shoppe November 1 , 2026

Good morning..

Starting out at 46° and raining. No hanging laundry out today! Rain before 7 quits by 11. We shall see..

Got the day planned but we shall see how that goes. At times I win and get all done but then most often it wins and I have leftover chores/jobs to do another day. Oh well.

Rick, we will get what we get. Weather predictions are for a milder winter. That means heavy wet snow and ice. Not a fan of either one. They predict a lot of freeze thaw leading to flash freezes and slick roads.

Barb, you reminded me of a time my Mom came for a visit on the farm. We were sitting at the table having coffee and I noticed a wee head poking up cool air register. Told Mom not to turn around and I went to get the snake out of its hiding place...Mom turned around. I don't know who was more scared Mom or the snake from Mom screaming. Took the little fellow out and let him go in the hay field. That was the first and only time we had snakes in the house.

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

patricia19 · Reply #50 - Re: Soda Shoppe November 1 , 2026

Amy, Alaska has no snakes, raccoons, or a number of other animals, birds, or common critters. So, when I went to Kentucky, I wanted to see a snake. In the 2.5 years I lived close to my in-laws in a "hollar," I saw one black snake crossing the road. I did spend a fair amount of time wandering the fields while my husband was at work.

That is, until my father-in-law told me they were infested with snakes, and I was in tennis shoes rather than sturdy boots. It was the same in Kansas and Texas with my first husband. Supposedly, they were everywhere I went, but I never saw one.

I did see raccoons, alligators, and one memorable crocodile at zoos in San Antonio. That last, I wasn't crazy about.

BarbStAubrey · Reply #51 - Re: Soda Shoppe November 1 , 2026

Lots of snake stories - I'd find rattlers often in the garage in Austin and once in the shower in our bedroom - at first I would take hoe and beat them and later I found even the rattlers if I got them to tangle up on the end of the hoe I could, holding the hoe as far away from me as possible get them across the street and let them go in what then was vacant land that later was the site for the grade school with a good size couple of acre wooded play area.

My daughter in NC only this summer had a snake crawl down from the large air return located in the ceiling of the hall near their bedroom - she was able to get it to wrap around a broom and then she swept it right out the front door and then, she screamed after which she called me.

Why snakes give us the willies - they sure are not attractive like you want to curl up with one where as some wildlife looks so cuddly and yet would bite or eat you as quick as not.

Our biggest concern were scorpions that did hide in dark moist places like inside shoes or even in a dishrag left in a lump in the sink - and oh oh oh their sting make grown men cry. Almost as bad but not quite is being stung by fire ants - and it is never just one - when Cade was little, the summer he was 3 and while playing stepped into a fire ant mound - thank goodness both Katha and I were nearby and took this screaming child onto the driveway, stripped him down and wiped the ants off him while I grabbed the meat tenderizer from the kitchen and made a paste of baking soda and water - it took awhile for him to calm down and not hurt - walking on grass shoeless is not something that works... it takes someone to try it out if in summer kids want to play in the yard with the hose...

Day 4 in my 5 week plan - have no clue why I chose 5 weeks but I did and I've three main focuses - walk each day increasing each week the length of my walk - get back to playing the piano till I can comfortably play for an hour a day by the end of the 5 weeks and then room by room finish the tasks still waiting that finally organizes drawers and closets - so far it is happening - finally sticking to a plan and found I feel more energized after I complete one of the focuses - and yes, I have to rest between tasks - in fact after I've tackled a task that I'm limiting to acting on between 15 min and on the outside a half hour my body says enough and a short snooze is in order however after the walk I just need a sit down with a cup of tea and after playing the piano I usually sit reading a bit. I'm coming to terms with this aging body that no longer does what it used to or what my mind's eye still thinks it can but reality is finally settling in...

Amy · Reply #52 - Re: Soda Shoppe November 1 , 2026

Good morning..

We just may see the sun today....maybe. Temp is 41° at the moment and it won't have far to go to reach the high temp of 46°.

A day of rest here, sewing machine may get a hands on. One quilt is in the making and it needs to be finished.

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

patricia19 · Reply #53 - Re: Soda Shoppe November 1 , 2026

Good morning, it's +20 with a real feel of +15. The weather keeps dropping, as does the daylight. It snows, a coating, perhaps an inch, and then it rains and turns to ice.

Morning routines, meet-and-greets, meal prep, and coffee brewed so far. Nothing ambitious planned for today; I've finally finished recalibrating my computer and getting sites in order.

My rent is going up again in December, just in time for the Social Security increase, along with everything else I pay for. So, it's not really a gain, more like a status quo. And yet services don't change or increase.

We don't have as many damaging or dangerous animals, reptiles, and insects as you southerners do. That's because the ground and inside tree bark freeze in winter, so they don't have a place to hibernate. We do have various bees, wasps, and mosquitoes.

The only ants we have are black ants or carpenter ants. We do have tiny no-see-ums gnats that live in the woods, have vicious bites, and aren't bothered by campfire smoke. Occasionally, reindeer, caribou, or muskox visit. A hundred miles south are bison. Our biggest local predators are bears: black, brown, and grizzly.

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Soda Shoppe November 1 , 2026

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