One more photo 2012

Pasadena, CA 2012.

To family and friends. Happy New Year 2015.

Rose Parade three year cycle

The good news is we will watch RFD TV Direct TV channel 345.  Six years ago we were there. Three years ago, we were there.  This year we are not.  Therefore rather than freeze in a wind chill  our seats will be near 74F.

I have the wood box full. 

I suggested buying airline tickets but my request was denied.  We will be warm.

Look right to see our limited view in 2009. 

Grandstand view as above in 2012.

Merry Christmas

In one week Happy New Year.  Welcome to 2015.

A smile on Christmas as I pull The Complete Works of Shakespeare off the shelf.

Flowery writing line after line page after page. 

King Henry IV
"Let there be no noise made, my gentle friends:
Unless some dull and favorable hand
Will whisper music to my weary spirit."

Earl of Warick
"Call for music in the other room."

Maine snow report - coast near Portland.

Look in the November postings to see a near Thanksgiving day photo.  All the snow you see is now gone.  The only remaining snow is in the shadow of trees.

A green brown backyard Christmas 2014.

Clean snow

Two flat porch roofs are 113 miles away. My task; reduce the weight. DONE.
By waiting one day the travel would have been faster and cleaner.

Don't look back!

Winter rain!

Since the Nov 28 post(w\photo) we had two days of ice on the deck.  Worse is slush on the driveway. The last ended hours ago.

Year 2014 page count

With 52 weeks each year I should post 52 times.

MJ you are missing your quota.

Before :: on:: after:: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Wednesday preparation day snow started at 11AM.  As I plowed with the tractor blade at 7PM I ended up wet from the mixed precipitation.  In that eight hours of snowfall I was pushing five inches of heavy snow.  The final near nine inches.

Look lower right - weather

From this BLOG weeklyabcxyz.blogspot.com,   I point to my weekly weather blog.

If you look at stormpages.com/wxmaine  you will see a one week maximum and minimum temperature image and three other display options.  The options include recent weeks, a two month display and a calendar year format.

Stormpages seems to say that that site is weather related, it is not. The stormpages.com hosting site was a free site back in 2007.  It has no direct connection with my posting weekly Westbrook, Maine temperatures.

To build the weekly image, I have an EXCELL spreadsheet for each calendar year. I extract each weekly image and the same data in text column form every week.  As a graph I let EXCELL plot the  nine day running mean of both the maximum and minimum temperatures.  A running mean blends the previous four, current day and next four daily temperatures.  I enjoy observing this graph as it shows the summer nine day running mean flirt with 80F and the winter minimum do the same near zero fahrenheit.

Veterans Day - 111114

I'm frustrated when offspring or extended offspring whine.  Oh I want this, oh I want that.

BUT (am I any different?)

I would whine at a boss about no holiday pay, no vacation pay.  Many many Veteran's Day I would work and whine.  Quiet whining but still whining.  I wrote at least one obscure email hinting at finally taking a Veteran's Day off but actually getting holiday pay.

Well, today is Veteran's Day, I am retired but I still scheduled myself to work (teach). Two in my new community for over two hours.  One has a road test in a week. 

To fellow Veterans who paid a price many fold above anything I did, I say, We all say "...........!!"

And by the way, as I write various weekly blogs I enjoy special number sequences. Today 111114.

TO DO LIST

Summer is here and then winter.  Too quick

Summer projects are now impossible, therefore time to move on.

Winter 2014-2015

 - - Install snowplow blade on the tractor.
 - - Test the snow blower engine.
 - - Store garden hose, ladder and gifted mini pool above the garage.
 - - Organize the kindling toward the front of the shed with the mower
 deck and push mower in the rear.
 - - Gather and check the roof rake, shovels and cold weather clothing.
 - - Pray for a plan as each storm approaches, strikes and departs.

Trip report - Wednesday out; Tuesday return.

We flew.  Rare because driving to see the country is enjoyable.  Flying means an instant transition to the destination and restful arrival. 

We traveled to be part of a birthday event.   She was born, age one, riding a bicycle and now sixteen. A young lady in charge.

Sun Country BOS- MSP

Alex and Cathy discovered the non stop Boston to Minneapolis flight. I now have used it three times. Convenient!

We return Tuesday.  Party visit (she is sixteen).

Monday nights - bowling

Sunday pizza.

A weekly discipline - Blog entry

This morning as I was on the Nordic Trak I listened to NPR.  One piece was an interview with a song writer. She explained how she worked adjusting the lyrics and the total sound to create a link with listeners.

She acknowledged she wrote for herself, but to her it was important to create a sound for many.  She said, "Baloney"  songs do not just happen they are work.

My goal as I write four  (4)  blogs a month is to use a full vocabulary,  minimize misspelled words and build a life event sequence.  One of these will be the last.  May the last be acceptable.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.  Psalms 19:14.

Some readers will complain by adding a Bible quote I ruined the moment.  I could remain mute. (Proverbs 17:28).  However I am more then physical, more than mental, more than social, more than emotional. I hear  that still small voice, I sense smack downs and I feel joy.  I know the source of that joy.

Ten miles out.  Reading the sign ten miles return.  An Iowa 20 mile bicycle ride (June, 2014)and now the two of us do the same in September .

Summer is in storage!

I bought a winter coat. A day and date with my Honey as we bought 48 pounds of honey.

Summer 2014 is closed with no Maine heat wave. Definition: Three days where the temperature reaches 90 degrees F.

Three shows available. The unknown one is taken.

MSMT.org

I am now writing letters to my sisters.  A little early but plans are good.

I have a ten year old granddaughter who may enjoy the last show. She ate with us recently. 

Please pick and choose. 

Last (last evening - 21AUG14 ) MSMT

The Maine State Music Theater has little to do directly with the State of Maine.  It could be named the four excellent musicals each summer. 

They have our purchase for 2015.  We have the dates and three of the four performances.

June 18, 2015 The Full Monty
July 9, 2015  to be announced in January
July 30, 2015  The Music Man
August 20, 2015  Young Frankenstein

We gave one couple first option.
My family has second (third and whatever is remaining) options.

Waiting to hear from readers. k and d

August 20, 1971

70s
80s
90s
2000 - 2010
And recent. She's sitting to my right right now!

ANGELS their role

I have a prayer app. The prayer on angels asked for an army of angels to surround the asker. I see it different. I feel God is sparing with His angel protection. We are grown ups. Protect yourself. However get on your knees or even on your face to thank God when He sends the one special angel!

Dictionary - holograph

This is not a holograph.

Merriam-Webster Collegiate, (1623) a document wholly in the handwriting of its author.

Dancing (world class dancing)

One week ago we saw Chamberlain - a romance about a Maine governor and Civil War hero. Last night we saw Seven Brides for Seven Brothers with dancing, song and story as described above. Maine State Music Theater. Fabulous.

To camp and return

I checked the water system and cut grass. Still too many mosquitos! They remain in attack mode.

Like clockwork; HEAT now, in six months, COLD.

Two days now my calibrated sensor recorded 88F.  Typical!

With the various minus zero readings in January I now must remember  as follows:

  DO NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT THE HEAT.

Maine State Music Theater - 2014

The first musical was this evening.  Action packed with dance, musical instruments and talent in song and acting.  Buddy; The Buddy Holly Story.

Plan your 2015 Maine travel for June 18, 2015; Jul 9; July 30; or August 20, 2015.  Thursday evenings.

Six enjoyed colored ice

Mild Omaha Sunday featuring a walk to and from church.

Beach in the city: fine art and pizza. Big smile!

Cold weather finally not!

East US cold or at least cool.
Now in the center of the nation temperatures are warmer.

Weekly Blog since 2007

The name of this blog is weeklyabcxyz.

When I first considered a blog (web log), I selected the name as follows:

-   Make an entry weekly or less.  Better less than more.
-   abcxyz implies I will write words using the English alphabet.
-   abcxyz topics from a to z
-   I have also used photos and numbers.

On the right  please note the number of posts each year:
2010 - 54
2011 - 42
2012 - 49
2013 etc. The number is in general near or less than 52. You only need to deal with my writing approximately weekly.

My 2007, 2008, 2009 blogs were in a time of "log on" turmoil.  I was required to validate each login with difficult to read  validation squiggle letters. For that reason I started afresh in 2010.

A claim to fame is the unique name that GOOGLE filters just to me.  If you google weeklyabcxyz you will get a small number of hits. Most are my blog.  Do not use other search engines.

THE END - 5/20/2014
Ashley's birthday

Hi Bill

Kj

500 miles each way

Wednesday travel west; Friday travel east.  Hours and hours.  Miles and miles.  Goal to be at the appointed place at the appointed time. Side result a visit to a still thawing river gorge.  Also, gain knowledge in our legal system. 

Firewood moved in eight days.

The small pile below dumped on Monday and Monday plus one the next Tuesday I was on my knees picking up remaining kindling.

Does not move itself !

Two  cord firewood for 2015 -2016.

AND and winter is gone

Each winter marker is wimpy or gone.

We do have mud season meaning a high water table. 

Stay on the gravel do not sink into the ooze.

THE WINTER LIST

Winter is gone.  --  Is winter gone?

We have a long driveway and other snow collectors. As the snow disappears from various features we know winter is going going gone. Read on to see the list.

Gravel driveway - - walkable with no ice.  check (ck) - over a week.
Snow gone from the ell roof. - - (ck) about a week.
Back yard - - white.   Still white but holes in places.
Bird bath - -  No longer buried by snow. (ck)
Bird bath - -  Circled by a complete ring of snow.
Deep water pond - - 90 percent of the ice remains.

Writer please compare. Is winter gone? NO.
Our pond has been ice free as early as middle March.
Winter remains.

xxx --- Said

Moses said,"   ---     "
Jesus said, " ---  "
Paul said, " --- "
Ron said,  "Gargle with salt water"

How many years?

Thirteen years ago I received my Instructor license from the State of Maine.  I was approved to teach driving in the car.  November, 2001 I completed requirements to teach in both the car and the classroom.

In the years since I often heard,  "you must be very patient." Many polite students, a handful mean and a sad awareness of those freshman (and older) unable to read.

Over one thousand, fewer than 1500, young drivers driving while I sat in the passenger seat and coached, taught, instilled confidence. 

My license expired today.  THE  END.  MJ sends.

Walk more than five miles - OOB

The tide was out.  First late winter day with temperatures reaching toward 48F.  We walked.   Considerable stretches of the beach were flat.  Distances from the sand  mounds to low tide water near 200 feet at times.  I had not recalled the shallow slope.  This August when the water temperature is 61F I will return and wade to my knees two hundred feet from dry sand.

OOB in Maine is Old Orchard Beach.  Likely over one hundred motels near the beach.  Eight open ninety two remain encased in banks of snow.  Rapidly as May unfolds the motels open and fill in July and August.  Do you have an interest in seeing a Canadian male in a swim string. NOT PRETTY.  If so however, walk the beach after 10AM on one of  our four hot days.  3/11/2014

The season of Lent - writing!

Dictionary definition.
Mrs. Sykora, my high school English teacher said college bound
students needed a dictionary. She recommended Webster's Seventh
New Collegiate Dictionary.

Using graduation cash I bought the dictionary cited above.
I still have it. Tattered but open  beside me at this moment.
Copyright 1963.

Why the background information? The 1963 dictionary defines Jesus
as follows:  "the founder of the Christian religion."

My 1983, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Ninth Edition started afresh:
"the Jewish religious teacher whose life, death and resurrection as
reported  by the Evangelists are the basis of the Christian message
of salvation."

The 2003, Eleventh Edition kept these words.

What say you? Jesus: The Son of the Living God sent at just the right
time   as above.  Additional, we know a Good Book with a depth
of concrete  details. We also have seen the heart of His followers.

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.
ALL OUR SINS AND GRIEFS TO BEAR.

Words from a hymn lyrics by Joseph Scriven, 1855.
THE END - dlj - 25FEB14

WHAT IS a NEON Note?

Staples sells NEON Note mini tablets.

Today , week ago Thursday and Saturday snow.

Snow with rain last Thursday.  Result, snow and ice clumps becoming more difficult to move.  The deep snow in the back yard has a crust.  Crust too weak for all big people.  The smaller girls mostly floated on top.

Snow - added twelve additional inches

Snow on Wednesday and on Sunday late.

Both storms gave fluffy snow.  The mid week snow continued all day making daylight removal pleasant.  Monday morning greater depth than expected meant work prior to departure.

Cold continues with brief minus 10 (-10) this sunrise period.  Rapid sunny warming to plus ten.

May the Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Amen and Amen.
Let it be so.
Psalms 41 and 89

Too blessed to complain.

Too blessed to complain.

Too blessed to complain.

Our Daily Bread writer saw this as a bumper sticker.

Seventy days of cold and winter

April and then a late Easter (April 20,2014).

March brings ever increasing daylight.  We go from cold and dark to cold (relative) and light.

A sheet of ice - 377 feet.

During rain Saturday (rain began with 30F temperature) our driveway is described above.

Near midnight rain ended temperature climbed (45F) and water decreased.  We have an  uphill grade at the top and minor side slopes along the length of our exit to the main road.  Cold rain on ice transforms all 377 feet to side slope and upslope slipping hazards.  Walking is possible only near the snow banks.  Driving out yesterday was doubtful because ash and sand supplies inadequate.

Church called this morning and previous applications of sand at the top broke through.


 Praise the Lord and refill the sand buckets

New Year

Minus 21F this morning.

After a three hour drive we cleared two flat roofs. The snow also had an ice layer.

The correct shovels and chopper (good tools) meant success. Weight now greatly reduced on the roofs.