Category Archives: Weather

October 14, 2024

The Cold

By Joe

I know I often say that I hate Mondays and just want to stay in bed, but it is even more true today. Sadly, I’m the only person at the museum today, and I have an important meeting this morning. However, I started getting a cold Saturday night. My throat was feeling raw, and while I know it’s likely post-nasal drip, it doesn’t mean I don’t feel awful.

I was supposed to go to the Stowe Foliage Arts Festival with a friend of mine yesterday, and I almost canceled going, but I’d started feeling better and decided to go. I should have gone with my first instinct, but decided to go because my friend and I were supposed to go out to eat at a new restaurant I wanted to try. Probably none of y’all have ever tried to drive through Stowe during peak foliage season, but traffic was bumper to bumper. Then, we arrived at the site of the festival only to find out that it had been canceled due to high winds Friday night that caused the main tent containing the festival to collapse. We were able to walk around a bit to see the foliage, but it was a big disappointment.

Stowe, Vermont taken yesterday by me

We went out to eat and by the time I got home, I was completely worn out. I went to bed early hoping to feel better today, but I don’t. So, I really wish I could just stay in bed today. It won’t happen. To add to this, it’s currently 41 degrees here, but the temperature will drop to nearly freezing when I’ll be heading home from work. Most of this week will have highs in the low 50s, but we will have lows below freezing most mornings this week. We might even get our first snow of the season.

3 Comments | posted in Health, Miscellaneous, Weather

October 9, 2024

Chilly

By Joe

The chilly weather of fall has arrived in Vermont. Yesterday, I woke up to 35 degrees with a high of only 55. Today is not any better because while our low temperature is 39, our high will only be 53. At least we are expecting some sun today. It’s beautiful outside with the fall leaves changing color, but the warmth of summer is over. Soon, the temperatures will drop below freezing, we’ll have snow before we know it. I’m not complaining. I like the cool crisp air of autumn. I just hate having to remove the air conditioner and put it back in storage, but that will only take a few minutes this weekend. 

2 Comments | posted in Weather

September 26, 2024

Rainy

By Joe

It started raining off and on all day yesterday, and today we are expecting constant rain throughout the day. Along with the rain, I also have a migraine. I was doing fairly well yesterday when the rain started, but just after lunch I saw an unusually bright aura, and within a few minutes, I had an awful migraine that has only gotten progressively worse. Thankfully, I was scheduled to leave work early yesterday, and I am working from home today. Luckily, I don’t have much work to do today. I have some class preparations to finish and a few emails, but mostly, I can just rest and recuperate.

1 Comment | posted in Health, Weather

August 21, 2024

Rainy Wednesday

By Joe

Here in Vermont, we’ve had rain every day this week. I honestly don’t mind the rain, but my migraines do. Changes in air pressure causes my migraines to act up. I definitely have a problem whenever the air pressure is low, and Vermont has been in a low pressure system for past several days. 

In other words, I’ve had terrible migraines all week. It started Sunday night and was pretty awful throughout Monday. I had been out with a bad migraine the Monday before, so I felt bad about calling in two Mondays in a row. My migraine got so bad Monday night that I went to bed at 7:30 pm. Last night, I went to bed at 9 pm. At least I’m getting at least 8 hours of sleep. The sun is expected to return on Friday, so hopefully, this migraine will improve by then.

3 Comments | posted in Health, Weather

August 16, 2024

Irritable 😠

By Joe

I try to be a pleasant, congenial person with a smile on my face, even when I don’t feel it. Sometimes, though, I find it difficult to keep up an affable façade when I’m not really feeling it. Usually, the irritability I can’t hide is because of not feeling well. For the past week, my migraines have been a bit worse than usual. I’m not for sure if it’s the seemingly ever changing weather or wildfire smoke passing over Vermont. Since Sunday, our air quality has been worsening.

Then again, my irritability may be because I’m just fed up with hearing people complain. Some people are going to constantly complain and nothing will satisfy them. This is especially true when a person is a martyr narcissist, i.e., a person who constantly acts as if their every action is a personal sacrifice. People like this don’t want their complaints satisfied because they can’t keep receiving the sympathy they crave. Then, there are those people who are just miserable human beings who want others to suffer the way they do, even when they aren’t actually suffering.

Also, politics in the United States right now are fucking annoying, and if I watch even ten minutes of the news, I can’t get away from it fast enough. Why can’t politicians be positive in their campaigning instead of always negative? I think partly because anger drives people to vote, and the angrier a politician can make voters by denigrating their opponents the more likely they’ll get their votes. Too many Americans are voting out of hate and fear instead of voting for peace and hope.

It’s probably the combination of all three that have me so irritable today. Thank God, I’m working from home today and won’t have to deal with people. I’m not sure I could put a smile on my face today. Yesterday, I just buried my head in a project and tried to ignore everything else. I think I just need some alone time to recenter and reset.

5 Comments | posted in Health, Miscellaneous, Politics, Weather

August 9, 2024

Weather Migraine

By Joe

With Debby now a tropical depression, she’s heading my way. Though she’s expected to mainly be west of us in northern New York on a track for Montreal, we will still get a significant amount of rain. We don’t need more rain right now as some of our rivers are still high and at risk of flooding.

One of the things I do not miss from living in the South is tropical storms and hurricanes. These storms are low pressure systems which means they wreak havoc on my migraines. I’ve always had some of my most severe migraines when there are low pressure systems.

While it’s always caused migraines, it’s a bit worse these days because of the trigeminal neuralgia (TN). It’s sort of like people who have an old injury that acts up when it rains, the TN causes nerve pain in the right side of my face. Think of three electric shocks originating form about you ear and traveling to your eye, your nose, and down your jaw. 

My TN started acting up yesterday and continues this morning. Thankfully, I’m working from home today and can take it easy. I have work to do, but I can take frequent breaks when needed.

For anyone who’s had or will have effects from Debby, I hope you are staying safe, and for everyone, I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead!

3 Comments | posted in Health, Weather

July 11, 2024

Flooding

By Joe

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of major flooding in Vermont. Also yesterday, the remnants of Hurricane Beryl came through Vermont, and we are once again dealing with widespread flooding. For the most part, it doesn’t seem as bad as last year; however, in the small town where I live has three bridges washed out. Last year, my town was lucky and did not have the flood damage seen in much of the state, but all roads leading out of town were closed for several days due to flooding.

According to the local news and the Vermont Department of Transportation, my usual route to work is closed this morning due to “multiple washouts.” I have an alternate route that is currently not closed (as far as I know) though it was closed last year due to flooding. So, it looks like I’ll be able to get to work. Rest assured, I will be careful, and I will not drive through water over the road way. If it looks sketchy, I will not risk it. 

It’s amazing that exactly one year later, we are experiencing some of the same flooding as before. Anyone who does not believe in global warming and its impact needs only to look at places like Vermont. Floods used to be rare in Vermont, now they are yearly. Hurricanes and their remnants rarely reach Vermont, yet we’ve seen major flooding numerous times over the past year alone. July and December of last year and July again this year saw major flooding in areas of Vermont.

4 Comments | posted in News, Travel, Weather

May 24, 2024

Five Days

By Joe

First, I want to thank everyone for their kind words yesterday about my depression. I know it will get better. My depression tends to go in waves with highs and lows. All of you will never know how much it means to me that you care enough to read my daily musings and ramblings. ❤️

Today begins five days of not needing to go anywhere. I’m working from home today and Tuesday, but at least I don’t have to go to the museum, though I have a lot of work to do today, but it’s work that I enjoy. I’m preparing for a class I’ll be teaching in a few weeks. I love getting bogged down creating a PowerPoint presentation. Some people may find that boring, but I always find it to be a lot of fun.

And while I don’t have to go anywhere for the next five days, I am planning to go to the grocery store first thing this morning, so I can beat the crowds I expect stores to have over the holiday weekend. I also hope that I can get out and enjoy some of the beautiful weather we are expecting today through Sunday. Our forecast calls for sunny weather with highs in the low 70s, which I consider perfect weather. Next week won’t be as nice with rain every day and highs in the low 60s. The temperature I don’t mind, and while I like rain when I don’t need to leave my apartment, I don’t like it when I have to get out in it.

While Memorial Day is a holiday only in the United States, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and nice weather that you too can enjoy. 

Leave a comment | posted in Miscellaneous, Weather

April 10, 2024

Rain, Rain… ☔️

By Joe

Rain, rain, go away,
Come again another day.

Today begins at least four straight days of rain. The weather app on my phone says that it will only be light rain for parts of the day; however, my local meteorologist says the rain will be heavier and more long lasting. While the forecast calls for scattered showers with heavier rains this afternoon.

Apparently, this means my commute home is expected to be in heavy rain. Maybe, it won’t be so bad. I hate driving in the rain in Vermont, especially this time of year. Vermont is not very good about keeping the lines on the roads painted, and they always fade during winter. They often get repainted in the summer, but for now, it’s hard to see the lines.

The heaviest rain is predicted for Friday when a severe storm hitting the southern United States will reach us. It is doubtful the rain will even come close to the severe storms in the South. We have severe snowstorms in Vermont, but rarely do we ever have severe rain storms. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve heard thunder or seen lightning up here. In the South, we’d get very heavy rainfall, especially during the tropical storm season, but here in Vermont, it’s usually mostly very light rain.

As long as I can stay home and read while it rains, I don’t mind it. I only get aggravated by rain when I have to be out in it. I’m off work tomorrow, and I have errands to run. I’m hoping there is a break in the rain while I’m running them. The rest of the time we are expected to get rain, I should be able to just stay home and curl up with a book and Isabella.

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April 5, 2024

This Weather Sucks!

By Joe

I am packing this morning for my trip. I’d have liked to have packed last night, but circumstances prevented it. With the wet heavy snow we have gotten in the last 36 hours (more than a foot of snow), I lost power at my apartment. I have emergency lamps to use and some candles, but I had hoped the electricity would be back on by this morning. It’s been out for nearly 24 hours, and there no estimated time for repairs. I have to go pick up my rental car between 10:30 and 11 am (the university requires we use rental cars for longer trips), so I’ll get packed and head out in a bit. I hate leaving Isabella here without electricity, but a neighbor will check in her, and I’ll be sure she has plenty of food and water. I’ll be back on Sunday. Surely, we will have power by then. I hope we have electricity back before I have to leave. Nothing is going as planned.

5 Comments | posted in Travel, Weather