From Storms To Sunshine

When the radio pre-game show was interrupted a little before 12:30pm to let me know there were tornado warnings southwest of my location I would have never guessed that Stella and I would be taking a walk under blue skies and bright sunshine by 4pm, but we did. As you can see there, with the strong wind from the south, it was raining inside my carport. Normal, nothing I haven't seen before in strong thunderstorms.

I took that downspout apart on Monday and made sure it was not blocked by wet leaves that had made their way down into the spout. It was all clear and like I said then, there wasn't a leaf anywhere in the front gutter. So that water coming out of the seam and over the edge of the gutter is just too much water for the space available.

About an hour later I stepped outside because I was seeing patches of blue sky from my seat on the couch. The storm was heading NE, in the direction of that power tower. The sky was brigher as the sunshine was working it's way through the clouds.

By 4pm I glanced at my watch to see that it was 71° and I couldn't let that pass by without an afternoon hound walk. In fact as I stepped outside I could tell I was overdress with my long sleeve rugby shirt on. Heidi was happy with hot sun on her side and Stella was not sure if what she was seeing and smelling was real.

I put on my North Face snow boots that I use for rain boots. I knew the path would not be operational with all the rain we had today and I planned on walking just off the path in the thick grass. Stella had other ideas ... she took off along the return path. Her new routine this week.

In different pictures you will be able to tell that the grass is blowing a little more than it normally does. The wind was really strong and a few times moved me just about the time I took the picture.

We were not quite to the first turn when I caught myself saying "its hot out here", then remembered that by tomorrow we will be back in the low 20's at night and no more than the 40's as high daytime temps. I enjoyed the heat for the rest of the walk.

No sounds of cows today but Stella had to check to see if they were around.

Wind is from the south between 20-25 mph.

I had to turn my camera off on the way back home. That battery icon was flashing red again so I knew I had a battery that could only take a couple of pictures before it died on me. It was too windy anyway as Stella and I walked directly into the headwind.

I don't know if Heidi was happy about the hot weather, or that we had return or did she want back inside ... she was barking nonstop once she saw we were back. Right after this photo, she turned and sprinted up the steps all the way to the couch as I opened the door.

After my wild "Un*******believable" blog post title yesterday, things have calmed back down. I only had a couple of interesting emails yesterday. The kinds of emails that I download into a file and print them out in case I need them in the future.

In my online selling days I had a customer that threatened me after buying a small display case for his diecast NASCAR. Even though I had written in big blue capital letters "Car Is Not Included", he seemed to think I had decievied me and he knew where I lived from his home in Arkansas. What he did not know was my friend that works for the State Police in the Internet Crime Division ... There's a lot of crazies out there so you never know.

Overall from those that comment or send me emails agree with what I say when I go down the political path.

That does NOT make me the expert though.

I admit I am enjoying sitting back looking in at the circus in D.C. ... Pelosi and Maxine are my favorites this week. I also like hearing about the latest testimony from the FBI that has been released for the public to see. I can describe all of it, from 2012 - 2016 in one word .... CORRUPT !!!!

You thought I was going to say Collusion didn't you??  :) IF and it's not a sure thing that Trump gets re-elected in 2020 but if he were what are all of these anti-Trumpers going to do for another four years ... waste eight years of their life bitching and moaning???

Well as I sit here the wind is howling outside. That should be about finished later tonight and we can get back to some winter weather. I think it was last year on this day that it was so warm I guessed wrong and planted some new grass seed on my bank in the backyard only to have a light snow the following weekend. Bye bye grass seed.

I heard something about the Keto Diet on a short two minute video for Dr. Oz a while ago. He said one thing that makes him hesitate in recommending the diet and made me think again. He said if you fall off the strict Keto Diet and have that bun with your hamburger or a day of pancakes or toast with jam and butter ... then not only are you eating high carbs but with keto you are adding high fat and high protein ... eating those three things in high quantities is not a good thing.

Back to more reading. I found this article interesting and backed scientifically.

I'm really thinking of going back to a book I bought in 2003, "Eat To Live" by Joel Fuhrman, M.D. He is a cardiac specialist who specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional and natural methods. I remember having good results when I followed his plan and it was not hard to follow. He had a 8 week plan to get started if I remember. I was not eating a lot of fat and proteins ... just the required amounts for healthy living.

It was a great day today in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana, except for the results of the IU basketball game.

Heidi And Stella Get Outside Today

A little after 4pm I was beginning to wonder if Heidi and Stella was going to sleep the whole afternoon away or would they wake up in time to enjoy the 50° afternoon and sunny skies. It was their decision but they sleep every afternoon away, so this is normal.

Finally an hour later they decided they needed a break. It was sunny but with a cool chill in the air. I knew that Heidi would handle the time Stella and I would use for our walk. As you will see in the last two photos, she was happy we were back and was anxious to get back inside, where she could get back on the couch, lined up in that direct sunlight coming through the window.

It was really a nice day today in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

What Will The Hounds Do This Week?

It seems like any kind of routine change happens on Monday's with these hounds. So you have to wonder, what will the change be this week or is it even going to happen just because it's Monday. I had the first change by getting up an hour earlier but only after I felt a bloodhound nose nudging my arm and some light whining as Stella was standing next to the bed. You might think she wants to go outside to pee but she only wants food and to eat her breakfast. With bright sunshine that early I had no problem starting my day.

I remembered the other day I told myself I would trade all of this rain for sunny skies even with winter cold temps. Well today I got my wish. We didn't take our first walk until 10:30am but it was only 25° and yes, it felt cold. Yet it was nice not having to walk through a wet field.

Stella was into adding protein to her diet this morning. That is about as nice as I can say it. I hate that habit of hers. Sometimes she will stop if she hears me say 'No' but other times she might decide to be stubborn and act like she doesn't hear me.

We had a late start this morning because I spent time reviewing and adding some things to my reviews of my Apple Watch and my Canon G9 X camera. I started them months ago when I bought each of them the first week of January. I am happy with both purchases.

I am somewhat surprised I like drinking black coffee after decades of drinking coffee with two teaspoons of sugar in each 12oz cup. I also find that I don't have a feeling of bloat after those two cups of coffee like I had been feeling lately. I don't have one grain of sugar in my house, with no plans of buying any. Some times I will add some heavy whipping cream but that does not add any kind of sweetness to the coffee. 3rd day in a row with no sugar in my coffee.

With it being so cold outside I will still stay inside reading books. I might pull a movie off the shelf to watch today. Usually when it gets near to the baseball season (31 days to opening day), I like to watch movies I have about baseball. It has almost turned into an annual tradition. Last night the movie feature was "Money Ball", a true story that did just like they thought ... it has changed the way baseball rosters are put together and the way the game is played at the major league level.

I basically let Stella walk on her own with very little verbal herding this morning.

Stopping and thinking ... not sure about what but she did not move from that position to scratch herself, she just sat there for a short time then came trotting toward me.

Finally she decides it's time to head home.

A little jogging to catch up with me. Plus she thought she heard me say something about "lunch".

With food on her mind she didn't take the time to inspect all the trees, she wanted to get inside as soon as possible ... would lunch be served?  :)

With it cold outside most of the day Heidi flat refused any photo session of her today. She was outside long enough to relieve herself and then SPRINTED back to the door to be let inside. Late in the afternoon while I was playing hours of Mahjong, Stella walked over to the kitchen door and nudged the doorknob with her nose to let me know it was time for our afternoon walk.

Although chilly, it was close to 40° and still sunny, so no complaints about the weather. As you can see Stella did her normal very slow afternoon pace.

As I post this I am returning to the couch for more book reading. Not much going on today here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.