Static Weather/Casualty on the Lake/Job Training for Disabled

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Tropical Atlantic is quiet. There is an area of disturbed weather in the tropical Pacific about 1400 miles east of Hawaii. According to the National Hurricane Center, it has less than a 30% chance to develop. Will keep you posted.

Upper pattern has flattened a lot...so much so that an asssociated frontal boundary has drawn up mostly stationary over central Arkansas causing training of rain cells and flooding. This pattern will change little over the next few days--with minor flucuations in the north south position of rain producing storms.

On Thursday, there will some severe storms in west Texas (see figure at right). Highs will be in the 90s and 100s in south Texas and much of the desert southwest. The west coast of California will be in the 60s. The rest of the country will be in the 70s and 80s. Much of the country will have rain.

Houston will continue hot and very humid. Look for scattered thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday (Friday being cooler due to more cloud cover and rain cooling). Over the weekend, there is only a slight chance for rain. But, it will still be hot and humid.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do camera or cámara, pronounced CAH-mah-rah. Find out what happened to my cámara in the AND MORE section.

We used a different kind (and much more expensive) cámara while shooting our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. Order your copy from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,
www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
Well we had our first casualty of the trip...on the dock of a restaurant called Campbell's, I was doing my 2 handed still camera vs. movie camera when I dropped the still camera. And although I thought it would stop below my feet, it rolled and skidded right into the water. Now I don't care that much about the camera...but I had snapped about 20 photos...many of which were very meaningful. I watched it sink as the turtles and huge fish (catfish?) tried to nibble at it. The camera was ruined the minute it hit the water, but there is always the hope that the memory stick might retain the photos. No point in thinking about it--it is dangerous and too deep to dive for anything in the dock water. Besides, I'll be some of those fish are 3 feet long.

We drove into Branson yesterday. Sarah loves the arcades. We also decided to stop at The Toy Museum. There was an amazingly large number of toys (more than 1 million come to find out). They claim to be the biggest toy museum anyway. Made me feel a bit old as I say some things on display that I had played with. Worth seeing at least once.

I am so proud of Megan, my step-daughter. She did not get to make this trip as she is completing finals for becoming a veterinary technician. You see, we set up this reservation a year in advance because these places book up. Poor girl has been checking in with us frequently. This is her first year to miss ever. She is making the grades!!! Monday will be her last exams. You go girl!!!

Started a new book (thanks Mary Ann--that's my mother-in-law). It's called The Shack (by William Paul Young). Will let you know what I think.

My good friend Leslie has written another fantastic article for the Chronicle. This one was especially of interest to me because it discusses how to train disabled young adults so they can get jobs and make a living--it's called SUCCESS. Please share this with your friends who have children with disabilities like autism, mental retardation, Asperger's
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/6550990.html

Don't forget to answer the poll about you are economizing.

Gotta close and visit with the family. These times are too few and too fast.

Have a terrific Thursday everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Rain all over/Table Rock Lake

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Tropical Atlantic is quiet. In the eastern Pacific, there are two areas of disturbed weather with a low chance of development (according to the National Hurricane Center). Will keep you posted.

Lots of locations in the US have a shot at rain on Tuesday. See Storm Prediction Center figure at right. Highs in parts of the Intermountain Region, desert southwest will be in the 90s and 100s. There will be 80s and 90s in the southern plains and southeast. Elsewhere, highs will be in the 60s and 70s.

Houston, there will be another round of showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday. Rain chances drop a bit on Wednesday and more substantially on Thursday. It will be hotter in the afternoons as rain become less prevalent. Conditions will continue muggy regardless.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do lake or lago, pronounced LAH-goh. We are having one at a very nice lago near Branson, Missouri. Find out more in the AND MORE section.

It's fun to swim and do other kid friendly outdoor activities. That's why we including an entire chapter with Spanish words about play in our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. Order your copy from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,%20www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
Spent the day out on the lake (see photo at right)...Table Rock Lake extends from southwest Missouri to northwest Arkansas. It has 800 miles of shoreline and is a favorite for skiing and fishing. The lake is manmade...formed (in the 50s) as a result of a floor control project which included Table Rock Dam. The lake is a little cooler than other summers because it has yet to hit 90 degrees here.

Have a terrific Tuesday everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Rain for Many Areas/Toad Suck Park/Table Rock Lake

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Tropical Atlantic and Pacific are quiet.

Ridge is beginning to flatten and retrograde as a trough begins to dig southward into the central US. On Monday, highs will be in the 90s and 100s across the southern plains and southwest with highs in the 70s along the coastal sections of California. Highs will be in the 70s and 80s across the rest of the country. Many locations will have a chance for thunderstorms but no severe storms are predicted by the Storm Prediction Center.

On Monday, Houston will have some thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday. Chances decrease middle to later part of the week. But there will still be a few Wednesday through Friday. Highs will be in the low to middle 90s early in the week and middle to upper 90s later in the week.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do restaurant, or restaurante, pronounced rehs-tair-RAHN-tay. Check out the AND MORE section for the name of a restaurant that we think is unique.

Speaking of eating, your kids will love learning the spanish words for several words associated with eating (and drinking). They are presented in a fun, musical way in the first volume of our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. Order your copy from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,%20www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
We're staying in Aunts Creek Resort, which is near Reeds Spring and Kimberling City, MO (outside of Branson) on Table Rock Lake. On the 12 hour drive from Houston, we usually stop at a restaurant in Hope, Arkansas called Dos Loco Gringos. Well, first of all, if that name was correct it would be Dos Gringos Locos--2 crazy white men. But, anyway, we find the Mexican food interesting and tasty and we stop there almost every time we make the trip. I asked Anthony (one of the waiters) how that name came to be. He said that years ago, the two men who bought that restaurant, already owned 2 other restaurants and their friends said they were crazy to buy another one...since they were "white" guys, they came up with the name "Dos Loco Gringos"--literally translated--Two Crazy White Guys. Now you know.

For years, we've seen the exit for "Toad Suck Park" outside Conway, Arkansas. And we've always wondered what in the world it was all about. Come to find out it is a recreation area run by the Corps of Engineers. But we wanted to know the origin of the name. And I pulled the following from the Conway Chamber of Commerce web site.

"Long ago, steamboats traveled the Arkansas River when the water was at the right depth. When it wasn't, the captains and their crew tied up to wait where the Toad Suck Lock and Dam now spans the river. While they waited, they refreshed themselves at the local tavern there, to the dismay of the folks living nearby, who said: "They suck on the bottle 'til they swell up like toads." Hence, the name Toad Suck. The tavern is long gone, but the legend and fun live on at Toad Suck Daze."

Hi, it's me again. Toad Suck Daze is a festival Conway has in the spring. Check out these sites for more information.

http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/parks/toadsuck/index.htm
http://www.toadsuck.org/

It has been rainy on and off for the past week in the Table Rock/Branson, Missouri area. But after the morning fog lifted, we had a spectacular day. Check out the photo at right--the view from the deck of the cabins we are staying in.

Have a great week everyone!

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Weather Pattern Change/Road Trip War Stories/Economy

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Tropical Atlantic and Pacific are quiet.

Jet stream/upper pattern still has strong ridge over western US. But on Sunday, the ridge begins to retrograde to the west and that will all troughiness to develop in the central US. That also means that locations further west will get rain and that there will be more rain in the south and midwest.

On Saturday, there could be some severe storms from Missouri to New York. On Sunday, severe weather threat is further east of there and just east of the Rockies in Colorado and New Mexico. It will be in the 90s and 100s across the south, especially Texas and the desert southwest. Mild along coastal California and the northeast, Great Lakes and even Ohio Valley.

Houston will be hot and humid through the weekend with some isolated showers or thunderstorms. Some locations will get heavy rain on Monday and possible Tuesday but clouds and rain will help cool things down a bit.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY

Let's do bathroom or baño, pronounced BAH-nyo. When you are on a road trip, sometimes you just need to stop and find a baño. See the AND MORE section for a related story.

Since finding the baño is so important, we put that term in the first volume of our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. Order your copy from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,%20www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.



AND MORE

Our poll about demands on your energy has closed. 58% said that work outside the home demanded the most energy. 28% said children demanded the most. 14% said volunteering took the most. No one said that work inside the home, spouse or other took the most energy. Only one answer was allowed. Thanks to all who participated.



Our new poll is about economizing. What measures have you taken because of the poorer economy (or have you taken any)? More than one answer is allowed. Thanks in advance for answering this poll.



Since I am on the road again (as I write this), I am reminded of some childhood roadtrips we took. Now, there were 8 of us altogether, piling into a station wagon. One year, we put our clothes in trashbags (so we could squish everything into the back). You just can't fit that many suitcases in a station wagon with 8 people. Besides, I don't know if we all had suitcases anyway.



I remember our air conditioning going out...but I don't remember feeling hot. Bet Mom and Dad were though.



But this is one of my most memorable recollections. As we made way in the dark late one night, my little brother work up and had to use the bathroom really bad. We were in the very back of the station wagon. My parents didn't want to pull over. So, my mom handed me a plastic cup and said to have him use that. Well, he had to go a lot! The cup was about to overflow and mom and said throw it out the window. So I reached ahead to the second row of seats window and tried to throw it out. Well, you probably know what happened...yep...several of us were all wet. Ewwwwww!!! Adventures in traveling with a bunch of kids. I think I was pretty mad at the time. But, we just had to deal. We were good at that.



Here's hoping your road trips are dry ones.



Happy Weekend!

Cecilia Sinclair

Wonder Weather Woman

More rain expected/One lady's success at becoming author

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
No tropical development in Atlantic or Pacific.

Well the jet stream/upper flow continues it's ridge west and trough east pattern. By early next week, the pattern shifts to more of an omega pattern--ridges west and east coasts and trough in the middle US. This will bring more rain/storms to the central and south-central US in the coming week.

Friday will be hot from Texas through the desert southwest highs in the 90s and 100s. Look for some thunderstorms Texas and Florida and some potentially severe weather Iowa. northwest Illinois and Wisconsin. Highs will be in the 60s and 70s west coast of California, Great Lakes and northeast. Elsewhere, highs will be in the 90s.

Houston will be steamy on Friday with a few thunderstorms possible. There were so heavy downpours on Thursday--Bellaire picked up almost 2 inches. The grass is loving it. There will be a few showers/thunderstorms through the weekend and the upcoming week looks rainy as the upper trough moves into position over the central US.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do author or escritor, pronounced ehs-cree-TORE. Do you want to be an escritor? Find out how one woman did--see the And More section.

Authors love words/language. And one way to help your children learn language structure is to expose them to more than one language. A good start is our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. Order your copy from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,%20www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
For all you aspiring writers, I have a story for you...a while back I was introduced to the mother of a friend. I found out she is a much published author. But I had never heard of her. Well, about 4 decades ago, she had written some children's books and a novel and approached a publishing company (about getting them published). They said they liked her children's books but they had way more than they needed. Then they asked her if she would be willing to try her hand at writing biographies for children. Well, she decided to give it a try. And, she succeeded! From then on , she made a career of writing biographies for children--she found a niche. She is still writing today (even though she is in her 80s). I am enjoying one of her books right now--a biography of Abner Doubleday. She said she never did get that novel published, but she has had a very successful writing career.

Happy reading and writing!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

More Rain/No Sales Tax Weekend

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
In the Atlantic, two areas of disturbed weather are close to land. In fact one will bring heavy rains to Puerto Rico and Hispanola early Wednesday. According to the National Hurricane Center both have less than a 30% chance of developing.

On Wednesday, it will be very hot in the Intermountain Region and desert southwest--100+. Pleasant along the west coast. South will be warm and humid with highs in the 80s and 90s with thunderstorms. Mild in the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast with highs in the 60s and 70s and low 80s.

Houston, I think there will be some showers in the morning...from the outflow from storms to the north late Tuesday. There is a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms through the weekend with a better chance early in the coming week. Temperatures will be warm and conditions muggy.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do shopping or compra, pronounced COHM-prah. Thinking about back to school compra -- you might want to plan it for the no sales tax weekend--find out when that is in the AND MORE section.

Shopping for educational products for your children can be overwhelming. But when it comes to learning languages, here's a product that has received awards from people who know about educating our little ones--it's our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. Order your copy from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,%20www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
In Texas, if you are thinking about back to school shopping already...you might want to wait until the 2nd to the last weekend of August (right before most public schools are starting). Since I have retail sales, I got a notice from the state saying this is when the no sales tax weekend is.

Happy Shopping!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

More rain/Lightning Safety/What is a severe storm?

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
There is one area of disturbed weather east of the tropics. Odds of development are low. Looking at the long range steering pattern, I do see an important (if only temporary) shift coming up. According to at least one long range model--at the end of July, the ridge (which is now over the western US) looks like it will shift eastward so that it is positioned over the southeastern US. This is not good news for Texas as anything that moves/develops in the Caribbean/Gulf could be steered toward Texas. So, I will watch this very closely.

On Monday, the ridge continues to bring 100+ weather to the southwest, Intermountain Region and interior Oregon. West coast of California will still be nice and mild with highs in the 70s and most of the northeast, Great Lakes, northern plains will have highs in the 70s and 80s. The southeast and Texas will have highs in the 80s and 90s. Look for some severe weather mainly in the central US. There will also be some thunderstorms in the southeast.

The Houston area has enjoyed beneficial rains this weekend. There were more rain totals over one inch on Saturday. As I write this, the totals are not final yet for Sunday. There will be scattered storms Monday in the Houston area. Highs will be in the low to middle 90s.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do squat or agacharse, pronounced ah-gah-CHAR-say. In which type of weather, should you agacharse if you can't get to a safe shelter? See the answer in the AND MORE section.

Lightning has electricity and our bodies have electricity. In fact it's those little electrical impluses in our brain that fire when the brain is doing its work. You can stimulate the development and function of those neurological pathways by stimulating it and one of the best ways is through language learning. Give your kids this kind of stimulation. Order our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, Volume 1 is just the ticket. Order your copy from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,%20www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
Thinking about stormy weather reminds me of a funny incident from when I worked at in TV weather. We were having tremendous thunderstorm activity--unbelievable amounts of lightning--like a strobe light. There were no severe thunderstorm warnings being issued by the National Weather Service because technically, this kind of storm did not meet the description of a severe storm. One viewer called and complained--asking why no severe thunderstorm warnings were issued. I told him that the storms did not meet severe criteria and he responded--but this storm has VERY SEVERE lightning. Well I had to agree with him on that one. But in case you were curious, here is the official definition of a severe thunderstorm pulled from the Storm Prediction Center web site:

The term severe thunderstorm refers to a thunderstorm producing hail that is at least penny size, 0.75 inches in diameter or larger, and/or wind gusts to 58 mph or greater, and/or a tornado. Although lightning can be deadly, the NWS doesn't use it to define a severe thunderstorm. If it did, every thnderstorm would be severe, by definition. Also, excessive rainfall may lead to deadly flash flooding, but heavy rain is not a severe criterion either. The flood threat is handled through a separate set of watches and warnings from your lcoal NWS forecast office.

For more information, go to their FAQ page.
http://www.spc.ncep.noaa.gov/faq/

Remember, if there is lightning, the safest place is in a non-metal structure--1st floor, away from windows and doors and stay out of the tube/shower, off land line phones and plugged in appliances. If you can't get indoors, a vehicle is a good alternative--just don't touch the metal parts of the car. If you can't get into a car, get to the safest low spot, away from water and tall objects. Squat down (with as little of your body in contact with the ground as possible), making yourself as small as possible.

Have a great week everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Rain This Weekend/Poll Closes/New Poll/Looking for Kayakers

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
There are two areas of disturbed weather in the Atlantic--both are weak and have low prospects for developing.

Big shift west in the jet stream is heating things up out west and allowing cooling rains in Texas. Hooray!!! Texas really needs the drought relief! Highs on Saturday out west will be in the 100s except for the coast of California which will have highs in the 70s. Very pleasant over the eastern US with highs in the 60s (Great Lakes) and 70s. Southeast will have highs in the low 90s. Note the severe storm threat in eastern New Mexico, southeast Colorado, and west Texas.

Houston -- some more thunderstorms over our southern areas on Friday...a whopping 1.7 inches fell in the Friendswood area...hey, share some with the rest of us. Well, it looks like there will be even more showers and thunderstorms this weekend with Sunday being the most likely day. Additional cloud cover with keep highs in the low 90s on Saturday and upper 80s on Sunday.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do skyline or horizonte, pronounced or-ree-ZONE-tay. I think the Houston horizonte is very pretty--but where are the kayakers? See AND MORE section for more on that.

For rainy periods like we are expecting this weekend, our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, Volume 1 is just the ticket. Order your copy from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,%20www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
Have you been downtown lately? I can't help but me amused (and tell me if I am missing something)...have you seen those banners hanging on the posts? They show a beautiful Houston skyline but the foreground, there are two people kayaking. Now, I'm wondering...do people go kayaking on Buffalo Bayou? More importantly, as visitors see downtown Houston for the first time--do you look around to see where these kayakers are? Just wondering...

Our poll on the tax incentive for trading in high gas using vehicles is closed. 20% said they are considering it and 80% said they are not. Thanks to all who participated.

My new poll is about the demands on our schedules. What takes most of your energy. Only one answer is allowed. Thanks in advancing for answering.

Have a great weekend! Enjoy the rain!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

More rain expected/Princess Oreo/Watching disturbance in Atlantic

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
There is an area of disturbed weather a few hundred miles west of the Cape Verde Islands (in the eastern Atlantic). According to the National Hurricane Center, this area has less than a 30% chance of developing as it moves westward. Will monitor. In the eastern Pacific, Carlos and Dolores have weaked to tropical depressions and are not a concern to land.

Very hot on Friday across the southern plains and southwest, Intermountain Region and inland areas of Washington and California. Cool spot will be the northern Great Lakes with highs in the 50s! Southeast will have highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. Elsewhere, look for highs in the 70s and 80s. There is a slight risk for severe weather east of the Rockies and across a portion of the southeast.

Some much needed downpours in Houston on Thursday... from the Harris County Office of Emergency Management rain gauge network, 0.9 inches along I10 just inside Beltway 8 and 0.7 near Channelview, 0.6 in Friendswood. Never fear, there will be more scattered showers and thunderstorms Friday, Saturday and Sunday. At times, temperatures will be decreased by the showers and extra cloud cover will help keep things slightly cooler overall.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do princess or princesa, pronounced preen-CEH-sah. May I introduce you to princesa Oreo? See And More section for more.

While my stepdad is in town doing cancer treatment, he and my mom are having fun doing all kinds of extra things they might not have time for otherwise. Every Tuesday and Thursday night, they take Spanish lessons. Gerry is really making amazing progress! You go Gerry! And the school of research shows that language is very beneficial and stimulating to the neuro-pathways of the brain...improving function and learning--especially in children. So don't let your little ones miss out! Order our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, Volume 1 from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,%20www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
I was uploading some photos to order hard copies and I had to love the photo at right. I want to tell you about the sweetest, most patient dog I have ever meant. The pretty girl in the middle is Oreo. I think Oreo is 13 years old...really old for a dog. But she still has some get up and go. She never barks. And she puts up with all kinds of abuse like wearing tiaras (you can't see it but there is also a wand in her collar). Sarah always enjoys Oreo so much when we visit cousin Sophia. Oreo loves to snuggle and followed us from room to room. When we went somewhere, she was quick to jump into the car...she loves an adventure. When we got ready to leave, she climbed up into the back seat. The only person who could persuade her to come out was my sister Julie...the person who found her wandering along a road when she only a puppy. Oreo truly is a princess' best friend.

Have a fantastic Friday!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

It is going to rain!!!/Pride, Prejudice and a Plot Twist /Bowling Made Better

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
The Atlantic Basin is quiet.

In the Eastern Pacific, Carlos is a hurricane with 105 mph winds. It is eventually expected to weaken as it moves westward. Newly formed Tropical Depression 5E is forecast to move mainly west-northwest and strengthen to a tropical storm.

On Wednesday, with the exception of the west coast of California, all of the southern states should have highs in the 90s and 100s (100s being in Texas, Oklahoma, the southwest and even as far north as inland Oregon). Highs will be in the 60s along the west coast of California, the northern plains, the Great Lakes and the northeast. Look for storms from Colorado to the Ohio Valley and some in the southeast.

Houston had its 5th straight day of 98 degree readings--not the 100s we had but the humidity has been plenty high. Sugar Land has hit 100 2 days in a row. Help!!! We're melting and our grass is burning up! Well here is some good news!!! Looks like the ridge is going to ease back to the west starting Thursday and stay that way for at least a week. That means there could be storms coming down the edge of the ridge and over us as soon as Thursday. Best chances for rain will be end of weekend into middle of the coming week. The rain will also help cool things off.

Bandera report for my step-dad--Gerry, looks like Bandera will get some rain middle to end of the NEXT week.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do hope or esperanza, pronounced s-pehr-RAHN-zah. We have esperanza that it will rain!!!

We all hope for a bright future for our children. Help make that future more promising by encouraging them to learn more than one language. Order our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, Volume 1 from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,%20www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
We went to one of Sarah's friend's birthday parties last weekend. It was at a bowling alley. Now, I know you've heard of bumpers being put up. But have you ever seen the special launching rack that can be used? You just place the ball on top and let it roll down to the floor with momentum from gravity helping it to roll on down to the lane. Of course this is a great idea for the little ones who have such a hard time swinging a big, heavy bowling ball. And you wouldn't believe all the strikes they made using this contraption! Well, I say, let adults use it. You can even take away my bumper pads. Just think...no more broken fingernails (I always break my thumbnail bowling), no more sore arms, shoulders and hips. I'm thinking this could be an Olympic Event!!! Who's with me?!

For all of you romantic lovers of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, here's a book to avoid. (Please note I love it!!!) It is a new Colleen McCullough novel (same lady who wrote The Thornbirds) and all is not happily ever after in the Darcy household. Oh dear...it is not what you might have envisioned. The book is actually about Elizabeth's spinster sister Mary, who ended up taking care of their mother until the mother died. But they do talk about Elizabeth and Fitzwilliams Darcy. The book is called The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet. Check it out---if you dare!!!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Rain in Forecast/Cool Sugar Land Pools/Facebook Connection/Crazy Gardening

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Atlantic basin is quiet. Tropical Storm Carlos in the eastern Pacific weakened today...but the National Hurricane Center is still forecasting it to become a hurricane. There is another area of disturbed weather a few hundred miles east of Carlos and that has a chance to develop. Will monitor both.

Monday's highs will be in the 90s and 100s across the southern states (hottest Texas and desert southwest). West coast of California will only reach 70s. Elsewhere highs will be in the 70s and 80s. Look for severe storms in the northern Plains and parts of the southeast and Tennessee Valley.

Houston made the upper 90s today. 100 is possible on Monday. Upper trough backing in from the northeast will cause some scattered showers and thunderstorms end of the week and over the weekend.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do trip or viaje, pronounced vee-AH-hey. Are you about to go on a viaje? Find out one father's method of coping in the AND MORE section.

If you are going on a trip with the kids, have I got the perfect DVD to have them watch--they'll be entertained and educated by our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, Volume 1 from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,%20www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
For those of you getting ready to hit the road with your kids, this one comes to you from my cross state travel of the last week. As we were getting ready to leave Amarillo, I ran into a man in the elevator with a cart filled with luggage. He offered that he was about to make an 18 hour road trip. I asked him where he was heading. And he said Columbus, Ohio. Then he added he has 4 kids. I asked him "Are you going to do that all in one stretch?!" and he looked at me with this resigned and numb look--"Why not?" I wonder how that went. Ha! Someone else told me it is probably something like this--what is the best way to take off a bandaid...slowly or just rip it off--I think that is how this man was feeling.

Okay...I know you'll think I'm crazy. But I just started some green pepper plants and some spinach plants. It's too hot for both, but I put them in some planters in a spot on the back porch that has morning sun. I'll let you know if I get any results. The green peppers are supposed to be started indoors in the spring and then transpanted in about 8 weeks...then given 73 days to produce fruit. So, we shall see how this all goes. Spinach is a spring or fall crop in Houston. But, maybe I'll get results if they grow in the shade. I am watering both every day. I just want to grow something and I couldn't find okra seeds. My corn crop is all burned up--I'm about to rework that bed. I love this gardening stuff...if only it weren't so hot.

Lots of swimming lately. Many of my friends are not taking their kids out because the water does not give relief--it is bath water warm--sometimes almost feeling like a lukewarm jacuzzi. But, a lot of the kiddie pools are in shade and their water is nice and cool. And for those of you who like the Magnolia Pool in Sugar Land--they must have changed out the water, because it was pleasantly cool today. Also, The Lakes pool has a fun covered kiddie pool with stone frogs spitting out streams of water...it is quite refreshing. Check it out!

Don't forget to look for me on Facebook. I am trying to get to it as much as possible. I'm still learning. Also, the puppet Frank the Horse is on there too. And, he wants to be your friend.

Well, have a great week everyone!

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Heat Advisory/Poll Results/New Poll/Tropical Storm Carlos

HURRICANES AND WEATHER

Tropical Storm Carlos formed early today in the eastern Pacific. It is forecast to move west (away from land) and become a hurricane. Will watch it. Atlantic basin is quiet.



Much of the country will be hot this weekend...lots of 90s and 100s across the southern states and into the Intermountain Region. Highs will be in the 60s and 70s for western California and northern plains and northeast. Look for severe storms in east/southeast and western Nebraska. See figure at right.



Houston is hot and humid and there is a Heat Advisory through Saturday. There have been no 100 degree reading for five days but it has been close. With the ridge high and flat, it will be hot and humid for the next week or so. Rain chances are very low but an isolated storm or too could pop each day.



SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY

Let's do butterfly, or mariposa, pronounced mar-ee-POH-sah. Do you know the difference between a mariposa and a moth? Check out the And More section for the answer.



I am working a part time job which sometimes requires me to speak to Spanish speaking individuals. Although my Spanish is less than perfect, I can tell you that it is a tremendous asset to getting work done. There are Spanish speakers all over the place. Give your favorite youngsters the advantage of language. Order our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, Volume 1 from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,%20www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.



AND MORE

My poll on ideal vacation spots is closed. Only one answer was allowed. 36% said they would like to go to a nice beach. 27% said they would like to got to the mountains. 9% would like to go on a cruise. 9% would like to go to Disney Land or Disney World. 9% would like to go to Europe. 9% would like to go to another country not in Europe. 0% said they would like to go to the desert, a lake, or other. Thanks to all who participated.



Someone I know is considering trading in their old SUV for a qualified fuel efficient vehicle and getting a big tax deduction. Are you considering this? Thanks in advance for answering.



One of the nicest surprises on our trip was the 80 mph speed limits in west Texas. After we came down Hwy. 285 from Santa Fe, New Mexico, it was super thrilling to see that sign after we got on I10 at Fort Stockton. I did not even know that there were any 80 mph speed limits in Texas. It was 80 mph until we got to Kerrville. Well, going that fast, I had a very hard time getting a picture of the speed limit sign...we just kept zipping by it. And I was taking a picture with my phone--2 megapixels resolution. But trust me, it was there.



Speaking of Fort Stockton...very soon after we got on I10 heading east, we starting seeing the giants...there were even more than we had seen between Abilene and Lubbock.



We are home now...actually got back on Thursday. Drove 1050 miles in 2 days...most of it in one day. We starting at 7 am (8 am central) in Los Alamos and made Bandera, TX at 8:30 pm. Not bad considering we had several stops.



Remember how I told you we went to the botanical garden in Albuquerque. They had some fun/interesting information tables. That is where I learned the difference between butterflies and moths. Butterflies fly around during the day. Moths are active at night. Butterflies wings are up in the air. Moths' wings lie down flat.



Have a wonderful weekend!

Cecilia Sinclair

Wonder Weather Woman

Hail Storm Report/Rain Totals/Amazing Views

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Tropical Storm Blanca is almost no longer a tropical storm. This storm is in the eastern Pacific and heading northwestward and away from land.

Ridge is building back into the south central US on Wednesday. Highs from Texas to the desert southwest will be in the 90s and 100s. Highs will be in the 80s and 90s across the southeast US in the pleasant 60s and 70s along the west coast and all of the northern states.

Houston enjoyed some heavy rain today (more than 4 inches just northeast of Tomball according to the Houston Office of Emergency Management rain gauge network). Parts of Missouri City had over an inch. It was a welcome sight and kept the high down to 91. Rain is much LESS likely on Wednesday and it will be warmer as the high builds back in. Ridge returns strong for end of the week...should get lots of high 90s and maybe a few 100s. Some scattered rain will become possible as early as the weekend as the ridge flattens and shifts northward. We shall see.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do river or rio, pronounced REE-oh. Do you know the name of the rio which runs from Colorado to the southern tip of Texas? See photo at right to find out.

There may not be mountains but there is some spectacular foliage in our award winning DVD. Kids love all the bright colors...Order your's today from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com, www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com.

AND MORE
Spent some time in the Los Alamos downtown area today. A photo at right shows some of the broken branches near the downtown lake. According to the Los Alamos Monitor, said that the hail storm lasted 45 minutes and thousands of vehicles were damaged. Some of the hail was bigger than golf ball size. This was the storm we missed yesterday by 3 miles, because we turned off to go to White Rock.

How would you like to have a spectacular canyon view practically from your backyard? The photo of the Rio Grande River is the view from an outlook about a mile from my sister's house. It's a really neat area, because it is at the end of the community park. This is the same place we saw an amazing (and very long) fireworks display 2 years ago. It was interesting to see these almost headwaters of the Rio Grande (actual start is in Colorado), because I grew up in Brownsville, TX about 2 miles from the Rio Grande, very close to where the river empties into the Gulf of Mexico.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Hail Report/Artichoke Flowers/Route 66

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
The area of disturbed weather in the eastern Pacific became a tropical storm Blanca. Blanca, by the way, means white in Spanish. However, the storm is expected to move away from land.

Highs on Tuesday will be in the 90s and 100s across the southwest and Florida. It will be pleasant and mild along the west coast of California, the northern states and the northeast. Elsewhere, look for 80s. Note, the three areas where severe storms are possible.

Houston did NOT reach 100 today. And although the rain has failed to materialize, I do think there will be some thunderstorms tomorrow. High pressure moves east again by Wednesday and rain chances decrease. Then there could be some rain this weekend.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do artichoke or alcachofa, pronounced ahl-cah-CHO-fah. Did you know that alcachofa's have purple flowers? See photo at right from the Albuquerque Botanical Garden.

I like to eat artichoke hearts and so does Sarah. But for our video, we picked more traditional things for kids to eat. It's fun to learn eating vocabulary from our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, Volume 1. Order today from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,%20www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/



AND MORE

As we left Edgewood this morning, we headed west on the historical Route 66 to Albuquerque. It passes very class to my sister's home. We enjoyed a pleasant morning at the Albuquerque Botanical Garden after dining at the The Owl Cafe. The Cafe is neat because there are lots of owls, especially near the front. They aren't live however. The Botanical Garden is a feast for the eyes which lots of native plants. There has been lots of rain lately in Albuquerque. In fact, sometimes, we had to walk around the mud. I enjoyed seeing some of the interesting plants including something called a chocolate plant, because it smells like chocolate...smells great and no calories. Don't know if it is edible. I did not know that artichokes make purple flowers. Once the plant gets old and if fully flowering, the choke (the heart that people like to eat) is no longer edible.

From there, we drove on to Los Alamos. We could see storms to the northwest and drove through some rain. My sister's home is actually in White Rock (which is where a lot of Los Alamos workers live). We found out later that we had missed a terrible hail storm in Los Alamos. And, yesterday, we drove through missed some rough weather in the Panhandle and the previous some in northwest Texas. Hope our luck holds out.

Hope you are having a great week whatever you are doing.

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Windmill Farms/Texas Show Review/Thoughts on Sarah Palin

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Atlantic basin is quiet. There is a system that will probably become a tropical depression off the west coast of Mexico. But, it is moving away from land and will probably continue. I will let you know if this changes.

Storms are moving up and over the ridge over the southwest US. There will be plenty of 100s and 90 across the southwest and southern plains. Look for more comfortable conditions for the rest of the country with highs ranging from the 60s to 80s. Southeast will be quite humid. Severe storms are possible in two main areas...see figure at right.

Houston, this is the 3rd day in a row of record temperatures. Today, the high reached 101 at both Bush Airport and Hobby Airport breaking the old records set in 2005. It will be cooler due to showers and thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday. Enjoy!

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do windmill, or molino de viento, pronounced moh-LEE-noh DAY vee-EHN-toe. Look to the right to see a huge molina de viento.

Summer is a time for play and that's why we were able to get so many great shots of children having fun when we shot our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, Volume 1. And kids love to watch other children having fun. The neat thing is they don't even realize they are learning while being entertained. Order today from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com, www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com

AND MORE
The photo at right shows a few of the giant windmills being used to generate electricity. These were on a plateau as we drove northwest on U.S. Highway 84 between Abilene and Lubbock. There were hundreds, possibly thousands of these windmills on and off over the span of a 100 miles are so. I have also seen some in eastern New Mexico, near Interstate 40 and my sister Julie tells me she has seen some near I10. in the desert southwest. One of the neatest things I saw was a place where they were storing the parts. The blades were huge...I would guesstimate 25 feet long.

The Texas show in Palo Duro Canyon was especially outstanding last night. And we were so lucky because there were storms east and south but none right where we were--to cancel the show. And the high clouds and sprinkles in our area kept everything nice and cool. It is the 75th anniversary of Palo Duro Canyon and the 44th year of the Texas musical in the canyon. At the end of the show, there was a bonus of a 4th of July fireworks display. As we drove away from the show, there was a lovely display of nature's own fireworks...lightning in the distance.

This morning, it was so pleasant...rain cooled air. The trip from Amarillo to Edgewood (just east of Albuquerque) was so easy. Now, we are in Edgewood. The air is dry and there was a brief thundershower that cooled the air even more. The windows are open and it is just sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo refreshing!!!

Even though on vacation, I haven't missed the news about Sarah Palin. My own feelings about this matter are that maybe, just maybe, the reality of her young son's care (and her new grandchild) are just too much. When I left television, my main reason was Sarah--who had extra needs that were at times all consuming. Many people I know were shocked that I left such a great career. But, my heart was breaking and it was too much to handle knowing that I was letting her down. Just my thoughts... For what it's worth, my brother-in-law says he thinks she is pregnant.

Hope whatever you are doing, you are having fun!

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Rain Returns!/Poll Results/New Poll

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
There is one non-tropical area of low pressure in the central Atlantic...that probably won't develop. There is an area off the west coast of Mexico which has a chance to develop...but it will probably move away from land. Will keep watching.

High pressure over the south central US will start weakening and slipping westward over the weekend as an upper trough digs in from the northeast. Until then, stormy areas will be up and over the top of the ridge. See Storm Prediction risk areas at right. There will also be some thunderstorms in Florida. 100+ for much of Texas and Arizona. Pleasant along the west coast of California, northwest, northern plains and the northeast.

Houston's high of 100 on Friday tied the record of 100 from 1980. This was also the second day in a row of at least 100 degree weather. Look for a high very close to 100 for the Fourth and almost as hot on Sunday. But then, important weather changes!!!!!!!! Rain returns and it will be cooler with some scattered showers and thunderstorms through Friday. Yippee!!!

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do fire or fuego, pronounced FWAY-go. Remember the burn ban and any restrictions on fireworks...everything is really dry.

Don't just fire up the grill this summer. Fire up your child's interest in other languages. Order our award winning Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, Volume 1, from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com, www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com

AND MORE
Our poll about how you like to network on the Internet is closed. More than one answer was allowed. 55% said they on are on Facebook. 11% use My Space. 11% use Twitter. 77% use email. 22% have their own blog. No one used a list server, was on Linked In, or had some other way. Thanks to all who participated.

The new poll has to do with ideal vacations. I am providing a list of possibilities and you can only choose one. Have fun dreaming!!!

It was like my childhood all over again. My youngest brother got some fireworks and we set them off. The sparklers were duds...could barely light them (even with a match!!!). But we had fun igniting some roman candles and some of those ones that spin on the ground. The kids, my nephews Toby, Zach and Joseph reacted in different ways. Toby was wary. Zach wasn't very interested and Joseph (the youngest) wanted to get way too close!!! Sarah was tired and nervous that I would get hurt. Then, we watched a community display which was actually very good. Before the fireworks, my brother had a cool inflated waterslide set up in his backyard. He cooked out hamburgers and hot dogs and his wife made yummy fruit kabobs. My sister Liz had brought over her 6 month old Golden Retriever, Boone. He is a doll and so fun to wrestle with. At 70 pounds, he is hard to handle. Liz said he is going to make it to 100 pounds. Yikes!!! It was a fun night!!!

Have a happy and safe fourth everyone!!!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Hotter Again/Thanks Law Enforcement/Happy Birthday

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Tropics are quiet!

Ridge has moved slightly back to the east and that means dry across the south central US. There will be plenty of 100+ temperatures in Texas and a few in the desert Southwest. The west coast, northwest, northern plains and northeast will be pleasant with highs in the 60s, 70s and 80s. There will be some severe storms over the north central US and a small area on the east coast. See figure at right.

Houston did not reach 100 today although many locations were close. Look for some 100 degree readings over the next few days (including the 4th) but it won't be the string of record breaking days we had before. Still, it will be a great weekend for the pool. Remember there is a burn ban in effect and there is also an Ozone Watch. So, the more you can do indoors, the better.

Let's do independence or independencia, pronounced ehn-deh-pehn-dehn-SEE-ah. Just a few more days until we celebrate our independencia.

Research shows that people who speak more than one language, on average, earn more than their monolingual counterparts. Get your kids excited about Spanish. Order our award winning Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, Volume 1, from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com, www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, go to http://www.frankypaco.com

AND MORE
As we look ahead to our nation's independence, let us not forget the men and women who keep us safe overseas and at home. Law enforcement will be extra busy this year with the long holiday weekend.

My good friend Leslie Williams-Dennis sent me another great article. The Gus George Law Enforcement Academy just graduated its last group of cadets in the original building it started graduating cadets 24 years ago. Next group will be celebrating in a new building. Thanks for the article Leslie!
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/6503014.html#

A special Happy Birthday to my step-daughter Megan who turns 21 on Thursday. Megan, you are such a joy! I'll never forget when I first met you...how you came bounding up the steps and gave me a big hug. You wouldn't let me go. We love you and hope you have the happiest birthday ever!!!

Have a terrific Thursday!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman