Table Rock Lake/Build a Bear Deal/La Nina Update

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Tropical Pacific and Atlantic are quiet.

On Wednesday, severe weather will be a threat from Iowa to New York. There will also be many areas with scattered storms including the southern plains, the Midwest and the northeast. Vegas and Phoenix should top out around 105. Cool spots will be the west coast of California with highs in the 60s and the Great Lakes with highs in the 70s. Expect highs in the 80s for the rest of the northern states and New Mexico and 90s elsewhere.

Houston will be hot and humid with scattered showers and thunderstorms on Wednesday. Much lower rain chances from Thursday through the weekend. Getting hotter at the same time with highs in the upper 90s and some locations could reach 100.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do stuffed animal or animal de peluche, pronounced ah-knee-MAUL DAY peh-LOO-chay. Find out about a deal on making your favorite animal de peluche in the AND MORE section.

Too hot or too rainy (or too many mosquitos) to play outside? Let the kids exercise their brains by watching my award winning Spanish language DVDs, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. You can find Volumes 1 and 2 on the shelf (in the education section) at Barnes & Noble stores or you can order them from http://www.frankandpaco.com, http://www.amazon.com, http://www.bn.com, http://www.bestbuy.com, or http://www.ebay.com/. Our ESL (English as a Second Language) version can be found at http://www.frankypaco.com.

AND MORE
New Poll
We are in the Branson, Missouri area on vacation. Actually, we spend most of our time outside of Branson at a resort on Table Rock Lake. Today, with a threat of rain, we decided to head into Branson Landing--a shopping/dining area. And, of course when Sarah saw the Build-A-Bear Workshop, we had to visit. I was thinking about how many times we have made some stuffed animals there and I was wondering how many you have made there. So, that is my new poll. Only one answer is allowed. Thanks in advance for participating.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Special
And one reason I was willing to go there is because they are offering a special through August 5th...for $29.99 you can get a stuffed animal, outfit and shoes for "only" $29.99. If you have ever been there before, you know that is a good deal. We usually never get out of there for under $50 each.

Cabins Becoming a Rarity
This will be our last year at this particular resort because the cabins are being sold off individually. Already about half of them have been sold. People are buying them and fixing them up. Gordy has been coming to this resort for the last 35 years or so. All of his siblings and their kids and his parents come here. So, not staying at this resort is going to be a big change. And many of the other resorts are selling off their cabins too! So, the times are a'changing.

Found - Cathy Rigby
I now know where Cathy Rigby is. She is appearing as Peter Pan in Branson. In case you didn't know, she was an award winning gymnast and represented the US at the 1968 and 1972 Olympics (although she had an injury at the 1972 ones). Anyway, I haven't seen her show but I am impressed that she is still performing that role. She was born in 1952...so she is in her late 50s.

Happy 65th Bubba Sea Dog
Before we left for Table Rock, we headed to Kemah to see our friend Sam's "new" boat. It is actually fairly old but in great shape--a wooden boat 37 ft. long. There is an enclosed cabin with kitchen and bathroom and room for 6 people to sleep. Happy birthday Bubba Sea Dog and enjoy your "yacht club".

Liquid vs. Dry Measuring Cups
You have to rough it a bit in cabins and I forgot to bring my liquid measuring cup. Making a cake for my nephew Will and Ben's birthdays (turning 14 and 11 respectively within 2 weeks of each other). Happy Birthday guys! Anyway, I looked up the difference and there isn't any. It's just harder to measure liquid in a the shape provided with a dry measuring cup and vice versa. So, happy roughing it.

Still Trending La Nina
Latest from Climate Prediction Center, we still appear to be at the beginning of a La Nina episode. Just a refresher, that tends to be more storm in the Atlantic Basin.

3 Month Temperature/Precipitation Outlooks and Drought Outlook
Climate Prediction Center is projecting above normal temperatures for many areas, especially for Florida, Northeast and Arizona and above normal rain for much of the southeast. This will help Louisiana, which is currently dealing with extreme drought and is within the drought outlook area for improvement.

Have a great week everyone!

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman