Labor Day Weekend Forecast/Tropical Update/"New" Wardrobe - No Money

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
In the Atlantic, Danielle is weakening while Earl is forecast to become a major hurricane in the next day. Earl is passing the northeastern Leeward Islands and it is still not clear if it will not hit the U.S. Most models show it missing, but we still need to watch it carefully from the Carolinas to the the coastal New England states. Next disturbance in the central Atlantic will likely become Fiona, but it is less likely (at this point) than Earl to threaten the U.S.

In Eastern Pacific, there is an area of disturbed weather with a slight chance of becoming a named storm in the next 2 days.

Some severe weather is possible today over the northern and central plains. That area shifts eastward on Tuesday. Very hot and steamy across the northeast, east and south today with highs in the 80s and 90s. Pleasant for coastal California, Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies and northern Plains with highs in the 60s and 70s.

Houston, we are back to mega hot and sticky all week. Some dry air arrives late Friday and Saturday will be more comfortable. Look for scattered showers and thunderstorms each afternoon this week. Labor Day weekend, a slight chance for a stray storm on Sunday and t-storms slightly more likely on Monday.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do buckle or abrochar, pronounced ah-bro-CHAR. What is the safest way abrochar your child in the car. See the AND MORE section.

Finished all art work for Volume 3 and now just a few more finishing touches on the editing. Volume 3 will cover the alphabet (with words beginning with those letters), numbers 1 through 20 and colors. Have had a few of Sarah's friends checking out the rough draft of Volume 3 and they were glued to the set. Until it's ready for release, you can order my award winning DVDs, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco 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
Get "New" Clothing Without Shopping
I'm cleaning out my closet for one of those charity pick-ups. This time I am determined to be ruthless. Get rid of everything I don't wear...no holding back!!! And, I change things around. Moving tops to a location in the closet that is more accessible. Look down on the floor and big bonus, I find 4 tops on the ground. One of them, I thought I had lost on a trip. One I had been trying to find for a while. And two I had completely forgotten about but really loved!!! I have a whole new wardrobe this Monday morning and didn't spend a dime. And, since I am keeping track of what I am giving to charity, I'll have a nice charity deduction come April 15th.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, so rejuvenating!!!

Keep Your Kids Safe in the Car
My sister has 3 little ones and recently asked me about putting her oldest in a booster. Then, I'm driving home and see a billboard for bucklethemright.org. So I check it out and it goes right to the Texas click it or ticket site. There is lots of great information including a clarification of the child safety seat law in Texas. Here is a summary from the site.

Texas is doing its part by requiring every passenger in a vehicle to wear a safety belt. If a rider isn't buckled in, they'll receive a citation. What's more, if a child passenger younger than 8 years old (unless taller than 4 feet, 9 inches) is not buckled up or is buckled in wrong, the driver will be ticketed.

They have information about where you can go to make sure you are buckling your little ones correctly and much more. Here is the link:
http://texasclickitorticket.com/child_safety.html

Rolling Blackouts
We have been having rolling blackouts in the Sugar Land area for a week...but there is nothing on the Centerpoint web site. I called and unquired and they had nothing to say, except they will have someone come out and check our grid. Do they truly not know that there have been rolling blackouts? Do they think that not saying anything will make us not notice? Have any of you been having any regular trouble? I have lived here 10 years and this is the first time I recall this happening in non-severe weather. Will let you know if I find anything out.

Katrina Anniversary
As we mark the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, let us continue to keep all victims of that storm and all natural disasters in our prayers. I'll never forget the family our church assigned to our group of families or the single mom with a grown disabled son who was completely uprooted from a life that was working. Let us never be too busy to lend a helping hand.

Have a great week everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Danielle, Earl, Frank and almost Fiona in Tropics and Weekend Forecast

As I write this post this evening, we have Hurricane Danielle and Tropical Storm Earl and a storm which will soon be named Fiona in the Atlantic. Meanwhile in the Pacific, there is Hurricane Frank.

The good news in the Atlantic is that it looks like the US has fairly good chances of being spared a direct hit by all three systems. So, I'll keep an eye on the tropics as usual.

In the Pacific, Frank is interesting because it is probably going to move over the Baja peninsula and possibly into the southwest US. The cooler water will kill the winds, but it could be a rainmaker for the southwestern US. So, stay tuned for that.

For Houston, some good news...Friday we will still be enjoying that lower humidity and the "dry heat". Dew points start increasing Saturday--so more humidity and then back to the sauna on Sunday with scattered showers and thunderstorms and that will continue into the early part of the coming week. For Saturday, some thunderstorms over the southeast US and extreme south Texas and the southwest. Highs in the 60s or 70s western California, the Pacific Northwest and the northeast. 100+ for Vegas and 80s and 90s elsewhere.

Happy weekend everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Loving My Eggs/Relief from Houston Heat/Tropical Update

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Danielle dropped to tropical storm strengthen and is now back to hurricane status in the Atlantic. Still not looking like a threat to land. However, long range forecast models have diverged. So, I'll let you know if any land area becomes threatened. Further to the east, National Hurricane Center is giving disturbance 90% of becoming (Earl most likely) a tropical storm in the next 2 days. In the Gulf, a trough of low pressure is being given only a 10% chance of developing in the next 2 days.

In the tropical Pacific, Tropical Storm Frank looks like a non-threat for any direct hits on the west coast.

Big changes shaping up over the US as high pressure builds southward into Texas and then lifts northeastward over the weekend with trough invading the west. Very hot across southern plains and central US and southwest on Wednesday. But, many areas will be enjoying a big drop in the humidity. There will be some thunderstorms for the southwest, southeast and Ohio Valley.

Houston, say finally!!! Drier air arrives on Wednesday and that is going to make this heat more tolerable. Hit 102 (highest temperature so far this year) on Monday, 8/23 with explosive thunderstorms and high wind damage and then round 2 today, Tuesday, 8/24. So enjoy Wednesday through Friday. Then late Friday and into at least early next week, tropical moisture and there will be some storms as a trough of low pressure moves in from Gulf.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do egg or huevo, pronounced HWEH-voh. Find out at least one grocery store which is claiming no worries with their huevos in the AND MORE section.

Working hard on the upcoming launch of the music CD for the first 3 volumes, and Volume 3, which will cover the alphabet (with words beginning with those letters), numbers 1 through 20 and colors. Have had a few of Sarah's friends checking out the rough draft of Volume 3 and they were glued to the set. Until it's ready for release, you can order my award winning DVDs, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco 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
Loving My Eggs
We eat eggs regularly. So you can be sure that last week when I heard about the salmonella outbreak, I checked mine immediately. We were okay (good thing as we had already eaten some from the carton). Anyway, just wanted to pass along that HEB had a sign up on Sunday that they do not purchase their eggs from the suspected source egg farms.

Katy High School Graduate Is Named Presidential Scholar
Congratulations to Ellen Liu, a 2010 graduate of James E. Taylor High School from Katy for being named a Presidential Scholar. Only 2 students from each state receive this distinguished title. For more on this amazing young lady who is a huge advocate for adequate education for all students, go to:
http://www.ultimatekaty.com/2010/08/local-grad-named-presidential-scholar
Thanks to my buddy, Leslie Williams, who wrote this article for the Chronicle.

First Ever National Flood Workshop to Be Held Here in Houston October 24-26
Take advantage of less expensive early registration fees by signing up the first ever
National Flood Workshop by the end of this month. And, there are special low rates for students. This is a super exciting event being sponsored in part by The John C. Freeman Weather Museum and Weather Research Center. Here is the link to the site:
http://www.wxresearch.com/nfw/

Temperature and Precipitation Outlooks for the Fall
The good news is that Wednesday is 4 months until Christmas...thinking those cool thoughts and less than a month from the official start of fall. So, I'm checking out the latest 3 month temperature outlook (September through November) from the Climate Prediction Center and there is a large swath of high chances of above normal temperaturs from the southwest through Texas into the northeast. Precipation-wise looks like the northern plains and Pacific Northwest will have above normal chances for this same period. Bottom line...might be running that a/c come Thanksgiving Day if you are in Houston are one of the areas in that region I mentioned.

Drought Monitor and Outlook
Also at right are the latest figures...one of the drier areas in the US has been northern Louisiana, Virginia/NC and western Hawaii. Looks like some relief possible for northern Louisiana, improvement expected for Virginia and NC and persistence for Hawaii.

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Tropical Update/Eat, Pray, Love Review/Onion Chopping Eye Relief

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
What was tropical depression #5 and moved into the northern Gulf coast last week, is about to move back out over the open water just south of the Florida panhandle. The National Hurricane Center is giving it a 50% chance of becoming a tropical storm in the next 48 hours. Looks like it will hit southeast Louisiana again.

On Monday, there is a risk of severe storms in the northeast and for eastern Colorado and the corners of surrounding counties. Very hot in Texas and the southwest with plenty of 100+ readings. Steamy for th southeast with highs in the 90s. Pleasant for the Great Lakes and northern New England with highs in the 60s and along the California coast, highs in the 70s. Elsewhere, expect 70s and 80s.

Houston has another Heat Advisory for Monday. On Sunday, it hit 100 for the first time this year...just one degree shy of the record for the day. I would not be surprised if we hit 100 again on Monday. But rain will return this week and there will likely be some scattered storms Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday as more moisture moves into the area along with some weak disturbances in the upper flow...still very hot and humid all week.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do pray or rezar, pronounced ray-ZARR. What did I think about Ear, Rezar, Love? See the And More section.

I just finished reviewing the music CD for the first 3 volumes, to be released at about the same time as Volume 3, which will cover the alphabet (with words beginning with those letters), numbers 1 through 20 and colors. In the meantime, you can order my award winning DVDs, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco 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
Place to Go for Personalized Gifts, Especially for Baby
Just got back from an out of town baby shower for my nephew Josh and his wife Sarah. They are going to have a little boy in September and are naming him John Mason. I was delighted to see some personalized items that my niece had made for him including the blue and white checked romper shown at right. Turns out she has started a business personalizing bibs, wipey containers and much more. Check out her web site at:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/NeedleInACottonPatch
That whole family is very creative. Courtney herself had come up with some super fun baby shower games like modifying Catch Phrase with baby terms, Price is Right like game--gave 5 items and gave 2 prices and we had to pick the right one...whoever got most right--won. It was a fun time.

Eat, Pray, Love Review
I read the book, and I think Julia Roberts did a good job of portraying Elizabeth Gilbert. There were several parts that were glossed over or not even addressed at all. But, I think the movie would have been at least 3 hours if they hadn't done that. And, her love interest was way too good (and young) looking compared to the way he was portrayed in the book. I think it is worth seeing--I don't know if everything was shot on location--but the scenery was great. It is not a completely chick movie. I saw several couples in the theater--those men were so brave.

Minimize Tears While Chopping Onions
So, I'm chopping some onions and trying to remember the tip I saw on Alton Brown's show on the Food Network. I just could not remember. He explained how there are fumes realized that when they hit the eyeballs release sulfur and that is why your eyes burn. He suggested rubbing the cutting surface with vinegar and then said that is too stinky. Then, he said to cut near an open flame to burn up the fumes. Then, he said to cut with a very sharp knife to minimize the release of fumes. You can see him giving this advice on the following link from youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU-gfFzC6Uw

EPA Sets Emission Limits for Cement Plants - First Ever for Mercury
For the first time ever, the EPA has established emission limits for mercury and other chemicals released from cement plants.

The following is an excerpt from the press release:
EPA estimates that the rules will yield $6.7 billion to $18 billion in health and environmental benefits, with costs estimated at $926 million to $950 million annually in 2013. Another EPA analysis estimates emission reductions and costs will be lower, with costs projected to be $350 million annually.

For the complete press release, see the following link:
http://sn130w.snt130.mail.live.com/default.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0

Poll Results
My poll about your feelings about Lance Berkman leaving the Astros for the Yankees got the following results:

33% said they were sad. 16% said they were more optimistic about the Astros. 50% said they don't care. No one said they are mad at him, they are less optimistic about the Astros, or they are happy for him. Only one answer was allowed. Thanks to all who participated. I'll try to put up a new poll in my next post.

Have a great week everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Tropical Depression #5 forms in Gulf

Quick update to tell you that Gulf system is now Tropical Depression #5 (will likely become Tropical Storm Danielle before landfall on Thursday). National Hurricane Center projects that it will most likely hit Louisiana on Thursday afternoon.

There is a new area of disturbed weather just east of the eastern Caribbean Islands.

The other area in the northwest Atlantic is going to move northward (not threatening land).

Houston, it is looking like we will return to a more rainy pattern starting Thursday with at least some scattered storms each day.

Happy Wednesday!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Tropical Update Monday Evening

Just a quick note tonight to say keep an eye on the eastern Gulf disturbance. Consensus of models takes to Louisiana in a couple days. Best chance for rain Houston Thursday...some scattered stuff still possible into weekend.

Still very hot through Thursday and National Weather Service has heat advisory for most of Houston area until Tuesday 7 pm. Must of nation's mid-section until head advisories or warnings with ridge of high pressure really doing some cooking.

Have a great (cool) week!

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Tropical Storm Colin Returns/Federal Building in 2 States/Why I Love Nintendo

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
In the Atlantic, Colin is back! But it is unlikely to affect any land area directly except possibly Bermuda and Newfoundland. And the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is not expecting it to become a hurricane. In the far eastern Atlantic, the NHC is monitoring Invest 93 which they say has a 40% chance of becoming a tropical storm in the next 48 hours. But, the models are indicating it will likely not threaten any land areas, moving through the open waters of the Atlantic (eventually dieing in the northern Atlantic).

In the eastern Pacific is newly formed Tropical Depression 7E. This system should move west-northwest and not threaten any land areas.

Let's start with the coolest areas...west coast California, coastal Washington, northern Great Lakes and norhern New England highs in the 60s and 70s today. 100+ for Dallas and las Vegas. Elsewhere highs in the 80s and 90s. Slight risk for severe storms Montana/South Dakota/North Dakota and the southeastern states.

Houston is under another Heat Advisory this Friday as it is expected to feel like 105 or hotter for much of the afternoon. I wouldn't be surprised if there is another heat advisory for Saturday and possibly Sunday. There is a slight weakness in our high pressure ridge. So, we will probably get some cooling thunderstorms today, Saturday and Sunday. But not everyone will get the rain. Stay cool!

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do service or servicio, pronounced sair-vee-SEE-oh. Find out about some excellent servicio I got in the AND MORE section.

There is a lot of excitement about our soon to be released Volume 3 which will cover the alphabet (with words beginning with those letters), numbers 1 through 20 and colors. We will also have a special music CD release covering all three volumes. In the meantime, you can order my DVDs, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco 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 on Lance Berkman
You have probably already moved on, but I was curious about how you felt about Lance Berkman leaving the Astros. I met him once when I was working a special adoption awareness day on the night of an Astros game. Lance met with me and some children who were hoping to be adopted. The little boy in the group gave him his assessment of things and Lance responded in a way that showed he truly cared about what the little boy had to say. I really respected him for that. And, I have to say I was sad when I heard he had left the Astros. I felt like the soul of the team was gone. So, anyway, here's the new poll. More than one answer is allowed (trying to cover all your possible feelings). Thanks in advance for responding.

Federal Building is in Two States
Sarah loves to pick up postcards when we travel. Looking through them, I found one which showed the Texarkana Post Office and Courthouse lies in Texas and Arkansas. Apparently the state border goes right through the middle of it. I found a web site (Texasescapes.com) which has some neat pictures of the building and state line street and one funny comic strip. Enjoy!
http://www.texasescapes.com/EastTexasTowns/TexarkanaTexas/Texarkana-Texas-Arkansas-State-Line.htm

Old Kimberling City Lies Under 150 Feet of Water
When we go to Table Rock Lake (in Southwest Missouri and just outside of Branson) each summer, we often pass under the Kimberling City bridge opened in 1958. The original bridge is close by...about 150 feet under the water. You see the Corp of Engineers decided to flood that valley in the 1950s so that the area could be opened for recreation. Way down in that valley were villages and another bridge...the old Kimberling City bridge. They say if you were to dive down there, we would find the bridge and some old buildings. They weren't torn down...just allowed to stay in place with the water inundating them. It is kind of creepy to float over that area and realize there are structures down there. I found this Photobucket site with photos of the "new" bridge. Notice how high the water is...I think those were taken during some historic floods 2 years ago. I heard you could take your boat under the bridge and actually hang onto it. The water was so high that for a while they had to close the bridge to traffic.
http://photobucket.com/images/Kimberling%20City%20bridge/

Nintendo DS Fix for Free
I don't know what Sarah may have done to her Nintendo DS Lite (she has only had for 3 months) but it just stopped working. So, I contacted Nintendo and they were so kind. I didn't have a serial number because Sarah had pulled off the sticker and I didn't have a receipt because it was a gift. Well, they didn't care. They sent me a link so I could print my own FedEx label and all I have to do is package it up and they are going to send her a brand new one. Who says there isn't customer service anymore? I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo impressed!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Tropical Update/HEB Gift Super Gift Card Deal/Seeing Peter Pan

WEATHER
In the Atlantic, Colin forms and then it fizzles. There is still a possiblity it could reform but for now, the National Hurricane Center, is no longer issuing advisories on it. Track forecast is mainly to miss the US and even to miss Bermuda. Will monitor.

Meanwhile, those of us in Texas need to keep a close eye on the disturbance in the eastern Caribbean. There are indications that it will organize and become a hurricane as it tracks westward and then into the Gulf. Most models at this point have it hitting Mexico but it is way early. Will keep you posted.

Another disturbance in the eastern Pacific has only a 10% chance of developing in the next 48 hours.

On Wednesday, there is a slight risk for severe storms from Iowa and Missouri over to Ohio. Brutally hot in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and the desert Southwest with many 100+ readings. Very hot and and sticky for the eastern US, except the northeast which will have highs in the 70s and 80s. West coast of California will be the cool spot with highs in the 60s. Also pleasant for the northern tier of states with highs in the 70s and 80s.

Houston will continue hot and humid with highs near 97 or 98 through the weekend. Slight risk for rain returns Wednesday through the weekend, but it is low--only 10 to 20%.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do charitable organization or entidad benéfica, pronounced ehn-tee-DAD behn-AY-fee-cah. Learn more about a neat entidad benéfica in the AND MORE section.

Unless you are swimming, it is just too hot to be oustide? 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
Build-A-Bear Poll Results
My poll on how many Build-A-Bear projects you have purchased is closed. 42% said none. 14% said one. 0% said 2. 28% said 3. And, 14% said more than 3. Only one answer was allowed. Thanks to allwho participated.

I'll have a new poll in my next blog.

Great Gift Card Deal at HEB!
If you buy any gift card in any amount at HEB, you will get a $5 coupon off any purchase of at least $15 worth of groceries in the following 2 weeks. Well, I easily spend that each time I go and I get groceries at least once a week. So think about this, this is like getting a $15 gift card for only $10. Great deal!!!

Sarah Meets Cathy Rigby
In a previous posted, I told you how we were driving in Branson and saw that Cathy Rigby was starring in the musical Peter Pan. This was my 12th trip to the area (we go to Table Rock Lake) and I had never been to any show. Well, Sarah decided that she wanted to see it. So, we did! And what a wonderful show it was!!! I was so impressed at the gymnastics being performed by Cathy Rigby--now 57 years old. The end of the show was a big thrill when she walked out for the curtain call and then flew right at us and way to the rear of the audience. I totally did not expect that. She threw fists full of "pixie dust" as she flew overhead and it ended up down my shirt and in my purse. It scared Sarah a bit but she recovered.

Anyway, after the show, people lined up to give a $1 donation to get a picture and autograph from Cathy. I looked into the donation and it was for the Peter Pan Children's Fund which encourages children to be philanthropists and help childrens' hospitals. Here is the link to the web site:
http://www.peterpanchildrensfund.org/

Cathy was very interested in hearing more about Sarah's syndrome and I told her to check out prisms.org. Who knows...maybe the Peter Pan Children's Fund will end up helping the Baylor Genetics department--one of the top 3 research facilities in the country for Smith-Magenis Syndrome.

Have a great week everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Tropical Depression #4

Hello all -
Just a quick update to tell you about Tropical Depression #4 in the Atlantic. Good news is that majority of forecast models are keeping it from making a direct hit on the US (at least so far). And the National Hurricane Center is not forecasting that the storm will become a hurricane (but they are forecasting that it will become a tropical storm).

There is another area with only a 10% chance of developing over the next 48 hours (that area over the southern islands of the eastern Caribbean).

In the Pacific, an area of disturbed weather is only being given a 10% chance of developing in the next 48 hours.

Houston -- hot and mostly rain-free weather will continue through the weekend...highs each day should reach the upper 90s.

My next post will be more complete and will include how Sarah and I saw the Peter Pan performance and met Cathy Rigby.

Have a great week!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman