Boxing Day forecast!
The tag from Bunk's costume. Note how untroubled--even delighted--the dog in the picture appears as a stuffed Santa sits athwart him.First, throughout this forecast, by popular demand, you will see pictures of The Bunk. It has been some time since I have featured him in a forecast--an oversight that merits immediate correction.
So the weather. It has felt a lot more like early October than late December for the past few days, and that trend will continue through the weekend.
Here's what to expect:
Friday 12/26 - Boxing Day and the first day of Kwanzaa - more clouds than sun, highs in the upper 40s. Breezy, but a lot less windy than today. Lows around 30.
Saturday 12/27 - John Amos' birthday - partly sunny and rather mild, highs in the low 50s.
Bunk in his costume. Note how morose he looks. His is the thousand-mile stare of a creature wondering how he has wronged his humans, and wherefore they have thus forsaken him.Sunday 12/28 - Denzel Washington's birthday - overcast with a chance of rain showers on and off beginning about 2-4am. Temperatures reach the mid 40s but then drop through the 30s by Sunday night.
Monday 12/29 - the 844th anniversary of Thomas Becket's assassination inside Canterbury Cathedral, as well as the birthday of Danny McBride - overcast to start with a few scattered rain and snow showers (with no accumulation or travel impacts), then turning out partly sunny. High of 38, overnight low of 28.
Tuesday 12/30 - the birthday of both Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, so, you know, banner day on "The Today Show" - breezy and colder. Times of clouds and sun, high of 36. Overnight low of 24.
Wednesday 12/31 - New Year's Eve, Tim Mathieson's birthday, and, most crucially, from 9pm to 12:30am on CNN, Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin will host their annual festival of awkwardness and inappropriateness - overcast and cold with some flurries possible. High 33 (wind chills in the 20s), low 22 (wind chills in the teens).
Thursday 1/1/15 - the first day of the New Year and Paul Revere's 280th birthday, and Frank Langella's birthday, AND Grandmaster Flash's birthday - sunny and cold and windy. High of 31 and low of 22.
The Bunk lounges, his favorite activity. A human has called his name, as evidenced by the look that says, "What trifles dost thou disturb me with? Cannot you see that I am in my repose? Waketh me not unless you have a treat to proffer."Friday 1/2 - Pernell Whitaker's birthday - overcast with sleet and snow overnight.
Beyond - Ice ending as rain for that first weekend of 2015. Looking at the periods of January 9-10-11 (1/10 is George Foreman's birthday) and January 14-15 (1/14 is Carl Weathers' birthday) for some wintry precipitation.
Stay tuned for updates!
Overnight snow / sleet / rain event
My day began in the following manner:
The Hasselhoff head in question. Here it is pictured on the driver's side; I have since moved it to the passenger side because every time Mrs. Monsoon parked to my left in the driveway, she would be startled by the Hoff face staring at her, causing her to utter something like, "Gaaa! God damn it, it's Hasselhoff."I was stopped at the light at 5th and Washington Streets on my way to take The Bunk to day care (don't judge) and then go to work. I had just bade auf wiedersehen to my sweet wife, whose drive to work partially parallels mine.
[I pause here to remind you that my rear passenger side window is adorned with a life-size Hasselhoff head.]
A cab then pulled up alongside me to the right, and the driver rolled down his window, smiling broadly.
"That's the Hoff, huh?"
"You know it!"
"Aw, nice dog, there. [in Bunk's direction:] Mwah!"
"Hahaaauh. Thanks!"
And then he was gone. And my day was made.
So what can we expect from this storm tonight?
It's the Yeti crab, nicknamed the Hoff Crab by the crew who found it (on account of its evocation of Hasselhoff's hairy chest). It's found in the extreme southern Atlantic. Seriously. The Hoff Crab.Snow and sleet begin by 8 or 9 tonight, continuing and mixing overnight. The extent to which they mix (and the extent to which rain mixes in) depends on your location. In Berks County and points north and east, we're looking at a mostly snow and sleet event. In the immediate suburbs of Philadelphia and points south, it'll be mainly rain. Location will be important with this one.
During tomorrow morning's rush hour it'll still be sleety, but then it mixes with (then changes to) rain, ending by around noon.
Total accumulations of snow and sleet will be in the 1-3 inches range (and likely on the low end of that). Temperatures will hold fairly steady in the low to mid 30s, so we could see some deterioration in travel conditions for the early morning rush.
Probability of delay for Wednesday: 40%
Probability of cancellation for Wednesday: 15%
Stay tuned for updates as they become necessary this evening!
Bunk's Pre-2nd Birthday Photo Bash
In two short weeks, The Bunk will turn two years old. In the "dog years" formulation, he'd be starting high school, battling acne, and starting to dream of getting his learner's permit. But, unlike most teenagers, The Bunk just gets sweeter and sweeter, showing none of the mumbling aloofness of the typical freshman.
So: Happy Birthday, Bunk. Here are some pictures to brighten your day, as he does ours.
The Bunk gazes longingly into the backyard. Perhaps he is thinking about barking at the family of chipmunks that has emerged from its home under our neighbor's shed. Perhaps he has discovered the meaning of life, but is keeping it to himself.
The Bunk sleeping in the "splayed" position, which he only wangles himself into when he's feeling utterly secure and content. Sweet dreams, my boy.
The Bunk, pensive. Or, sleepy.
The Bunk after a brush, so his fur is at maximum poof. Isn't he just the cutest dog in the whole, wide world? Of course he is. It was a rhetorical question.
The Bunk vs. Homer Simpson. This is a doll--stuffed body, plasticene head--that was given to Bunk by Monsoon's parents on a recent visit to Norristown. Note the ferocious and merciless tactics of The Bunk in attacking Homer. Soon he will go into his "death roll," in which he grasps the unlucky Simpson in his paws and shimmies around on his back while gnawing on Homer and growling menacingly. I can't resist: D'oh!
The Vicissitudes of Spring ... The Majesty of Bunk
Stay tuned after the weather update for brand-new Bunk content!
The weather...
Weather narrative: We’re going to see the fickle vicissitudes of early spring over the next couple of weeks. After today (Sunday) we can bid a fond adieu to the 70-plus temperatures and “spring fever” of the past few days. Monday will bring in a cold front, and with it some rain and plummeting temperatures. Look for the bulk of the rain late Monday afternoon and evening, perhaps lingering into Tuesday morning.
On Wednesday it gets back up into the low 60s, but a stiff wind will make it feel more like autumn than spring. On Friday we get cooler again with showers possible on that day and on Sunday.
Next week (the last week of March) is looking rather cold and rainy, with the possibility of frozen precipitation early on Sunday the 28th and Monday the 29th. This will just be a little dusting or coating – a reminder of what we’re leaving behind, and what we won’t see around these parts again until year’s end.
Beyond the forecast: As we get into what is, for many of us, an abbreviated Spring Break, I’m seeing temperatures rebound into the low to mid 50s (closer to normal for this time of year) with drier conditions generally.
And now, as promised: The Bunk.
I’ve been remiss in providing you updates and pictures of The Bunk here in the New Year; I was a bit preoccupied with the snow, the snow, the snow.
The Bunk is 19 months old now (or he will be, on Wednesday), and remains, believe me, and absolute gentleman. Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the very card or calendar of gentry. [Someone help me: we finished Hamlet a month ago, and yet I cannot stop quoting it. It is not, nor it cannot come to good. See?]
Anywho, he’s a delight. Yesterday he seemed to have finally understood the concept of “fetch” while we mucked about on the tennis courts, but only fleetingly: when he became more interested in a far-off sound, an intriguing smell, or a passing dog, the game was over. He has a formidable bark whose depth and apparent ferocity belie the mildness and poofery of his appearance.
Here are some snapshots of The Bunk being The Bunk, in his own inimitable way.
The Bunk maintains his dignity despite being clad in Christmas-themed garb - Boxing Day 2009
Lounging happily betwixt two pieces of furniture, his body on the chair and his head on the hassock, The Bunk takes both malleability and adorability to new heights - January 2010
DFW: Down for Whatever - January 2010
The Bunk, plastered to my side, some idyllic weekend - February 2010
The Bunk breaks his own previous record for malleability, wedged into the chair in the sunbeam, fast asleep - February 2010
Fully splayed, looking like an albino Grover - February 2010
Who's a sleepy boy? You are! You are! - March 2010
The Bunk, at play, yesterday - March 2010
Monsoon's Storm Shots for 10 February 2010
Well, the snow is over now and I've gone out and taken my measurements. As it turns out, I'm a bit husky.
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Anywho, my measurements in the yard yielded a snow total of 22 inches. Together with the 20 inches that fell here in Adamstown this past weekend (during "snowmageddon"), that's three and a half feet of snow in five days.
I can't even put that into perspective. But, of course, I'll try. It's ten inches over the average annual snowfall around here. Philadelphia, which gets an average of 20 inches of snow annually, had 63 inches of snow in the past four winters combined. This winter has already broken the record (65.5 inches in 1995-96) with 70 inches. And we're not finished.
Schools will be closed tomorrow throughout the region (we've already gotten the calls) as everyone tries to clean up from the onslaught.
I could go on. But I'll just share some pictures instead in the hope that they can convey this event better than I...
Bunk rests on the chair whilst the snow falls earlier today; after each visit outside to do "business," Bunk returned with snow encrusted into his legs, his undercarriage, even his ears, necessitating 10-15 minutes with the hair dryer...after which he is quite tuckered.
Snow accumulation / driftage at the front door.
A four-foot-high drift / shoveling depository next to our walk; there is a bush under there somewhere.
The tree, snow-covered; the concrete deer behind it is completely obscured by the snow.
A five-foot snow pile next to our driveway; in the background is our largely-unplowed road.
Update
on 2010-02-11 18:15 by Monsoon Martin
One more pic, taken today from our driveway. No, friends, that's not a photo-negative of Kid from Kid 'N Play rocking the hi-top fade.
That's our deer, buried. In the foreground is a five-foot snow mound that makes the driveway feel like a highway cattle chute.
The roads around northern Lancaster County are pretty bad, and in many places plowing is just beginning. Secondary and more rural roads are especially dicey, as are many parking lots.
Friday school scheduling potentials...
Chance of cancellation for Mifflin (Act 80 Day): 40%
Chance of delay for Mifflin: 20%
Chance of cancellation for the rest of the county (regular school day): 35%
Chance of delay for the rest of the county: 65%
I'm keeping an eye on Monday's storm, and what else lies ahead (there are at least two more storms that could affect us after that)...
Monsoon
Happy New Year 2010 - Forecast and Bunk greeting
My good people,
After the forecast, I’ve included New Year’s tidings from The Bunk, who wanted to be sure to thank his fans for their love and adoration over this past year or so. (His muzzle is shorn in a poodlishly arresting way to address some matting in the area. But we already know that, whatever the state of his coiffure— puff-out, buzz-cut, mop-top, cornrows, or high-top fade—he is, now and forever, The Bunk. And thanks to Jon and Lori at Total Dog for taking such good care of his coat, even when we don’t.)
Thu 12/31 - after this morning’s snow showers, which gave us two or three inches (and about which I intended to send a forecast update yesterday, but forgot—honest!), we’ll have snow and flurries developing in the evening and continuing overnight, accumulating an additional inch or two. Please be careful driving, as conditions may deteriorate right around when revelry may be at its peak. Low tonight 29.
Fri 1/1 - overcast with widely scattered morning snow showers. Temperatures becoming colder throughout the day with gusty winds, but the precipitation and winds should not cause travel difficulties. High 38, low 25.
Sat 1/2 - partly to mostly cloudy with a slight chance of passing flurries or snow showers throughout the day. Very windy for the duration of the day. High 30, low 17 with single-digit wind chills.
Sun 1/3 - partly cloudy, still quite windy, and even colder. High 28, low 14 with wind chills dipping down toward zero.
The week back to school - highs in the low to mid 30s; lows in the upper teens. Other than a chance of a passing snow shower or two on Monday 1/4, not much this week in the way of winter precipitation.
Next chances for winter weather - things are looking interesting for 1/11 and 1/12, and again on the 14th and 15th. Generally the pattern is setting up nicely for some winter weather in mid-January. Stay tuned!
"We'll take a cup of kindness yet, / for auld lang syne." Happy New Year, y'all!
O Bunk-a-doo, O Bunk-a-doo...
...thy patience is unending.
In honor of the 16-month anniversary of The Bunk's birth (and the eve of Christmas Day), we decided to create some memorable photos involving the dog, a Santa outfit, and a reindeer headband. In the course of this photo shoot there was much laughter, commotion, confusion, repeated commands, frantic hand gestures, and biting of the wardrobe items. But finally we came up with a couple of really sweet shots of long-suffering Bunk in his holiday finery. Also included is a shot of The Bunk frolicking in the snow following last weekend's Nor'easter. Please to enjoy.
Before I present the photos, though, I need to send a special yuletide shout-out to those of you who came through in fine style in response to my "wallet calendar" plea a few posts back: Sue, Brent, and especially Phyllis--who not only printed a page of the cards, but also endured the disapproving glares of some Hallmark store workers as she nabbed several of the coveted giveaways. My dad will be thrilled with the bevy of ways in which he'll be able to tell what day it is.
Snow-loving Bunk gambols happily round the Grove
Santa Bunk, up close and delightful
The Bunk, clad in festive garb, sits for a portraitHave a happy, safe, and healthy holiday!
Monsoon's One-Year Bunkiversary Extravaganza!
Woof.
It is time once again to celebrate the life and times of The Bunk, who just turned 15 months old. This time last year (Thanksgiving break) was when that magnificent little fuzzball came into our lives.
Over the past few months, The Bunk has acquired a cousin—a Bichon Frise puppy named Buttons, who was welcomed into the Spatz family. Buttons is a wily, diminutive bundle of naughtiness, and the two of them have taken quite well to hanging out together some days. The picture below is a fine illustration of the horseplay in which Bunk and Buttons typically indulge.
The Bunk and Buttons - so named because of his cute little button eyes - have a snarling, furry romp in the kitchen
The Bunk also endured another health issue (though he’s completely fine now): he had a strange growth between two of his “toes,” and it turned out that it was a benign tumor caused by a viral infection. The upshot is that he had to have the thing removed, so about two weeks of pain pills and antibiotics and a wrapped paw followed that. We did use the “cone” for a few days, but he found a way to winkle out of it in his crate anyway, so we just abandoned it. Besides, he left the dressing alone and was, over all, a champ about the whole process.
The Bunk, heavily medicated, rests in his favorite spot; note the bandage on the left front paw
Since he was drugged up and just wanted to be left alone to sleep, Mrs. Monsoon and I neglected to brush him consistently. As a result, by the middle of this month, The Bunk’s coat was a frowzy mass of tangles and mats. And so, the good people at Total Dog and a Little Cat had to shear our boy dramatically when he returned to their fold for some grooming.
The Bunk, shorn, relaxes with loved ones on Thanksgiving Day
We did have The Bunk in a Halloween costume, but he was clad in it so fleetingly that no in-focus photographic evidence exists of this event. We managed to cram a bat-themed headband on him and he sat still long enough for us to snap a picture. Soon thereafter, he cuffed the offending headgear off and began to attack it.
The Bunk wears bat headband, fleetingly
For the upcoming holiday, I make this promise: I will clothe The Bunk in festive garb, take a picture of the result, and post it here on the weblog. Speaking of the holidays, here is a shot of The Bunk attacking a little stuffed reindeer toy I could not resist purchasing today at Petsmart.
The Bunk vs. stuffed reindeer toy; Monsoon's prediction: reindeer will be headless by December
The Bunk continues to amaze us each and every day with his steadfastness, his devotion, his sweetness. He follows us around, from floor to floor and room to room, simply because he needs to be near us—not in an annoying way, but it a faithful way. Marika noted on Thanksgiving Day that The Bunk is "a leaner." That is, when he wants to show affection or wishes to be petted, he leans into this person in the most snuggly (yet insistent) way. When one of us comes home—or kith and kin come for a visit—he can’t help jumping up to signal his joy. We’re still trying to curtail this behavior, but haven’t yet had much success.
I’ll wrap up here with a couple more pictures of The Bunk for your delight. Enjoy the rest of your holiday break!
The Bunk sits adorably by the window. Face it: he's the most beautiful dog in the whole world. Seriously. Get over it.
The Bunk takes a well-earned break from roughhousing with Buttons