Rain Ending/How to Help Haiti/Don't Eat the Butter!

WEATHER
Some rain and thunderstorms in the southeast on Saturday as today's upper level disturbance over Texas and Gulf low pressure move northeastward. Highs over the Great Lake and northeast will be in the 20s and 30s. In contrast, Florida highs will be in the 70s. Elsewhere, highs will be in the 40s, 50s and 60s. There will also be showers in the northwest, west coast, and Texas.

Houston, the weather will improve on Saturday and there could be sunshine breaking through the clouds during the afternoon. There will be some morning showers. Highs will be in the 50s. Sunday will be dry and mild with highs close to 70s. Next showers will be Wednesday. Lows will be in the 40s and highs will be in the 60s most of the week.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do aid or ayuda, pronounced ah-YOU-dah. Find out how to give ayuda to Haiti in the AND MORE section.

Well, I shipped our most recent distributor order yesterday. You can get your copy right from the source: order my DVD series, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. And, you'll feel good about purchasing it, knowing that it has won awards from Dr. Toy and homeschool.com as a best educational product. You can find Volumes 1 or 2 at 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
Relief for Haiti
The following information was sent to me by my parish, St. Laurence. I thought it might be helpful for all those wanting to help the people in Haiti. The first item applies to all people in the Houston/Galveston archdiocese.
Cardinal DiNardo has requested a special second collection at all Masses this weekend. Please be generous. To see the letter from the Cardinal, click HERE.

Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops' international relief and development agency, is accepting donations by phone at (800) 736-3467; online at www.crs.org; or by mail to CRS, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090.

The Salesians are accepting donations by phone at (914) 633-8344; online at www.salesianmissions.org; or by mail to Salesian Disaster Relief, Salesian Missions, P.O. Box 30, New Rochelle, NY 10802-0030.

The Archdiocese of Miami, which has a large Haitian population, has set up a place to donate online at www.newmiamiarch.org.

Caritas International is is accepting donations for Haiti at www.caritas.org.

Food for the Poor is also accepting donations at www.foodforthepoor.org.

Catholic Medical Mission Board is accepting monetary donations by mail to CMMB, 10 West 17th St., New York, New York 10011; by phone at (800) 678-5659; or online at http://support.cmmb.org/Haiti. Medicines and medical supplies may be donated by calling CMMB's Kathy Tebbett at (212) 242 7757.

Jesuit Refugee Service is accepting donations at www.jrsusa.org; click on "Donate Now" box on right of page.

Thank you for the outpouring of financial aid and prayers in the wake of this tragedy. We will keep you updated as new information becomes available.

Cecilia Survives Preschool Talk
This morning I spoke to more than 100 preschoolers at St. Laurence's Weekday Children's Program. This is the school Sarah attended for 4 years before kindergarten. As I looked around, I saw so many of Sarah's wonderful teachers: Ms.Stacey, Ms.Nisha, Ms. June, Ms. Emma, Ms. Addy. They are all so giving and passionate about what they do. Sarah blossomed with their tender loving care. And we have been so blessed with all of the wonderful teachers Sarah has had in elementary. I am so grateful!!! The kids made the beautiful poster at right. They enjoyed puppets Frank and Paco teaching them weather terms in English and Spanish.

A cool weather blog
My friend, Dave Gorham, works for a private forecasting firm called ImpactWeather (located here in Houston). He has a wonderful weather blog and I am adding it to my list of favorites.
www.yourweatherblog.com
I love the international weather stories--stuff you won't find almost anywhere else.

The Other Side of the Global Warming Story
Our organization has been invited to attend this month's Houston Forum (http://www.thehoustonforum.org/) meeting on January 27, 2010.

The details on the event are:

The Great Climate-Change Controversy: Where's the Science? Two of the nation's leading meteorologists discuss the furious debate over climate change (aka global warming). The speakers will be Gerald North of Texas A&M and Richard Lindzen of MIT.

The meeting will be a noon luncheon held at the Petroleum Club, 800 Bell St . Reservations must be made in advance and can be done online at: www.thehoustonforum.org. The cost is $35.

Also, the next meeting of the Houston Chapter of the AMS is Thursday, January 21.
The meeting sounds very exciting:
Speaker: Tim Marshall
Topic: "Yikes! It's Hurricane Ike - Storm Chasing and Ride Out on Galveston Island"
Dinner Time: 6:00 pm
Location: La Brisa Mexican Grill (map)
Address: 501 Wesley Drive, League City, TX 77573
Phone: 281-554-4000
Chapter Meeting Time: 7:00 pm
Details are available at http://www.amshouston.net/.

Don't Eat the Butter
This story comes to you courtesy of my nephew Taylor who reminded me...about 20 years ago when I was living in Connecticut, I had befriended a young lady recently moved here from China. I had her and her family over for dinner and they reciprocated. They prepared a lovely and elaborate meal. When I sat down to eat, they put a stick of butter in front of me and said "there you go". I told them thank you but there was nothing to eat it with. They said don't all Americans eat butter with their meal? I said no and explained that if there were rolls, I might use some of the butter. So the daughter said "Oh I'll just give it to my Dad. He eats everything". Of course, I told her definitely not to let him do that as it would make him very sick. Too funny!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Rain Returning/When Simon Leaves American Idol/Post Office Disappointment

WEATHER
A nice moderation of temperatures across the country with the coldest air over the Great Lakes and northeast. Highs there will be in the teens, 20s and 30s. Across the southern states and west coast, temperatures will reach the 50s to 70s. Elsewhere, highs will be in the 40s. Look for some thunderstorms in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas and some rain in the Pacific Northwest and some rain/snow over the Rockies.

Houston will be cloudy through Saturday afternoon with showers on Thursday and some heavier rain Friday in to Saturday. Look for some sunshine to return on Sunday. There will be some more rain the middle of the coming week. Highs will be in the 50s and 60s with lows mainly in the 40s.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do idol or ídolo, pronounced EE-dough-low. Did you hear about Simon Cowell leaving ídolo americano next season. Tell me what you think in my new poll.

For a 3rd week in a row, we got an order from our main distributor. So, I am very hopeful that it is taking hold. Be one of the first...order my DVD series, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. And, you'll feel good about purchasing it, knowing that it has won awards from Dr. Toy and homeschool.com as a best educational product. You can find Volumes 1 or 2 at 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
Well, usually I enjoy allergy free months during the winter (before oak tree pollen returns), but I am also very allergic to mountain cedar. So, I'm wondering why I am having trouble the last few days. I called the Houston area allergy number (from the City of Houston) 713-247-5846 and found out that mountain cedar was at medium levels today. Keep in mind this is from one collection site in the Med. Center area. But still, that explains that. You can call that number to find out about allergen levels for tree and grass pollens (including ragweed in the fall) and mold spores.

This one comes from the office of that should not be happening! The office where I work (while Sarah is at school) had some certified mail to pick up Monday at a post office annex. When you walk in, there are 2 closed doors and a door bell with a sign instructing to push the bell for service. Well, one of our employees went Monday and waited 15 minutes and had to give up and leave to get back to work. So, I went Tuesday morning. Now, I only had to wait about 2 minutes, but I was slightly perplexed when the man who opened the top half of the day asked me "Were you worried I wouldn't come?" He was very pleasant--I'll admit that. So, he said he was going to get my certified mail and shut the door. Once again, I can see nothing. Meanwhile a couple more people come in and we got to talking about what happened to my co-worker. The man said that he works for a non-profit health clinic and they depend on checks which are mailed this time of year and they had been having trouble with a vacation relief carrier not delivering their mail. He said he had been to this annex several times and more than once had to wait more than 15 minutes. He actually said he has waited "much longer than that". What do you think about that folks...I just think its wrong that you are at their mercy and have no way to know what is going on behind those doors.

One of Sarah's spelling words this week is "tradition". That got me to thinking about the song from Fiddler on the Roof. So I looked it up on youtube and Sarah and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. I saw Topol himself when the stage production came through Houston about 10 years ago. I read in the Houston Chronicle that Topol (who was here again last year doing the show) was in his last run with the show and that he had done the show more than 2000 times. So here for your enjoyment is the link from youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRdfX7ut8gw

Speaking of youtube videos, I am going to put a link here for the National Bone Marrow donor program. Gordy and I are members and there are now 8 million. So far there have been 4800 successful transplants!!! If you are a match, you literally will save a life!!! Please sign up today--make this your number 1 New Year's Resolution. The procedure for transplanting is not as involved as it used to be and you are never charged!!!

My poll on how you feel about January is closed. 25% say they love the cold weather. 62% said they don't like the cold weather. 37% enjoy the fresh start to the new year. 12% feel energized. 50% said they wish the holidays weren't over. 12% said they are happy the holidays are over. 12% said they enjoy the last games of football season. 12% said they feel blue. No one said they are ready to work on taxes, that it is their favorite month or it is their least favorite month or other. More than one answer was allowed. Thanks to all who participated.

My new poll is about Simon Cowell leaving American Idol next season? Will that affect whether you watch or do you not watch at all? Only one answer is allowed. Thanks in advance for participating.

Have a terrific Thursday. Don't forget to keep your umbrellas handy.

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Houston Forecast - Rain Returning

Just a quick update this evening to tell you that temperatures will continue to moderate in the Houston area while cloud cover returns on Wednesday...highs will be in the low 60s Wednesday and Thursday. Upper level disturbance tracking out of Mexico will bring rain as early as Wednesday evening but most likely timing will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday. No doubt the rain will be welcome to all the Houstonians whose sprinkler systems are busted due to our recent super cold weather.

Sunday looks drier with highs in the 60s.

Happy Wednesday everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

When the Freeze Will End/Radon the Unknown Killer

WEATHER
Much of the southeast is under a Hard Freezing Warning. In the Houston area, many areas did not even get above freezing and those that did, only briefly. Even Galveston only warmed a few degrees above freezing.

A new storm system is moving into the western US. This energy will move up and over the ridge that is parked over the western US while a deep trough allows the arctic air to stay in place over the central and eastern US through the weekend. By Tuesday the ridge has shifted over the central US, allowing the central US to warm up and then it moves to the eastern US on Wednesday allowing a new trough to dig south over the Rockies and bring that area some snow.

On Saturday, the coolest spot will be over the central plains with highs in the single digits in Nebraska and Iowa and only slightly warmer over the northern plains and western Great Lakes. The warmest area will be the southwest with highs in the 70s. The Midwest, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and northeast will have highs in the teens and 20s and there will be snow showers in these areas as well. Look for some rain in Florida.

Skies will be sunny Saturday and Sunday with lows in the upper teens and low 20s. Highs Saturday will be in the upper 30s and low 40s and Sunday's highs will be in the 50s. It will be freezing for most of the area on Monday morning but the lows will be in the upper 20s and low 30s. Temperatures will stay above freezing for the rest of the week. Rain returns mid-week.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do radiation or radiación, pronounced rah-dee-ah-see-OWN. Radon is a type of radiación that is the second leading cause of lung cancer. See the AND MORE section for important information.

The kids are stuck indoors more during the cold weather but you can still stimulate their brains...help them learn languages. My DVD series, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco is a perfect way to get started. And, you'll feel good about purchasing it, knowing that it has won awards from Dr. Toy and homeschool.com as a best educational product. You can find Volumes 1 or 2 at 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
Does anyone know if I should have covered up my sago? I took care of my hibiscus plants and my vegetable garden. But I have never covered my sago and I am noticing lots of people are doing it now. So far, it looks unchanged.

Here is something I didn't know. Radon is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. I got this information from an EPA email. I am set up to receive updates from them. And, I thought this information would be very helpful. To summarize, in case you don't want to read all of the following email, radon is believed to be the cause of lung cancer that kills 20,000 people in the U.S. every year. And, some of the most at risk states are: Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. I also know the Houston area is not an area with radon concerns. So here is the email from the EPA.

PHILADELPHIA (Jan. 7, 2010) Although testing for radon is easy and inexpensive, 80 percent of the homes in the U.S. have not been tested. Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that EPA has reported as causing 20,000 lung cancer deaths nationwide every year.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, after cigarette smoking. January is the best time to test for radon now that doors and windows are all tightly closed. Now is the time to test and if needed, reduce your exposure to radon. That’s why EPA designated January ‘radon action month.’

High radon levels have been found throughout EPA's mid-Atlantic region, which includes Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. The only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon is to test your home for radon or have it tested by a certified professional radon tester. For do-it-yourselfers, radon kits can be purchased for $25 at building supply, hardware and general merchandise stores. A basic test takes 10 minutes to set up and when complete is mailed to a lab for analysis.

If test results are above the EPA recommended action level you need to have the radon level reduced by a certified radon ‘mitigator.’ Reducing radon is not technically difficult and costs approximately $800 - $2,500.

To locate professional radon testers and certified radon ‘mitigators’ near you by look on the web at either the “National Environmental Health Association” or “National Radon Safety Board” sites. Be sure to ask to see their credentials.

Radon is a radioactive gas produced from the uranium which is in the geological formation under the soil. The amount or radon gas varies depending on the amount of uranium in the formation. The type of soil under the house, the design of the house and the life style or the family living in the house all affect the amount of radon gas that enters a home.

For more info on radon:

· EPA’s National Radon Hotline, 1-800-438-2474

· For lists of certified testers and mitigators use the web to search for the “National

· EPA’s radon website http://www.epa.gov/radon/radontest.html.Environmental Health Association” and/or “National Radon Safety Board”.

· EPA’s mid-Atlantic region, 1-800-438-2474

· The National Environmental Publications Center, 1-800-490-9198 or http://www.epa.gov/cinc. They have “Citizens Guide to Radon” and “Home Buyers and Sellers Guide”

Editor’s Note: See EPA’s website for free, publically-available graphics about radon and public Service announcements for print, television, and radio at http://www.epa.gov/radon.

Please share this information with your family (especially those in the mid-Atlantic). Stay warm everyone and have a great weekend!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

SPECIAL UPDATE FOR HOUSTON - ARCTIC BLAST

The National Weather Service has issued a Hard Freeze Warning from 9 pm Thursday to 9 pm Sunday morning. The warning means that temperatures are expected to drop to 25 or below for at least 2 hours for area (except right at the coast). Arctic front arrives Thursday morning with freezing temperatures overnight Thursday, Friday and Saturday (into Sunday morning).

Saturday morning should be the coldest morning with temperatures dropping into the upper teens for many locations (especially outside of Houston) and away from the coast.

Also, note that there is a wind advisory for at least part of the area as it will be quite windy Thursday afternoon through Friday morning. Even for those areas not in the wind advisory, windy conditions will make actual temperatures feel like the single digits at times. Make sure to bundle up (including covering your head where a large portion of heat loss occurs). Wear protective mittens. Layer clothing for best warmth.

If you live in a heated home, you do not need to drip the water in your faucets or open your cabinets. But you should make sure that all exposed and outdoor pipes are protected. Turn off sprinkler systems and wrap exposed valves. The following list is from the National Weather Service and gives excellent advice on protecting the 4 P's (people, pets, plants, pipes).

PROTECT PEOPLE
• Keep warm, stay inside if possible.
• If you need to go out, dress in layers and wear hats, gloves and an appropriate coat.
• Avoid overexertion, as cold weather puts added strain on your body.
• Observe heater safety:
o Never place a space heater on top of furniture or near water.
o Keep heat sources at least 3 feet away from furniture and drapes.
o Never leave children unattended near a space heater.

PROTECT PETS
• Bring pets inside, and move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas.
• Keep adequate food and water available.

PROTECT PIPES
• Disconnect outdoor hoses, drain and store in protected area.
• Wrap exposed faucets and pipes - including those outside the house or in unheated crawl spaces, attics, garages and other areas.

PROTECT PLANTS
• Bring potted plants inside or store in garage near interior wall to provide extra warmth and protection from wind.
• For cold-sensitive outdoor plants, put down extra mulch and consider covering with a cloth fabric of some kind to shield the plants from wind and frost.

Protect yourself from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning by installing a battery-operated CO detector and never using generators, grills, camp stoves, or similar devices indoors.

It is also recommended that you prepare your car for winter. Have your car serviced and add antifreeze as needed.

Stay warm everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Hard Freeze Watch for Houston/Drought Update

WEATHER
Wednesday will be very cold in the northern plains and western Great Lakes states will have highs in the single digits. Look for some snow from the norther Rockies through the central plains snd into the Midwest. Warmest weather will be in along the southern tier of states with highs in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

The National Weather Service has issued a Hard Freeze Watch effective from Thursday evening into Sunday morning. The watch means that there could be at least 2 consecutive hours of 25 or below temperatures. So, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, pets, plants, people and exposed pipes need to be protected. The only exception to the watch area is along the coast.

Houston, if you are thinking about snow...chances are very slim...with upper levels too warm when there will be precipitation. Once the Arctic air arrives, the air will dry rapidly.


SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do it's very cold or hace mucho frío, pronounced AH-say MOO-cho FREE-oh. On Thursday into Sunday morning, we are going to be saying hace mucho frío.

Okay...we're back in the groove and now it's time to get going on those plans to get your little ones interested in other languages. My DVD series, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco is a perfect way to get started. And, you'll feel good about purchasing it, knowing that it has won awards from Dr. Toy and homeschool.com as a best educational product. You can find Volumes 1 or 2 at 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
I updated the drought and drought outlook figures at right. In Texas, the situation is vastly improved over what it was last summer and more improvement is expected. There are only a few places in Texas still dealing with severe drought.

Stay warm everybody!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Arctic Air Coming!/New Year's Wedding/Get me out of trouble!

WEATHER
The big story for the eastern 2/3rds of the country this week will be the arctic air that is plunging southward. On Monday, highs will be in the single digits and teens over the Midwest, northern Plains and Great Lakes states. Warm spots will be coastal California with highs in the 50s and 60s, southern Arizona with highs in the 60s, south Texas with highs in the 50s and southern Florida with highs in the 60s. Elsewhere expect 20s to 40s. There will be some snow showers over the northern Rockies and Great Lakes.

Houston, this is going to be a chilly week with freezing temperatures early Tuesday and an arctic air mass arriving Thursday. There could be some brief sleet changing to snow on Thursday but accumulation is unlikely. Will keep a close eye on that. The important thing is to be prepared for Friday morning when lows for most of the area will be in the mid-20s and possibly low 20s. Galveston will likely get down to about 30. So, we will be protecting pets, plants and people Thursday night into Friday morning. Also, check your sprinkler system valves...frozen water can bust those items. There will also be freezing temperatures for much of the area early Saturday...but not as cold as Friday morning.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do wedding or boda, pronounced BOW-dah. I went to a fabulous boda yesterday. To find out all about it, go the AND MORE section.

Start the New Year off on a positive note...introduce your to the fun and benefits of early language learning. Our DVD series, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco is a perfect way to get started. And, you'll feel good about purchasing it, knowing that it has won awards from Dr. Toy and homeschool.com as a best educational product. You can find Volumes 1 or 2 at 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
Okay...I am in trouble. I am on the board of the John C. Freeman Weather Museum and I was supposed to sign up two new members by the end of the year (being the year 2009, not 2010). First of all, how cool is this place--the only weather museum in the United States!!! For students, young professionals and senior citizens, membership is only $25 per year. You get unlimited visits to the museum and a free subscription to the newsletter. You also get a discount on museum merchandise. Family memberships are only $50 and you get discounts on weather camps! These camps are really great by the way. Kids from all over the country attend. So, please get me off the hotseat and join. Here is the link:

http://wxresearch.org/

Just got back from a whirlwind trip to San Antonio over the weekend. My cousin Sue-Anne Hill was married to Ian Benoist (on Jan. 2nd) at the Sacred Heart Conventual Chapel on the campus of our Lady of the Lake. This "chapel" was more like a cathedral if you ask me. It was built in the 20s and is attached to the convent there---the one my Dad used to tease me he was taking me to once I graduated high school. He would laugh and tell me they added another foot to the brick wall surrounding it so that the novitiates couldn't escape. By the way, there is NO brick wall. Anyway, inside the church, there are individual seats for each person as well as closeable pockets for songbooks and mass books. Sarah had fun playing with those during the vows...Yikes! The beautiful music was performed by my Mom and stepdad of Cherish the Music. Janie, Esther and Dorothy, three sisters and cousins of mine, sang the Our Father in harmony--it was a feast for the ears. The bride and groom were so happy and we enjoyed seeing family. Gordy took the photo of Sarah, me and Megan (at right) out front. One of the neat things I saw at the reception that I have never seen before was a photo booth. Each family or group was encouraged to get into the photo booth and take 4 photos. Then a printer produced 2 copies of the 4 photos, one for your to keep and one to paste with good wishes in a special scrapbook. They even had dressup items if desired. This was one of those photobooths you see in the mall etc. It was really fun and the scrapbook looked so neat. The bride had ordered all the flowers in bulk from Costco and the bridal party made their bouquets as well as the centerpieces for the reception. Everything was just beautiful! Congratulations Sue-Anne and Ian!

By the way, the officiating priest was the same one who officiated at Sue-Anne's parents' wedding (Leona and Jerry) almost 40 years ago. I was at that wedding...just a little girl...but I do remember it! Sue-Anne was the last of their 4 children to marry. Wow! Time really does fly! Wanting to take advantage of seeing so many family members, my sister Julie and daughter Sophia flew in from Spain on New Year's Day just to attend. They had spent Christmas with Julie's husband Alex and friends overseas. I know both were jet lagged but they were worked very hard to enjoy. We had a great time!

My poll on new year's resolutions is closed. More than one answer was allowed. The number one resolution was to eat better at 75%. Tied for second was lose weight and clear clutter at 66%. Next came pray more and do regular exercise at 50%. 41% said make more money but 0% said work more. 16% actually resolved to work less. 33% said finish more home projects or spend more time on kids. 25% said spend more time with spouse or spend more time with friends. 16% said other. 8% said go to church regularly or get a better job and 0% said no resolutions. Thanks to all who participated.

My new poll is about the month of January. I was inspired to do this poll as I looked around my barren house--I put all the decorations away on New Year's Day and felt relieved and sad at the same time. More than one answer is allowed. Thanks in advance for participating.

More to come on arctic cold snap.
Have a great week back at work and school everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman