vastateofmind

41, light rain. Yay.

I couldn't pick just one...

Our "short term forecast" was just upgraded to a "dense fog advisory" until 10 a.m. I'll buy that...couldn't even tell it was foggy out just prior to daybreak an hour ago but now the fog seems to keep rolling in heavier and lower by the minute. Currently 30/21.

That snowy owl is so beautiful. And it appears to have that smug, knowing look on it's face -- "Yes, you're right....I AM beautiful."

Yes, extremely foggy....very weird. Short Term Forecast National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 700 AM EST Wed Feb 2 2022 DCZ001-MDZ003>006-008-011-013-014-016>018-503>508-VAZ028-030-031- 039-040-050>057-501-502-505-506-WVZ051>053-021400- District of Columbia-Washington-Frederick MD-Carroll- Northern Baltimore-Cecil-Southern Baltimore-Prince Georges- Anne Arundel-Charles-St. Marys-Calvert-Northwest Montgomery- Central and Southeast Montgomery-Northwest Howard- Central and Southeast Howard-Northwest Harford-Southeast Harford- Frederick VA-Warren-Clarke-Madison-Rappahannock-Orange-Culpeper- Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park-Fairfax- Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria-Stafford-Spotsylvania- King George-Northern Fauquier-Southern Fauquier-Western Loudoun- Eastern Loudoun-Morgan-Berkeley-Jefferson- Including the cities of Washington, Hagerstown, Frederick, Ballenger Creek, Eldersburg, Westminster, Reisterstown, Cockeysville, Elkton, Baltimore, Bowie, Suitland-Silver Hill, Clinton, College Park, Greenbelt, Laurel, Camp Springs, Glen Burnie, Annapolis, Severn, South Gate, Severna Park, Arnold, Odenton, St. Charles, Waldorf, Lexington Park, California, Chesapeake Beach, Huntingtown, Dunkirk, North Beach, Lusby, Prince Frederick, Germantown, Damascus, Bethesda, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, Lisbon, Columbia, Ellicott City, Jarrettsville, Aberdeen, Winchester, Front Royal, Berryville, Madison, Orange, Gordonsville, Culpeper, Dale City, Manassas, Woodbridge, Lake Ridge, Montclair, Reston, Herndon, Annandale, Centreville, Chantilly, McLean, Franconia, Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Falmouth, Fredericksburg, Dahlgren, Warrenton, Turnbull, Purcellville, Leesburg, Ashburn, Sterling, Paw Paw, Martinsburg, Charles Town, and Shepherdstown 700 AM EST Wed Feb 2 2022 .NOW... ...Patchy freezing fog this morning... Patchy freezing fog is expected this morning. Motorists should use caution and be prepared for rapidly changing visibility along with icy patches. The fog will dissipate later this morning.

Preach. Our neighbor has a particularly virulent patch of English ivy in the corner of HIS yard...which annually breaches the fence to start creeping up OUR giant oak tree. I try to stay on top of it, ripping and cutting it off every couple of weeks in warmer weather, but the damn stuff proliferates like bamboo...

Some great advice embedded here, especially in that second paragraph. We balance the workload here okay...she enjoys the general cleaning and laundry stuff, I enjoy the cooking and food procurement/prep and general fix-it junk. Next to impending retirement, our biggest challenge in recent years? Remembering how to be just "us," when our sons went to college, and then when they finally left the nest for good within the past couple of years. It came back to us pretty quickly....but you get so wrapped up in helping your kids learn and to stay on a schedule, and getting them where they need to go (before they can drive themselves), that sometimes your individuality or couplehood get lost in that maelstrom. It's an adjustment when they start striking out on their own...but a good one for all involved.

Totally get that -- and yeah, some beans are more "mealy" (?) than others, as in, texture makes me want to hurl. Thankfully, none that I typically put in chili! Had no idea that Bush's made chili beans...and I've literally never thought about throwing some sausage in with the ground turkey or beef when browning the chili meat. I almost always learn something new in terms of recipes or prep whenever you talk (or show!) food. Picturing retired-you, padding to the TV to turn on Ch. 9 in your bathrobe and fuzzy slippers, during the pre-dawn hours to see that forecast. I'm curious -- do you find yourself waking up around the same time you used to get up for work, or do you sleep in more? Do your days generally follow the same pattern, or do you mix it up most days? Been discussing this more with Mrs. V. as she's retiring at the end of this school year. I'm ~2-3 years out from full time retirement...and yes, it'll suck because she'll be "free" (and she's younger than me!) but I still have to gut it out for a bit longer. But given how busy my (and her) typical workday is now, vs. the potential for days where there's ZERO schedule, I've been wondering if either one of us is going to be actually be able to "wind down" when the time arrives.

I make chili closer to your wife's approach, but tend to mix up 2-3 bean types per batch -- sometimes black, or navy, or Great Northern, or pinto, or dark or light kidneys. Changes up the flavor a bit each time.

Yessss. I'm making double batch of homemade chili tomorrow night. Thought of you last week when I tried this new recipe for italian sausage orzo soup w/ zucchini. The best soup recipe I've tried in years.

This rings a bell. I remember being 5, 6, 7 years old, sitting on our back porch steps in northcentral PA, when the "heat lightning" was coming in hard after sunset in the summertime, watching and waiting for the inevitable thunderstorm that would blow up. Lightning would be setting down practically in our backyard, and my parents would be screaming at me, "Get inside the %#$&@ house!!" Good times. I'm not smart enough at the math and the physics and all of the science-y stuff that goes into being a met...but it's what I've always wanted to be, from the time I was a kid.

Interesting. You got me straining to remember the last time I went to KC -- I believe it was in the mid-2000s to see the touring production of Titanic the Musical. And honestly, despite knowing the ending going in....it was damn good. REALLY wanted to get to KC to see a small production of the musical Chess several years ago, but never made it...Arlington-based Signature did a production of Chess a couple of years before that was well reviewed, too. Really hoping for a big-budget Broadway revival in my lifetime...a severely underrated musical.

Those are good gains, and yep...great job and congrats! I didn't mention last evening something else my son said, but which (I'm sure) you're already well aware of....playing off 1) the advantage of your heightened adrenaline and 2) the energy of your teammates in competitions such as last night. Sounds a little corny...but I think it worked well for him back in the day, and honestly, for a lot of swimmers.

We got just shy of 1" here, between late Friday evening and early Saturday morning...not nearly as exciting as parts of MD/VA east of the bay, but it DID whiten the ground, without creating an inordinate amount of extra shoveling for us old folks, and THAT makes for an optimal snowfall...at least in my book.

@SnowenOutThere, all of this is sound advice from @NorthArlington101. On a whim, I just ran the discussion between you two past my 24-year old son...who was an occasional NVSL rock star in 100 free and 100 fly in NVSL back in the mid 2010s, and (I guess) in HS swim, but walked away from the sport for good after the VA states competition in HS senior year...and he concurred with all of the recommendations here...especially on the kicking part.

That view down the hill to your house and the hills beyond = HEAVEN. Thx for posting these!!

At this point in this particular storm, a dusting on mulch/grassy areas exceeds my expectations....we'll see what the evening brings. Currently 33/29, continued SN, no stickage on paved areas but that's probably coming soon.

DAMN. What a porch and overview. I'd sit out there all day, and (maybe) sleep out there, too in the summer. Well....maybe with a lot of mosquito repellent surrounding me. Is that your weather station at the background corner by the grill? What a gorgeous setup!

Agreed. Plus, I have been sticking to my guns and not bitching about this particular storm...after the snow gods blessed us back on the 3rd.

Legit SN, 36/28. Have lost about a degree every 30 or so min, for the past 2 hours. #aleet

-SN, 37/25

Never heard of Sapwood until I just saw your pic in the other thread. But told my wife we MUST plan a day trip to Ten Eyck....I keep hearing so many good things about that brewery.

Ahh, the 120...a perennially great choice, as well as the 90 min. I just ran out to get a new bottle of bourbon since my 20-something sons demolished my stash over the holidays while visiting. I think Mrs. V also has a Conundrum and Cooper & Thief reds on chill. We are also tearing into these bad boys for the 3rd week in a row....we are huge Three Notch'd fans, and this one doesn't disappoint. As long as Wegmans keeps carrying this limited edition, we're gonna keep snapping them up.

So, @CAPE: 1) Are you still considering a mini-chase tonight or tomorrow to your coastal east? 2) If not, what beers are queued up for this evening/the weekend? Always kinda look forward to your weekend picks, as well as those from @Scraff & @Scuddz.

And just like that...currently -SN! Didn't even have to squint.