Wednesday, November 30, 2011 Lethbridge
5:00 am
The temperature is +3° C, with a high predicted of -2° C. From the Environment Canada website: Winter storm warning in effect. Today Snow. Amount 10 to 15 cm. Blowing snow with visibility less than 1 kilometre. Wind northwest 40 km/h gusting to 70. Temperature falling to minus 2 this afternoon. Tonight Mainly cloudy. 60 percent chance of light snow this evening. Wind north 30 km/h becoming light this evening. Wind becoming southwest 20 before morning. Low minus 12. Normals: Max: 1°C Min: -10°C.
Lethbridge - Taber - Milk River
4:38 AM MST Wednesday 30 November 2011
Winter storm warning for
Lethbridge - Taber - Milk River continued
Snowfall amounts of 10 cm or more and blowing snow expected by Wednesday morning.
This is a warning that dangerous winter weather conditions are imminent or occurring in these regions. Monitor weather conditions...Listen for updated statements.
A low pressure system over Southern Alberta with a trough extending northwards towards Grande Cache has brought significant snowfall to parts of west Central Alberta overnight. The system will intensify this morning and then move rapidly southeastward out of the province. The trough extending back along the foothills will continue to generate significant snowfall along the southern foothills and over portions of Southern Alberta today with 10 to 15 cm or more expected. In addition a high building in from the west will combine with the low to produce strong northerly winds which will reduce visibility in blowing snow in many areas.
5:20 am Morning Musings
I have my coffee in front of me. There is no sign of snow yet, but the storm warnings are posted on the web. It looks like a good day to stay off the roads. It is hard to believe that only a couple of days ago we had a major grass fire just outside of Lethbridge.
I must try to include a little more of me in these pages.
A week ago I had 3 major activities on the go:
- Model Trains: complete the operating instructions for Session 1 of my timetable
- Geocaching: find a cache for each day in November
- Literature: finish reading "Infinite Jest".
The first two items are now complete and I anticipate finishing the Wallace novel before it gets light outside.
Now to think a little about some next steps.
Weight reduction comes to mind. I would like to lose another 10 pounds. It is time to take this seriously. The main issue is to reduce my portion size and to cut back a little with the red wine. But increasing my exercise by getting back to some serious walking is also important. Using the weather as an excuse is inexcusible.
I have just brewed my first cup of Tim Hortons coffee in our Keurig coffee machine. It worked, good. But after drinking more "robust" coffee in the machine I now find the Tims to be a bit bland. Sacrilege!
Reading is always a good idea. Particularly during the winter. I have had a flurry of purchases in the last couple of months. I want to achieve a better balance between fiction and non-fiction.
One of the books I bought is called "The Tree of Knowledge", written by two Chilean cognitive scientists in 1987. This appears to be very close to what I have been looking for. I am embarrassed that I missed it when it first appeared. Another book on my shelves is "The Web of Life" by Fritjof Capra. I have read all of his books but this one. It is time to correct this omission. I expect it to be a nice complement to the one by Maturana & Varela.
I also have a couple of biographies of Pierre Trudeau. They should make for very interesting reading.
But I also like to have a novel of some sort on the go. I just bought the latest novel by Haruki Murakami, called "IQ84".
Now I am set. I am ready to run more sessions on my model train layout, I have re-affirmed my desire to walk and lose weight, and I have 5 books that I would like to read.
It is still dark outside. Now to sit down with another cuppa and finish "Infinite Jest". The wind is up, the snow is coming down and swirling, and the fireplace is on. Life is good.
8:15 am Literature
I have finished "Infinite Jest". Words fail me. But I think Edvard Munch's "The Scream" summarizes it rather well.
1:30 PM Photography
I noticed the following tire tracks as a neighbor backed out of his driveway.
5:00 PM Science
I have begun reading Maturana & Varela's "The Tree of Knowledge", originally written in 1987. It is an introduction to a different approach to psychology by beginning with a review of what types of organization characterize living things.
This works well with Lynn Margulis's "Microcosmos" as well as with Fritjof Capra's "The Web of Life" (which I plan to read next).