Friday

It's Garbage Day!

25.3 degrees and climbing!

From WKTV: ".... Friday will see temperatures likely jump above the freezing mark in many areas. In fact, mid to even upper 30s are possible! Light snow will develop late Friday and a few raindrops may even mix in for a time. Steady light snow may move in for a few hours Friday night. More importantly, this system will usher in change for the weekend.
The return of Arctic air will occur behind Friday's storm. Temperatures this weekend will drop Saturday afternoon through the teens to near or below zero Saturday night. On Sunday, expect highs in the low teens and lows below zero. In terms of snow, we'll have some lake effect around both Saturday and especially Sunday. There are some signs that some of this lake snow could have some punch to it. Right now, the best chance for appreciable snowfall from lake effect would be just north of the Mohawk Valley through the North Country. The best timing for heavy snow would be between late Saturday night and Sunday night."

***************

It got this warm, yesterday:

Andy Young was delivering mail in his shirtsleeves!

(Well - yes - double-layer, but no jacket!)

Most of the snowbanks have been removed from the Business Section of Main Street and now
all of that snow, trucked to the old dump, makes new snowbanks that are SO BIG that the Village dump truck looks like a toy!



South of the village, State plows have twice relocated the Coffmans' mailbox!

In the country, crows aim for "high ground" on corn stalks.

***************

THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE WAITING FOR!

Historic Photos from Washington, D.C.
January 22, 2009

*****

"An incredible day that surpassed all expectation. We walked among thousands on our way to the National Mall. We watched "the moment" from in front of the Washington monument. The feelings of Brother and Sisterhood could not be ignored. Tired, Cold, Hungry ... never a better moment in my teaching career!"

Matthew M. Maguire
Social Studies Teacher

On the way to the National Mall

Brothers and Sisters All

The Moment



Group Photo

And Mr. Maguire added: "A much deserved thank you to Bobby Gray, Anna Wanner, and Tammy Picolla, the teacher chaperones, who took time away from their families so they and the students could get a chance at this experience."

(Thank YOU, Mr. Maguire, for sharing these photographs and your comments with the blog!)

*********************************

TONIGHT

TOMORROW!


**********************
*****


Ken McConnell sent this to me from Florida, but I'm quite sure that it must have started right here, in Waterville!

"Cold in Upstate NY"

Cold is all in your head!

When the temperature is: 60 above zero: Floridians turn on the heat.

People in upstate New York plant gardens.

50 above zero: Californians shiver uncontrollably.

People in Waterville sunbathe.

40 above zero: Italian and English cars won’t start.

People in upstate NY drive with the windows down.

32 above zero: Distilled water freezes.

The water in Saranac Lake gets thicker.

20 above zero: Floridians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves and wool hats.

People in upstate NY throw on a flannel shirt.

15 above zero: New York landlords finally turn up the heat.

Here, we have the last cookout before it gets cold.

Zero: People in Miami all die.

People in Pulaski close the windows.

10 below zero: Californians fly away to Mexico .

People in upstate NY get out their winter coats.

25 below zero: Hollywood disintegrates.

The Girl Scouts in upstate NY are selling cookies door to door.

40 below zero:
Washington, DC runs out of hot air.

People in Massena let the dogs sleep indoors.

100 below zero: Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.

Folks in Clinton get upset because they can’t start the minivan.

460 below zero: All atomic motion stops.

People in upstate NY start saying: “Cold ‘nuff for ya?”

500 below zero: Hell freezes over.

WKTV Announces: public schools will open two hours late.

************************

Have a Good Weekend, Everyone!

See you on the golf course!

************************

BREAKING NEWS: "Kirsten Gillibrand picked as next Senator."

Thursday

Tom Stiles 'phoned Sharon, yesterday morning, to say that he was on Craigfoot Road and could see a flock of "about fifteen robins!"

(Of course there are two explanations for robins beeing in the area --- let's pick the more hopeful!)

**********************

It's Recyclables Day!

18 degrees and overcast.

WKTV predicts that: "Temperatures will get a shot in the arm though, with highs near 30 degrees expected. We may see a lull in snow shower activity tomorrow night and Friday. This will be in advance of a new storm system that should pass to our north. As a result, Friday will see temperatures likely jump above the freezing mark in many areas. Light snow will develop late Friday and a few raindrops may even mix in for a time. Steady light snow may move in for a few hours Friday night. More importantly, this system will usher in change for the weekend.
The return of Arctic air will occur behind Friday's storm. Temperatures this weekend will drop Saturday afternoon through the teens to near or below zero Saturday night."

*****************

A SPECIAL "THANK YOU"

"Once again the Waterville community has outdone itself. A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the spaghetti dinner, for the contributions, and for everyone's kind words and prayers. A special thank you to everyone at St. Bernard's: Father Tom, Nancy Eastman, to all of you who helped set up and clean up, to those who prepared and served a wonderful meal, to those who donated the delicious baked goods, and to those who made the wonderful gift baskets. I am forever grateful.

Thank you again."

Jill Heidel Winter and Family

*************

On Sanger Avenue

Shovels and snowblowers got a workout, yesterday.

The DPW did a grand job of trucking snow away from roadsides along West Main Street and part of East Main.

If you get close to the windows where the yellow paper is, you'll see signs like this:

GREAT!

JoAnne and Fred Ashforth

STARTING SOON!

another of their well-known eight-week series of

Ballroom Dancing Lessons!

Have fun and get some great exercise while you learn the Swing, Foxtrot, Waltz and more as demonstrated and taught by Waterville's own "Fred & Ginger!"

Classes will start on Monday the 26th and will take place at the American Legion on Route 20.
Open to couples, there is a fee of $100.

Banish Cabin Fever!
By the time the course is over you'll dance with absolute elegance and it will actually be Spring!

Phone Fred at 841-4875 for reassurance of both!


*******************

In my mailbox yesterday afternoon was this note from Jill Getman at the Waterville Public Library:

"A little news and a reminder (particularly about our Friends Reception on Thursday) from the library:

* Our reception for the "Friends of the Library" will be tomorrow, Thursday, January 22nd, @ 6 pm in the Program Room. We hope to get anyone interested in being a friend together to meet and discuss possible ways they would be able to help the library-- and to give them some tasty treats too. Please remember that there is no minimum or maximum time spent to be a friend, and people can choose to help in any way that they are comfortable.

* The murder mystery is full! Participants will be receiving information about their characters soon. (I'm signed up for that: can't wait!)

* Next Tuesday, Jan. 27th @ 6pm the Missing and Exploited Children Center will be doing a free presentation on Internet Safety. They promise to have great tips for Parents.

* For the whole family: "Beethoven's Big Break" will show next Thurs. Jan. 29th @ 6pm.

Thanks! Have a lovely winter day.
Jill

View west from Terry Place.

There was a marvelous sunset, last evening, meaning that

it really is going to be a lovely winter day, today!

"Red Sky at Night, Sailors delight;
Red Sun in the Morning; Sailors take warning."*




****************

COMING TOMORROW



Mr. Matthew Maguire, the U.S. Government Studies teacher who took his students to Washington D.C. for the Inauguration, will be sending me some of the many photographs taken by the WCS travelers!

I'll post those tomorrow!

*****

Have a Great Day, Everyone!

*Trivia for the Day: "The 'original' old saying dates back more than 2000 years ago to Matthew 16, which starts:

Matthew 16 - The Demand for a Sign

1. The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,'

3 and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' "

Wednesday - Special add-on at 7:30

From WKTV Morning News: SPECIAL!

"Waterville Students return from Inauguration festivities

(Click the link to reach the video story.)

WATERVILLE, N.Y. (WKTV) - It was a long night for a group of local high school students. They arrived in Waterville late Tuesday night from Washington, D.C.

Just back from a 374 mile, 7 hour, two and half day trip to Washington, most Waterville High School students are now out of energy.
25 Waterville High School students returned home from Washington D.C., after witnessing history, "It was an awesome experience, a once in a lifetime kind of thing. It was cool seeing all the people, something you don't see everyday," said Dylan Hull.
"I cried a couple times. He is such a good speaker, you could tell you were part of history," Kyle Suba added.
The students say they stood for nearly 3 hours, in the 30 degree temperature, in front of the Washington monument. They say with so many people around, and having a birds' eye view of the 44th president, the cold and the wait was an afterthought.


"That picture we kept seeing in the big giant screen, from the Capital that panned out to the massive amounts of crowd toward us to the Washington Monument, someday it's going to be a textbook for their kids and they are going to be able to say, yeah I was right there," said Matt Maguire, (photo above.)

In case you'er wondering what the students will be doing on Wednesday, they'll be heading to (Mr. Maguire's) U.S Government class."

(Thanks for the "heads-up" on that story, Dale!)

*****************

It's 10.8 degrees with light overcast.

From the WKTV Weather Center: "Wednesday will see a very similar day to the last couple...with clouds, some sun and a few flurries around. Accumulations for the next 24 hours will again be minimal. A weak disturbance will drop in Wednesday night and Thursday, bringing with it more clouds and a chance for some light snow, but probably nothing too significant. Temperatures will be a little milder both Thursday and Friday, with highs getting near or into the low 30s.

Sports Scores from WKTV:

The Waterville Girls' Varsity Basketball team
topped Mt. Markham 74 - 38.

VILLAGE BOARD MEETING tonight at 7:00

*****************

A SNOW DAY!

John Peterson sent me this picture taken of his son Dan's children yesterday, in North Carolina!

I had Email from a friend in Kernersville, NC, reporting that they had TWO INCHES of snow: schools were closed and meetings cancelled!

*******

Two years ago now, in bitterly cold weather, our lamp posts were being installed

and people were getting ready for ...........

The Annual Giveaway!

*********

THE BUG

It's going around!


********

I'm old enough to have watched the inaugurations of:

Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson,
Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan,
Bush I, Clinton, Bush II

and, so, I stayed glued to television most of yesterday and,
subsequently, took no pictures around the Village.

******

The following shots are from CNN's website.

As always - it was a Grand Occasion and

a special day not just for Democrats and/or African Americans,

but for all of us.

There will be those who will read and reread the text of President Obama's speech, or even try to spot the flub in the Oath, but I've searched the internet and found what I wanted to hear and watch, again: "Air and Simple Gifts" composed by John Williams and performed by violinist Itzhak Perlman, clarinetist Anthony McGill, pianist Gabriela Montero and joyfully exhuberant Yo-yo Ma, cellist. (While Ms. Montero wore mitts to play, the gentlemen braved the cold with instruments and fingers and played as if it were 70 degrees!)

**********

It's cold out there:

bundle up,

and Have a Good Day!

Tuesday

INAUGURATION DAY - 2009

At 12:00 noon on Tuesday, January 20, 2009,
as set by the Twentieth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,
Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States.

(Complete schedule on the Inauguration Day link, above.)

*************************************
***********************

IN WATERVILLE,

It's Garbage Day!

At 6:00 a.m. it's 9 degrees with thin clouds.

WKTV predicts that: "Heading into Tuesday, we'll be in a bit of a lull. A flurry or two is possible, but any lake effect should be to our west. Skies will be partly to mostly cloudy. Temperatures will be colder, with highs only near 20. Some clearing moves in Tuesday night and Wednesday. As winds shift early Wednesday, the lake snows may briefly regenerate and sneak into our area, providing a brief burst of snow. The wind shift will be in response to a new storm system that will swing through Thursday. That should bring some widespread very light snow. Temperatures will rebound a bit Thursday and Friday, with highs well into the 20s."

********

IN THE NEWS

Long-time residents will recall knowing Bruce McLean, who grew up in Waterville and passed away in Florida, last week.

***************

It was a fine weekend for snowmobiling!

Groomers were out, smoothing "washboard" bumps from trails,


........ riders flew across fields .......

............ and gathered at Nice 'n Easy in Sangerfield to gas up and relax .....

.... while some took a break out at the American Legion.

In the village, snow heaps in the Foodking Parking Lot grow higher and higher!

It seemed to be Ladies' Day, shovelling!

Lynne Cope tried objecting ("Oh, NO!") to having her picture taken for the blog .....

.......... but Anne Karentz, on E. Bacon Street, was glad to take a thirty-second smile break!

*********************

There's a wonderful series of photographs of Iced-over Niagara Falls making its way around the internet. For more information on each and about the Falls, click HERE.

I wondered about our own waterfalls, and checked out both Gridley-Paige Road ......


.......... and "The Caves" in Forge Hollow.

(Yes, there was ice, but not the sort that invited exploration!)

****************************

PLANNING AHEAD

and, for your February Calendar .........

*********

FOR THE RECORD

Have a Good Day, Everyone!