A Chilly Day Coming/Who Needs Christmas Stamps?

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect this evening for north central and northeast Texas. A line of storms is moving eastward through this area. Houston may get some of the action early Tuesday but it is looking less and less likely.

Houston will be very cold on Tuesday--from the Great Lakes and especially Minnesota (in the single digits for highs) down to New Mexico there will be snow showers. Numerous winter weather advisories and watches are in the effect from New Mexico northeastward to the Great Lakes.

For Houston, it will be one more mild, muggy day before the ccccccooooooolllllddddd returns. A few thunderstorms are possible early Tuesday but it looks like most of the action will be to our north. Some clouds and rain will linger into Wednesday. Those 2 things combined with a big temperature drop will make it very chilly on Wednesday. It won't get out of the 40s on Wednesday. Tuesday, in contrast will be in the 70s.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
It is stamp or sello, pronounced SAY-yoh. Don't forget to buy sellos for Christmas cards.

We have developed a work around for selling our English teaching DVD. Please feel free to go to http://www.frankypaco.com and let us know what you think.

Of course, most of you are probably more interested in learning Spanish. I may have mentioned, oh just a few times, that we have an award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. You can order your copies today from our web site, www.frankandpaco.com, and you will get shipping within 24 hours. You can also order Let's Learn Spanish with Frank and Paco from www.venturaes.com, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

AND MORE
Anyone want some Christmas stamps? I love convenience as much as the next person, but here is what happens if you try to take advantage of it while dealing with a youngster like Sarah.

We went to the post office and I felt very smart because I was ready to buy some Christmas stamps out of the vending machine and avoid that awful long line. Well, I only needed 2 more books. Not having exact change, I gave Sarah a $20 and told her to put it in the machine. She happily helped me purchase 2 books. Well you know those machines only give coins as change. So we had some nice new dollar coins as part of the change. Now, they are pretty and all, but they are heavy. And sorry to say, I would rather have dollar bills.

As I'm packing an order, Sarah zips back over to the machine and puts in one of the dollar coins. Okay...just push the button and get the change back. Guess what? The machine won't let you do that. Hmmmm. I have to spend it. What are my options? Well I could buy 2 50 cent books of 1 cent makeup stamps...didn't really need those. All I had in my wallet was a $20...so I couldn't add just a little more money and get one more book of stamps. By the way, all they had was Christmas stamps. So, I went ahead and bought 2 more books. Well, now I have way more Christmas stamps and dollar coins than I need.

So, if you get a birthday card in July with a Christmas stamp, you know why. Ha!

Have a terrific Tuesday.

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Forecast/Wine Tasting Fun

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
It is a wintry day in the midwest--central and eastern Iowa, northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin getting hit with snow. There are winter storm advisories, warning, watches for Montana, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, the Appalachians of West Virginia, many locations in New England. Monday will be in teens and 20s northern Plains and Great Lakes states. There will be some rain developing in Texas and Oklahoma. Look for some snow mixed with rain in Ohio and parts of the Ohio Valley. The Great Lakes will continue to deal with wintry precipitation.

It is going to be a delightful day in Houston...sunshine...mild temperatures. Look for rain to return as early as late Monday with some thunderstorms on Tuesday in the morning and midday before the next cold arrives. It will milder and more muggy Monday and Tuesday before the front arrives.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
It is wine or vino, pronounced VEE-noh. Enjoy the vino but be careful not to drink too much. And never drink and drive.

We continue to work on the work around for selling our English teaching video in countries besides the U.S. We are trying to offer the purchasing instructions in Spanish. Our web site is in Spanish but how can they order if the instructions are in English. Sounds so simple but no vendors offer an automatic setting for this. Will let you know when we get it worked out.

In the meantime, for all of our English speaking friends who would like to give the gift of Spanish language learning to their little ones, check out our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. You can order your copies today from our web site, www.frankandpaco.com, and you will get shipping within 24 hours. You can also order Let's Learn Spanish with Frank and Paco from www.venturaes.com, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

AND MORE
Had fun at a wine tasting party last night at the home and Doris and Roy Hood. Wayne Baggett brought wine he had made using grapes he grew himself...delicious. He is a meteorologist but he got a degree in wine making by attending a college program on weekends for 2 years. Wow! I was amused by a little contest they had to see how people would vote their preference for 2 wines--one was expensive and one was not. Both were covered so you couldn't see the label. Well, at first the low budget wine was winning but at the end of the evening the more expensive wine pulled ahead in the voting. The total was very close. Interesting!!! Maybe agonizing over the expense isn't so important. Maybe you can get away with a less expensive wine sometimes.

Don't forget to participate in our new poll about what makes you happiest during the holidays!

Have wonderful week everyone and enjoy the weather.

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Weekend Weather/Paypal Limitation/Poll Results/New Poll

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Highs on Saturday will only be in the single digits around International Falls. Highs around the Great Lakes will be in the teens and 20s. There will be snow showers around the Great states. winter weather advisories are in effect around the edges of the Great Lakes and in upstate New York and the northern Rockies. There will be rain showers in Seattle.

The sun will be back out in Houston on Saturday. On Friday many locations did not get out of the 40s. Saturday, highs will reach the low 60s and morning lows in the 30s (light freeze for outlying areas). Temperatures will be slightly warmer on Sunday. Look for some thunderstorms Tuesday as the next cold front approaches.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Yesterday we did hot chocolate or chocolate caliente. Well, Sarah said we forgot the marshmallows. So, our word today is marshmallow or dulce de consistencia blanda, pronounced DOOL-say day cohn-sees-tehn-SEE-ah BLAHN-dah. I love dulces de consistencia blanda in my hot chocolate.

We are definitely seeing an increase in the sales of our award winning language DVD for children, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. People know that language learning tools are wonderful gifts for youngsters. Don't worry...we're keeping up!!! So, order your copies today from our web site, www.frankandpaco.com, and you will get shipping within 24 hours. You can also order Let's Learn Spanish with Frank and Paco from www.venturaes.com, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

By the way, we are seeing a lot of interest in our English teaching DVD for Spanish speakers. But here is something frustrating. I am trying to get Paypal to give us a tool so that they can see their ordering instructions in Spanish. Our web site for the Spanish customers is completely in Spanish, but when they go to check out, they see all of the instructions in English. Well, believe it or not, the only way to get this is if I am from a Spanish speaking country (setting up an account with a foreign address). So, the customer service person said they would add that to the list of wanted changes.

Well, I just can't believe they don't support that. So, I did some research and guess what...there don't appear to be any gateway providers that support Spanish checkout. There are plenty for other countries (like Europe, Russia, China). I did see a lot of posts from frustrated computer programmers who were trying to resolve this same problem.

Anyway, we are probably going to do a work around using yahoo business. I'll let you know how that goes.

AND MORE
Our poll about the aggressiveness of shoppers is now closed. (the poll was inspired by reports about tramplings etc.) The results are 40% thought they were just desperate to get a good deal, 40% thought they were caught up in the moment, 20% thought they had forgotten the true meaning of the holidays and 60% thought they were just plain mean and selfish. Please note that respondents were allowed multiple answers (thus the percentages DID NOT add up to 100%).

Our new poll asked what gives you the most happiness during the holidays. Don't forget to share your answer.

Gordy and I saw the most hilarious thing this morning as we were taking our walk. We saw a man with dreadlocks on a motorcycle. He had an incredibly loud stereo and he was bouncing on his seat and dancing. Then as we got closer, we realized he had on a cap that had the dreadlocks. And he was laughing and laughing. Everyone was cracking up. I wonder if that was a one time thing or he does it all the time. And just where do you buy such a cap.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Cold Weather/FortBendNow/Groundhog Day Gala

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
It was delightfully chilly today in the Houston area...at least I thought so. But brrrrrrrrr, they have to be shivering in North Dakota, Minnesota and the Great Lakes states--highs there on Friday will be in the teens and 20s. There are various winter weather advisories for Michigan and upstate New York as well as the Rockies of Colorado.

On Friday look for some snow around the Great Lakes and northeast and some rain in Florida.

It will be another chilly day in Houston with lows in the 30s and highs in the 50s. The weekend looks very nice...lows in the 30s Saturday and 40s Sunday and highs both days in the 60s. There will be a light freeze for outlying areas early Friday and early Saturday.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
I know I've done chocolate before, but Sarah just suggested hot chocolate and how perfect is that on a day like today--so we are doing hot chocolate or chocolate caliente, pronounced choh-coh-LAH-tay cah-lee-EHN-tay. There is nothing like chocolate caliente when it is chilly outside.

You just can't do enough for the minds of our youngsters. I gave a talk to the 2nd graders at a local elementary today and their minds are just amazing sponges. Early language learning is especially easy for young ones. So give them the gift of language while they are so ready for it. Order our double award winning spanish teaching DVD from our web site, www.frankandpaco.com, and you will get shipping within 24 hours. You can also order Let's Learn Spanish with Frank and Paco from www.venturaes.com, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

AND MORE
Check out http://fortbendnow.com/Friday. They will have a story about the talk I gave today. They have been in business since about 2001 and they have about 11 editors. I had the pleasure of meeting John Pape, one of their wonderful mobile reporters. Just so you know, his name is pronounced pahhhh(like you are saying ahhhh at the doctor's office)-pee--it's German. He said he gets all kinds of interesting pronunciations. Well, now we set the record straight. I'm doing a story on a story. Tee hee!!! Be sure to check out his article!!!

Had a board meeting of The Weather Museum today--we are gearing up for the Groundhog Day gala on February 2nd at The Houston zoo. Bill Read, National Hurricane Director, Mayor Bill White, and Judge Ed Emmett will be honorees. I will have more on this in coming weeks. Dr. Neil Frank is one of the chairs. There are still seats and tables available. Hurry and get your's (get your company to get a table). It is going to be quite the event!!! Go to http://wxresearch.org/ for more information.

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Chilly Forecast/New Web Site for Spanish Immersion

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Brrrrrrrr!!!! I am so glad not to be in North Dakota or Minnesota where many locations will not get out of the low teens on Thursday. Look for snow over the Great Lakes States and the upper midwest and parts of Colorado and Wyoming over the next 24 hours. Winter weather advisories are in effect in these areas and there is a winter storm warning for northern Michigan.

It is going to be much cooler in the Houston area on Thursday--lows in the 40s and highs in the 50s with windy conditions. Another chilly day is on the way for Friday with warmer afternoons over the weekend. Next cold front arrives on Tuesday.

Line of showers (and a few thunderstorms) are moving through the area right now...cold front is almost to Houston as I write this blog.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Today's word is shipping or envío, pronounced ehn-VEE-oh. Note that the v is kind of a v along with a b sound at the same time. Try to say both letters at once...kind of weird I know. I often have to use envío by mail.

And if you order our double award winning spanish teaching DVD from our web site, www.frankandpaco.com, you will get shipping within 24 hours. You can also order Let's Learn Spanish with Frank and Paco from www.venturaes.com, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

AND MORE
We finally got our Spanish web site fully operational. This site sells our English teaching DVD (for Spanish speakers). It is called Aprendamos Inglés con Frank y Paco. You can check it out at frankypaco.com. We have Spanish clips and everything on there. You can immerse yourself fully in Spanish, when you go to that web site.

I set up the international shipping for Aprendamos Inglés con Frank y Paco. It was amazing how complicated that was...but hey, I'm on the learning curve. I was amazed at how many people in other countries were searching for the term, Aprendamos Inglés, which means Learn English. There really are opportunities in the global market.

Stay warm tomorrow!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Coldest Air Yet Coming/Meeting About Hurricane Ike Recovery Efforts

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
The coldest air so far this season is bringing a big chill for the northern states...on Wednesday look for highs only in the teens in Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota. There will also be snow including a mix of snow and rain as far south as Kansas City. Winter Weather Advisories are in effect from Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

After a cool morning, Houston will be mild on Wednesday. But a cold front (with a line of storms) will arrive late Wednesday. Then, get ready for several chilly days with highs only in the 50s.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Today's word is meeting or reunión, pronounced ray-u-knee-OWN. There will be an important Ike related reunión on Wednesday.

Time to get those last holiday gifts ordered. Be sure to order all the copies you need of our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank and Paco. It is a top 10 educational product winner from Dr. Toy and a top 15 educational product winner from Homeschool.com. Remember that early language learning actually improves brain development! You can't go wrong with a gift that helps with that. You can get it from our web site, www.frankandpaco.com or from www.venturaes.com, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

AND MORE
Lew Fincher, my good friend from Hurricane Consulting, sent me this announcement about a meeting to be held on Wednesday, December 3rd at 10 am in League City. If you have any concerns about the Hurricane Ike recovery/assistance, you can complain there.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION. State lawmakers to talk about hurricane recovery By<http://galvestondailynews.com/contact.lasso?ewcd=d3b50f42b8a6ebaa14db3521c8>

Rhiannon Meyers The Daily News Published December 2, 2008 LEAGUE CITY - Lawmakers are expected to talk about Hurricane Ike's effectson the Gulf Coast and the efforts to recover at a joint meeting of twolegislative committees Wednesday in League City. A 13-member House committee is charged with reviewing governmental responseto the Sept. 13 hurricane, which roared ashore at Galveston and damaged muchof the state's upper Gulf Coast. The committee will meet next week in Orangeand in Galveston in January before presenting a report to the TexasLegislature, which meets in January. The committee, along with a Senate Subcommittee on Flooding and Evacuations,will hear testimony from local and state officials. At the committees' meeting on Nov. 10 in Houston, state and federallawmakers complained the Federal Emergency Management Agency had notprovided enough money for disaster recovery and had been slow in conductinginspections and providing housing to hurricane victims. Although much of that testimony was about Harris County, lawmakers and thechief of the state's emergency management office testified aboutshortcomings in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's response all alongthe Gulf Coast. +++

At A Glance WHAT: House Select Committee on Hurricane Ike Storm Devastation
WHEN: 10 a.m. Wednesday
WHERE: Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center, 400 W. Walker St., League City
DETAILS: The public is invited to attend and will be allowed to testifyfollowing invited testimony. Those expected to testify at Wednesday's House Select committee on HurricaneIke Storm Devastation meeting at the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center, 400 W.Walker St., in League City include: . Jack Colley, chief of the Governor's Division of Emergency Management . Jerry Patterson, commissioner, General Land Office . Lyda Ann Thomas, mayor of Galveston . Steve LeBlanc, city manager of Galveston . Jim Yarbrough, Galveston County judge . Vic Pierson, mayor of Jamaica Beach . Toni Randall, mayor of League City . Norman Desormeaux, director of finance for Bayou Vista . Vern Johnson, mayor of Clear Lake Shores . Todd Zacherl, fire chief and emergency management coordinator of La Marque . David Callender, president of The University of Texas Medical Branch . Kenneth Shine, acting chancellor of The University of Texas System . Mike Gerber, executive director of the Texas Department of Housing andCommunity Affairs . Tom Standish, president of CenterPoint Energy . Lynne Cleveland, superintendent of Galveston public schools . Greg Smith, superintendent of Clear Creek public schools . Myles Shelton, president of Galveston College . Tim Kidwell of American Red Cross . Maj. James Taylor, disaster director of The Salvation Army . Arden Stone, director of development for Interfaith Caring Ministries

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Forecast/Toy Drive/Walmart Appraisal

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Snow advisories are in effect for northern Ohio and New York--due to Lake Effect snows. There are also winter weather advisories for eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.

Tuesday will be very cold along the northern tier of states from Montana eastward--highs in the 20s with snow. There will be some rain in the southeast.

Houston will enjoy another pleasantly cool day. It will be a cold morning--starting out in the 30s. Outlying areas could have a brief freeze early. Milder weather is on the way for Wednesday. There should be some showers late Wednesday as the next cold front arrives.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
The word is gift or regalo, pronounced ray-GAH-low. It is the season of regalo giving.

And gift giving is easy, appreciated and just perfect when you give our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank and Paco. It is a top 10 educational product winner from Dr. Toy and a top 15 educational product winner from Homeschool.com. You can get it from our web site, www.frankandpaco.com or from www.venturaes.com, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

AND MORE
Sarah and I headed to Walmart to get a little girl's gift for the St. Laurence Wish Upon a Star drive. I think they still need a lot more gift givers...so if you are feeling generous, please give them a call 281-980-9812 or http://www.stlaurenceparish.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=21 and then open the latest bulletin and go to page 11. Every person should get a gift at Christmas. For some of these recipients, these are the only gifts they receive.

Speaking of Walmart, they were super busy as usual. But, we didn't have to wait long to check out...lots of checkout lanes open. They really do have great prices. I stocked up on non-perishable items. My suggestion to them is to get bigger carts (or at least have some available). It took 2 carts to get to my car. And they don't offer any help. I was pushing Sarah with a loaded cart and pulling another loaded cart. Yikes!

Have a great week everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman