Whatcha doing today?

[Mother]

Welcome back! 

[Littlesister]

Glad you got it all figured out and glad you are back on.  

[Littlesister]

I will be canning in the morning. Got most of the beef out of the freezer. Thinking of making more veg. beef soup to can. The beef is in the fridge and I hope it will be thawed most of the way for canning.  Got everything set up. The jars are in the dishwasher. I have more veggies in the freezer than I thought I had. Some will be dehydrated and I will make things to can. Tuesday I need to take GS back to the doctor and hope they will release him for full work. He's missed too much work already. He does seem to be feeling better but still needs the inhaler. But other than that I think he will do fine. The past month with him sick has been rough. I didn't get as much done as I would like to have as I take him to the doctor because his Washington tags have expired and I don't want him to get a ticket because DMV is too stupid to understand they won't give him his title till the car is paid off. He was told to give DMV the info where the loan is and they would call and get the info they need. Yeah right. That went over well. They refused to call after he gave them the loan info. He only uses it to go to work as it is night and on back roads. Though he said a few police have either passed him on road or would be behind him and none of them stopped him. So guess he is ok for now. The car will be paid off hopefully end of this month or next. Not much left on it.

 

[Midnightmom]

20 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

Not to mention a GRson in University in CA....  Wave after wave of noteworthy weather out there.  Take care, Midnight and Dogmom!! 

My sister and my mom called yesterday because they had been watching all of the news reports about the flooding - caused by levee breaks BTW (same reaon New Orleans flooded oh so many years ago).

Anyway, I got a map of CA and marked where the flooding is vs where I am. I think it helped them to know I am not in danger of flooding (due to levee breaks but if Shasta Dam breaks or gets overtopped we are talking about a different scenario!)

 

We have had some snow here recently but nothing like the massive amount that is falling in the foothills south of here!

 

I will try to find some of the pics I've seen and post them here to give you an idea of just how bad it is for the people living there.

 

ETA: I found some pics of the snow that has fallen in the foothills so far. More is coming, and homeowners have been advised to clear their roof of snow to avoid buildings collapsing. Not an easy task as some of these pics will show.

 

Tahoe, CA got 20 FEET of snow!

 

 

 

Mammoth Mt 

 

Also Mammoth Mt

 

 

 

Meanwhile, here in the Redding area we got a few inches. It only snowed for about an hour, then turned to rain and melted off what little snow we did get.

     

 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2023 by Midnightmom

[Midnightmom]

(BTW- Lake Oroville is also quite south of where I am. It is about half the distance from here to Sacramento.)

 

 

Does anyone remember hearing about the spillway at Lake Oroville crumbling and disintigrating when it was opened for flood contol back in 2017?

Here's a pic to pique your memory!

 

Repairing the spillway was a  massive undertaking that took close to 2 yrs to complete.

 

 

Here it is this year, repaired and performing its task of releasing water from the current storms (50K cubic ft/min) for flood control of Lake Oroville.

 

 

Edited March 13, 2023 by Midnightmom

[Mt_Rider]

I've been watching the news of CA's high country.  They are digging DOWN to find their vehicles.    A local store's roof caved in so there was a long line of folks as the store was emptied of it's goods before it spoiled/got ruined.  I'm from fairly high country and we've had some eye-popping snow drifts in Iowa, Minn, and Colorado.  We hand-shoveled this entire driveway - once - 2 decades ago.  Now we leave a vehicle parked down near the road if blizzard is forecast.  But I don't remember any quite this bad.  I do remember the night my dad tried and tried to get up our driveway and due to sliding, we ended up waaaay in the bottom of the pasture.  Bro and I were little so they had to carry us further than if he'd just stopped and walked from the driveway hill. 

 

So Mightnight, have ya got your rowboat ready if Shasta is getting full to the brim?  So very weird to be seeing pics of the bottom of so many lakes/reservoirs in the West for the past years.  And suddenly we're talking about them being too full?  I heard many aren't even full yet, right?  But a wonderful blessing [ tho dangerous and exhausting for many] to take this big chunk out of the drought.  But people really do like their hydro-electric dams to continue working!!! 

 

Glad you're just fine for now.  What is the next calamity that we dodge or endure?   

 

MtRider   

[Mt_Rider]

Yes, I remember watching that crumble and find an alternative exit path.    Hopefully the engineers designed it ...and OVER designed it!  Looks great but I'm no engineer.  Bet that cost a lot!  

 

My Grson1 is over south of San Fran....Palo Alto area at college.  I keep an eye on his weather too.     I'm a weather watcher and a Grma!

 

MtRider   

[snapshotmiki]

Wow!  That's a lot of snow, @Midnightmom!  I hadn't seen photos of it.

 

Yesterday, was Church first.
Walked dogs.
Set up my vitamins and DH's pills for the next month.
Got 4# of lima beans soaking.

 

This morning, will walk first.
Cut up veggies, etc. to put in beans and then cook.
Make some phone calls.
Make bread.
Do laundry.
Easy start to the week!

[Jeepers]

Awesome pictures Midnightmom. Awesome in that it is there and not here. I'd be stuck inside for six months. Maybe more.

Our luck here would be it would all freeze over.  Melt + cold snap = Ice.  

[Littlesister]

Wow! That is a lot of snow. I am betting there will be a lot of caved-in roofs with that much snow if people weren't able to remove it from the roof.  My step-granddaughter lives in Gilroy CA and I haven't been able to get hold of her. I know there has been some flooding around there but not sure how close to her. Going to pull the map out in a little while to see where she is compared to where the flooding is. She is the one that DH and I raised. She might be a step but still my granddaughter and I usually always hear from her. So it's got me worried. She and her DH could be in Hawaii with his parents and if that is the case they usually have spotty phone service. 

Was going to do the canning today but the beef was still frozen solid. And on top of that GS got a call that they were changing his doctor's apt. to Wed. So I will get the beef canned tomorrow.  That gives me more time as I would have to take him to the doctor. So Wed. works out better for me. Went to the store this morning and it was wiped out. But not many people shopping today. I do know yesterday when I drove past Food Lion the parking lot was packed. Sat. the bank was packed. 

My DD said yesterday morning they had snow flurries. She is in NC. But it only lasted for 30 minutes and then it rained all day. 

 

I hope and pray that everyone in CA be it flooding or snow that everyone hopefully will be ok. Though I did hear there have been some deaths in those areas. It is really bad there. I don't think it is over yet either. 

Stay safe all of you here that live in those areas. Please be careful. I know this is one of many reasons we all prep.

 

 

[Jeepers]

We are getting a little bit of snow. It looks like lake effect snow. Wet and heavy from the water off of the lake. It is sort of thin though so maybe not. I don't expect it to amount to much. I needed some gas (half tank) but will wait until better weather. 

 

I called the dr office and told them I think I'm getting a UTI. Actually, I know I am. BTDT. They asked me if I could go in and leave a sample. Heck yeah. And in the mean time he ordered three cipro tablets. Three? My protocol is usually 10 but we'll see. At least he ordered ahead and I was in town so I picked them up already. It's just starting so hopefully I'm getting the jump on it. They said if the cipro didn't work they would order a different antibiotic.   I don't think so buttercup. BTDT too. 

 

Swung by the bank and made a small withdrawal. I didn't want to look obvious. Banks aren't looking too healthy this week and I don't want to get caught short-er.  

 

Ambergris, glad you got back on. I've been having problems too. I know mine is user error. I keep hitting buttons that erase my posts and do other strange things here. I can't figure out what I'm doing. Part of the issue is the laptop is too big. My hand has too much room to roam around. I hit things. And my space bar is still sticking. A new laptop is not in my budget. 

[Littlesister]

I am hearing we could have a nor' easter storm. Not sure when yet. But sometime this week I think. Hoping I heard that wrong. After GS left for work, I went to the bank and pulled out a small amount of cash. Had to use the ATM which I never use but the bank had already closed. Then went and filled up the gas tank.  So I am good to go for a while. The only place I need to go in the next couple of weeks is to take GS to the

doctor and Church. Other than that I get to stay home and work on the garage I hope and do some canning.

 

Jeepers, I hope you don't get a huge amount of snow. Seems CA got enough for all of us.

[Mt_Rider]

Little Sister.....from what I was seeing in the forecast last nite, I don't think the Nor'Easter will hit Virginia at all.  I was talking to mom and giving her my reading from various weather sites.  The New England states tho, are supposed to get blasted pretty hard.  What you got today might be it. 

 

OTOH, I'm new to watching East Coast weather.  I'm doing that now to give my mom what she can't seem to find on her TV. 

 

I GOT UP TODAY FEELING GOOD!     I made ham soup in the InstaPot which DH appreciated when he got home from work.  He's been doing so much when I can't, he took a nap instead.  I did wear out again towards evening.  I'd gotten a number of smaller things done....cleaned TINY kitchen x3.  Talked to my MN friends who's had a nasty cold.  Her voice still is very rough but her mood is now chipper.  Feeling much better. 

 

MtRider   .....racing the clock to bed again! 

[Mt_Rider]

Whoaaa.... Midnight.  I didn't see those snow pics last nite.  I've seen a lot of snow pics from the high areas of CA, but those are even higher snow totals.  Wow!  That first one with so much sculpted snow on the roof  --- jaw drop!  Artistic and Pretty ....but Good Heavenly Days!  How is that roof not collapsing?  How are they EVER going to get it cleared?  How much meltwater is going to go downhill and ..... 

 

I certainly hope CA does not experience a season of Chinook too quickly.  Melting all that quickly with a very warm WIND.....     "Blowing Chinook" is something Colorado generally welcomes! 

 

MtRider .....prayers for all that mess and blessing in CA!   

[Midnightmom]

On 3/12/2023 at 11:18 PM, Mt_Rider said:

So Mightnight, have ya got your rowboat ready if Shasta is getting full to the brim?  So very weird to be seeing pics of the bottom of so many lakes/reservoirs in the West for the past years.  And suddenly we're talking about them being too full?  I heard many aren't even full yet, right?  But a wonderful blessing [ tho dangerous and exhausting for many] to take this big chunk out of the drought.  But people really do like their hydro-electric dams to continue working!!! 

 

 

Here's a recent pic of the shoreline(s) of Shasta Lake.

[Midnightmom]

On 3/12/2023 at 11:23 PM, Mt_Rider said:

Yes, I remember watching that crumble and find an alternative exit path.    Hopefully the engineers designed it ...and OVER designed it!  Looks great but I'm no engineer.  Bet that cost a lot!  

 

 

I watched a video a few years ago that explained why it happened. Apparently whoever did the first "survey" of the hillside it is built on missed some impt information about the type of rock it was built on - something about not adequate strength or "air pockets" or something along that line. There may also have been a lack of supports/pillars under the spillway. Don't remember exactly, but it was all taken into consideration when the spillway was repaired. From the articles I read, the eventual cost - after they found out all of the reasons for the failure that had to be addressed - was over ONE BILLION dollars!

 

Quote

According to an independent forensics team . . . the exact cause of the spillway failure remains uncertain, though they identified "24 possible causes for the spillway failure, including a faulty drainage system, variations in concrete thickness, and corrosion in the structure’s rebar."^[51]

 

 

". . .  the discovery that the bedrock under the spillway was weak, necessitating deeper excavations and more concrete."^[53]

 

Perhaps this pic of the repairs under construction will give you an idea as to just how massive this spillway is!

 

 

BTW - here is a pic of the spillway - on the left - and the actual dam - which is on the right.

 

I found that video I referenced above. If anyone is interested in the science of how the spillway failed, here is the link:

 

What Really Happened at the Oroville Dam Spillway?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxNM4DGBRMU

 

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by Midnightmom

[Midnightmom]

2 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

How is that roof not collapsing?

 

Someone quipped in the comments under the pic that the only thing keeping the roof from collapsing is the snow against the sides of the building holding them up!

[snapshotmiki]

Yikes!  That will be a lot of melting snow, soon @Midnightmom!

 

Up early and will walk first.
Doc appt. at 8 for follow up regular appt.
Pick up my friend and go to thrift shop.
Stop at O'Reilly's to pick up dashboard dimmer switch.
Bank for cash.
Aldi, then Walmart and home.
Walk dogs.

 

I think I'm tired, already!

[Jeepers]

Miki, I went to the bank yesterday too. I cashed a check from my own account and made it out to me. I'm hoping it will look like I just paid myself with my own money. Probably not but maybe. It wasn't much. Just a couple hundred. I'm trying to go as gray as I can though. Might hit the ATM tomorrow. I can always redeposit it when things settle down...if I want to. 

 

I have a good solid bank that is based in Cleveland. With the banking issues lately it has me wondering. I'm trying to pay off two credit cards so I can open two new ones. Long story short, the two I use get 1% cash back but I can get two new ones that give 2% cash back. Same bank same cards just different account numbers. Just switching accounts. Should be no big deal. Same bank. One is paid off waiting for me to close it. The other one I made a payment to pay it off on the 10th. of March and the payment is still pending. It should have been paid on the 11th. Guess I need to go back in.  

 

My room is paid up only until Thursday. Dang. They only pay for two weeks at a time. The last time they just extended it automatically. My adjustor happened to have called today and I mentioned it to him. He is going to tell them to reserve it for a month at a time now. One less thing to think about. I was a little concerned with the money cap on my policy for temporary housing. It was $16,000 for hotels. He said it is $99,000.00. for long term stays.    Well, that's doable. LOL

 

They also have another mediator or whatever he is called to come and inspect the house so reconstruction can start. Don't know when that will happen yet. Waiting for a call to set up an appointment with him, contractor and me. I suppose I don't have to be there but I do have some issues that I want addressed. 

 

This has certainly been a learning experience for me. From the ins and outs of insurance, how to get things done and the lessons of keeping your house in order. Literally. I won't rest easy until the insurance check is in my hands. Too many things can still go wrong between now and then. It had better be worth it. 

[Midnightmom]

Another snow pic. This is how much snow has fallen in Donner Pass this year (to date). Can you imagine having been caught in this amount of snow in a covered wagon in the 1800's???

 

 

 

 

Yep the snowpack is deep (about 3 humans tall - aka 15 feet) at Donner Pass near Lake Tahoe @ucb_cssl The season total snowfall is 52 feet. The students weren't working like this, just giving a perspective of the snow depth

[Jeepers]

Anyone else notice the shipping times on things from Amazon? I'm still waiting for the storage racks to go on sale again and in the mean time I'm putting quite a few small things in my wish list for one big order. Just little things for crafts etc. that I want when I start quilting and cross stitching again. I can't find any of the items locally. Not at JoAnn's, Michaels or Hobby Lobby. The 2 day shipping on these common items is now out till the end of the month. And many items say only 1 left in stock. Yikes. It makes it sort of difficult for me since I'm not at the house every day to receive a package. Also many times they say something like arriving between March 27-30 so there isn't even a definite date. I might not have noticed it if I was getting 1-2 items but getting 5-6 it really screws things up. Not earth shattering but inconvenient. Especially since I'm paying for Prime. 

 

I don't know if it is an issue with shipping or problems getting goods or what. But it sure got my attention. 

[Littlesister]

I can't even imanage 15 ft. of snow around here. Love the pictures. I remember the spillway and it collapsing. Hopefully, they will get it right. That spillway is much bigger and wider than I remembered.

 

Mt. Rider I saw later that we are not going to get that Nor'Easter. I am so glad about that. It has been really cold with high winds off and on but nothing bad. Sunshine most all day today. 

 

I got 20 pints of beef canned today and had to add 4 quarts of water for the last 4 jars to keep them from moving around in the canner and getting broken. All sealed it looks like.  The last 4 jars were round steak which normally I don't can. So I pulled out my book by Daisy Luther called The Prepper's canning guide.  You add half a small onion to each jar and a whole clove. Then fill with water and can. I am sure it will come out well. I can use it for pepper steak or maybe something else. Round steak is what I always use for pepper steak and I usually don't buy a lot of that. But it was in the freezer so it is now canned. 

 

Jeepers I have noticed that a lot. It is taking me a long time to get some of the things I have ordered. Still waiting for a couple of things now. And I ordered them 2 weeks ago. 

 

I am so tired and my back is killing me now.  After the canning and cleaning up, I made tacos for GS for his dinner tonight. This is his short night so he will be home between 11:30 and 12:30. He can just heat up the meat and everything else is chopped and ready.  Cleaned up the kitchen after fixing the tacos so that is at least clean till morning.  

 

Jeepers and Miki, I did the same thing yesterday. Off to the bank to take some money out and then to fill the gas tank which took more money out of my account. Just not as much.  I have 3 deposits coming near the end of the month and I will be back at the bank to take out more money. This time it will be more than yesterday's withdrawal. I do have a gas can I need to fill and I keep forgetting to get it out of the shed. Need to make a note to remind me to bring it up to the garage for a refill. 

Edited March 14, 2023 by Littlesister
Amazon

[Jeepers]

Woo-Hoo look at me!  

 

I just figured out (all by myself) how to respond to a text message on my phone. A lady extended my stay here for a month and I wrote back...."Thank You!"

 

I. Have. Arrived.

 

 

Sometimes it's the little things yanno. 

[Mt_Rider]

Ya gotta celebrate where you can, sister! 

 

Didn't sleep well last night.  "Frozen shoulder" again.  Nerve pain.  DH knocked into something noisy at around 5am.  Woke me so he actually adjusted my back/shoulder at that hour.  I kinda prayed he was AWAKE enough to do it right.  But I did sleep again better.  He adjusted it again when we got home from 'town'.  NOW it feels good!  What a relief.  Still my neck coming out of place after doggy dear wacked her rear into my chin while we were on the bed.    She is a gleeful nutcase! 

 

Appointment in town....got $10 Tuesday pizzas.  DH's client asked DH to pick up one for him.  We delivered it and sat and chatted.  Disabled more than me so he doesn't get out much. 

 

I've been trying REALLY hard not to nap.  So TIRED.  Must sleep at night!  I know now....it CAN be done. 

 

Drat....the time slipped away and I forgot to call mom tonite.  Changing the clocks has me bananas for a week or two. 

 

MtRider   ....going for another slice of pizza! 

[Midnightmom]

6 hours ago, Jeepers said:

It makes it sort of difficult for me since I'm not at the house every day to receive a package.

You can have your packages shipped to a "locker" - usually a local store. You might want to check into that so you don't have to worry about being there or worry about "porch pirates" stealing your stuff. 

 

Try this link. You will have to sign into your Amazon account to get locations. https://www.amazon.com/ulp/view?ref=hub_us_gw_001

Edited March 15, 2023 by Midnightmom