Sunday, October 14, 2012

Blustery October day

A beautiful rainy and windy day, perfect to spend inside and read the paper, play with my camera and spend time with my neglected iMac. These days I spend more time with the MacBook Air and my iPad and forget about this wonderful tool. It's almost five years old now, and the software such as iPhoto has not been updated. I realize how different it is, since I have the newer version on the Air. For a price I could update it here, but I haven't decided whether it's worth it or not.
I remember learning about these, called Mammatus clouds, because they have upside-down bumps that some people think look like breasts. They are usually around severe thunderstorms and I once saw them forming just before I was getting ready to make a skydive. I pondered the wisdom of it, but I went anyway. I sure wish I hadn't gone, since the turbulence I experienced under canopy has never been forgotten. My canopy would collapse and reinflate in a terrible fashion, and there was nothing to do but land. I hurt my right knee when I landed, bursting the bursa sac and having a huge swollen knee for a month. Now when I see these clouds, I remember that day.
Lexie with her mom's laptop
For those of you wondering how Lexie, my grandniece, is doing, here's a picture that Norma Jean sent me last week. Allison had gone into the kitchen for something, and when she came back she saw Lexie sitting here, imitating her mom perfectly. Lexie turned two in June and knows all her letters and is talking up a storm. Needless to say, she is the apple of her mother's eye and is cherished by all who know her. Active and willful, she's also doted on by her grandmother and great-aunt (me). When I iChat with Norma Jean, I hear the latest stories of her exploits.

The wind is blowing hard enough to make the lights flicker every now and then, so I figure I'd better get this post up in case the power goes. My friend Judy and I will go to the movies this afternoon, and until then I'm going to enjoy being inside, warm and cozy with Smart Guy.
:-)

32 comments:

  1. I love weather like this - the blustery part that makes staying indoors so fun. I'll pack for Mexico, then read and read.

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  2. My, how young to be so techno-savvy! ;o)

    I think that wind has blown its way halfway around the world... and we're still feeling its effects here in Alicante! Has been a very oddly windy day too... but with nowhere near that kind of cloud cover! Just a couple of "fluffies"

    Enjoy your movie! What was the selection?

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  3. congrats on getting rain! i hope the storms don't get too bad. nice to know the name of those clouds. i always think they look like intestines, but yes, they bring in some bad weather!

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  4. A blustery day here too, scattering piles of leaves, that homeowners carefully layered into heaps yesterday.
    I'm smiling at your neice, she sits there like she's an old hand at the laptop, I'm impressed !
    ~Jo

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  5. It is amazing how quickly these little ones can learn how to manipulate the keys. My granddaughter is three and she is very adept at just figuring it out. She will often disappear into some corner of the house with her mom's IPad. Biggest challenge is stopping her from buying more levels in the games that she has mastered, so her ability to purchase, has been locked!

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  6. It drizzling here. It's a real mid October day. I miss the fire and the farm at this time.
    Lexie is going to live in a different world. We had none of those things and now they are so common.
    Just hope power will be plentiful for those going forth.

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  7. was gorgeous today...in the 50s....warm with a cool breeze....kinda indian summer/fall all in one....great day to be outside....love that first pic of the flowers around the window....

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  8. and too funny on the pic of her at the computer....smiles.

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  9. I was thinking of you today when I heard about the man flying/falling/parachuting through twenty-five miles of air.
    Lexie looks for all the world as if she's actually surfing the net!

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  10. That pic of Lexie: priceless! These kids born since the millennium are a whole different breed!

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  11. Sounds like a lovely way to spend a blustery day. I'm glad that the lesson learned from those clouds was not worse than it was. Lexie.. absolutely adorable.

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  12. That sky diving episode sounds really scary. Thank goodness you survived it even though you suffered the hurt knee. Two years old? The child is definitely advanced and adorable.

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  13. Really? Lexie is two? Where does the time go? She is adorable, and smart, too.

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  14. We really did plan our weekend for the best time, didn't we? I'm sorry you are having a blustery, cold day. I love the color in the top photo as it contrasts with the clouds in the next. I guess it is time for time indoors doing things on the Mac just like darling little Lexie is doing. That is a precious photo. The photo reminded me of your video about the duck. It is crazy how the little one take to computers today. It seems to come naturally to them. Love it.

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  15. As I predicted, we did not get much of the storm down here in SeaTac. It rained lightly most of the morning and then a bit harder in the afternoon, but not much wind. I exercycled, decorated for Halloween and autumn and watched the Seahawks win! I even got through a few more magazines that have been piling up. Josy the cat has spent the day in her cozy nest in the closet. Rain can bring a lovely change of pace.

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  16. Really interesting first photo! There are things that we've forgotten and then go back to with some surprise so blustery days are good for something.

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  17. Lexie is a child of the future. We're going to need a bunch like her. We're overcast and a little rain now & then but no high winds or thunderstorms.

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  18. Nice photos, as usual, DJan.

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  19. I saw some news today which made me think of you immediately. Apparently a brave/foolish man has become the first to break the sound barrier in a skydive from the edge of space.
    Please don't. You mean too much to us.

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  20. Love the color contrast on the first photo. Wondered if you enhanced it with a photo program.

    Even your "inside days" are productive.

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  21. First off...Lake Ann.....so so gorgeous. And I really like the name...Ann. LOL

    As for your post here, such a card that Lexie is. Gotta love that...priceless.

    Now, you jumped in weather like that? Are you insane? I'm happy to hear that you just tore your knee up some...it coulda been a lot worse!!!

    Which movie did you see?

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  22. So good to see a photo of Lexie! She is so cute! It is hard to believe she is two.
    I often think of Norma Jean and wonder how she is going..but I am sure you keep good track of her! :)

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  23. Clouds can sure spur the imagination. Wow. You enjoyed some great Fall colors on your last post/hike.

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  24. I've only seen those clouds once and that was over here in England. They looked more breast-like then too and they were a funny pink colour, but your're right, they are threatening looking and for a good reason.
    Lexi is gorgeous. Isn't it wonderful to see them growing up!

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  25. Lexie is a real Cutie Pie!!
    I expect we will be seeing more and more storm clouds in the coming months. I don't mind, I love fall and winter! Love Di ♥

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  26. You make every single day seem beautiful.

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  27. There a cuties all right. :)
    I loved the post on Lake Ann. The reds were just stunning.....

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  28. Two...and knows all her letters!!
    She sounds like a gifted girl.
    Precious, Jan....just precious, she is.
    Hugs,
    Jackie

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  29. Ahhhhh, sweet little Lexie. I love the bare toes. The hibernating days are our just rewards for putting up with lousy weather.

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  30. oh wow!! Lexie is adorable
    how wonderful it would be to get her and Hope together :)
    and us of course
    thanks for caring about us so much, we appreciate it and feel it through the miles

    I love the top photo

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  31. I am behind reading blogs. I'm curious what movie you saw.
    Lexie is adorable! The kids grow up in such a different digital/computer world these days. Imagine the things they might accomplish!
    It's raining here (Thursday). That sounds like such a horrible accident. I am so glad you healed well and were able to keep diving from planes and hiking up mountains afterwards! ;)

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  32. Dear DJan, I'm wondering what movie you saw. My friend who's coming today for a four-day visit likes movies and so I'm hoping we'll go see one---and have hot buttered popcorn, which really isn't on the Weight Watching eating plan, but I'm throwing caution to the wind! Peace.

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