The snow came, the snow is here and in a few days the snow will be gone. We have so far about 2 feet of snow. That's about 61cm for those who have no idea how much two feet might be. Not two feet on a body but two feet in length.
So what is the big deal? the big deal? I tell you what the big deal is. The city is in total panic. The buses stopped running early afternoon. All Outside subway lines as well as the commuter trains stopped running. The airports are all shut down. And from 4 pm cars could not be on the roads and that means that the only remaining transportation was walking.
This means now some people will have a good chance to find out why they don't like to be with their families.
I would be very curious to find out if nine months from now the birthrate in the city will increase or not!
My wife and I were out around noon for a few hours and I tell you honestly I really loved it. The roads were empty and my four wheel safely took us anywhere we wanted to go.
Later in the afternoon we took a family stroll around or block which was a lot of fun for the three of us even though Abigail is not much of a fan of snow. She says it is too cold and wet. I explained to her that there was no such a thing as warm and dry snow. At least not yet.
I don't know what tomorrow will bring if we would be able to leave the house or not. If they lift the driving restriction we might go out for a little drive. But staying home for my wife and I is not the worst thing in the world.
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Friday
I mentioned it before that there is nothing else in the news but the impending snowstorm/blizzard. The City is making all kinds of preparations, the airlines are making all kinds of preparations and the reporters are out in droves asking people how they plan to deal with that.
The funniest thing I saw was that they reported from a Burlington Coat Factory that people were buying up the warm winter clothings including the big and warm boots.
That made think (I do that sometimes!). This is the middle of Winter. What were these people wearing until now? What were these people were wearing last year during winter and the big snowstorm we had? Were they going about in shorts or bathing suits that they have nothing to wear? It is so peculiar that every time there is a major weather thing coming people start to buy things like it is the first time they have to face such a condition. I would just love to ask them, hey what did you do last year?
I am writing this around 5:30 in the afternoon and there is nothing but darkness outside but the ones in the know say it is coming. They are so serious and ominous about it like the end of the world would be coming.
I would be laughing very hard if tomorrow morning it would have turned out the storm decided to go somewhere else.
The funniest thing I saw was that they reported from a Burlington Coat Factory that people were buying up the warm winter clothings including the big and warm boots.
That made think (I do that sometimes!). This is the middle of Winter. What were these people wearing until now? What were these people were wearing last year during winter and the big snowstorm we had? Were they going about in shorts or bathing suits that they have nothing to wear? It is so peculiar that every time there is a major weather thing coming people start to buy things like it is the first time they have to face such a condition. I would just love to ask them, hey what did you do last year?
I am writing this around 5:30 in the afternoon and there is nothing but darkness outside but the ones in the know say it is coming. They are so serious and ominous about it like the end of the world would be coming.
I would be laughing very hard if tomorrow morning it would have turned out the storm decided to go somewhere else.
Friday, January 22, 2016
Thursday
No matter how hard I try, my confidence in this e-pay thing is just not there. Today I found out that my mortgage has been twice paid this month.
I like to pay all my bills on time but this is getting to be ridiculous. To pay a mortgage two months at a time is just not being done. But I will very likely get used to this thing in time.
Something else.
In the past few days we really didn't do much. Actually we do a lot it just doesn't amount to much. We love to stay home and just loaf around the house. During the day while Abigail is in school we have the place to ourselves and us being newlyweds that is very nice. She finishes school at 2:30 or three o'clock and after that privacy time is over.
Right now she is madly in love with a band and all she does is listening to their music. Thank God all that is through an earphone otherwise we all be in a loony house.
Something else.
Next September Abigail has to go to high school. We selected a few schools along with a few private schools. The private schools are catholic high schools and one of them, the best one is just across the street from us. The catholic schools require an admission test which Abigail did take. We were recently notified that she was accepted to the second choice catholic school. And, last night there was meet and greet event.
We went to see it because we were curious about the school and how it worked. We were already told that these schools are not extremely religious. There are all different ethnicity kids attending and Catholicism is not being shoved down their throats. There is an academic subject about the history of Christianity but that is all.
At least this was what we were told.
Last night's affair started with a nun saying a prayer and most of the people putting the sign of the cross on themselves. Then the nun noted that in the cafeteria there are prayers every day and also some readings from the bible on the school loudspeaker.
That was the point when we looked at each other and realized that this was not the school for Abigail. No matter how good a school it is she is still a Jewish little girl and her mother and I will not allow our daughter to go to such a strong religious school. For higher education like college it doesn't matter what the institute's affiliation is, but to very impressionable little girl it matters a lot.
So after listening to the speeches for a half an hour and stuffing my face with chocolate chip cookies we quietly left and wrote off catholic based education. Remains the New York City public school system which I heard is not so bad either.
I like to pay all my bills on time but this is getting to be ridiculous. To pay a mortgage two months at a time is just not being done. But I will very likely get used to this thing in time.
Something else.
In the past few days we really didn't do much. Actually we do a lot it just doesn't amount to much. We love to stay home and just loaf around the house. During the day while Abigail is in school we have the place to ourselves and us being newlyweds that is very nice. She finishes school at 2:30 or three o'clock and after that privacy time is over.
Right now she is madly in love with a band and all she does is listening to their music. Thank God all that is through an earphone otherwise we all be in a loony house.
Something else.
Next September Abigail has to go to high school. We selected a few schools along with a few private schools. The private schools are catholic high schools and one of them, the best one is just across the street from us. The catholic schools require an admission test which Abigail did take. We were recently notified that she was accepted to the second choice catholic school. And, last night there was meet and greet event.
We went to see it because we were curious about the school and how it worked. We were already told that these schools are not extremely religious. There are all different ethnicity kids attending and Catholicism is not being shoved down their throats. There is an academic subject about the history of Christianity but that is all.
At least this was what we were told.
Last night's affair started with a nun saying a prayer and most of the people putting the sign of the cross on themselves. Then the nun noted that in the cafeteria there are prayers every day and also some readings from the bible on the school loudspeaker.
That was the point when we looked at each other and realized that this was not the school for Abigail. No matter how good a school it is she is still a Jewish little girl and her mother and I will not allow our daughter to go to such a strong religious school. For higher education like college it doesn't matter what the institute's affiliation is, but to very impressionable little girl it matters a lot.
So after listening to the speeches for a half an hour and stuffing my face with chocolate chip cookies we quietly left and wrote off catholic based education. Remains the New York City public school system which I heard is not so bad either.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Wednesday
Even though I'm aware of that I am fighting a losing battle deep down I know that I'm right for not liking electronic pay systems. Today was a perfect example why I'm against it.
My car lease payments are due on the 19th of each month. For some reason we scheduled the payment for the 19th of this month on January 2 of this year. Then subsequently since it was forgotten that the payment was already scheduled this payment was again submitted a few days ago.
Result was that this morning I found a very dangerously low balance on the bank account. Upon further investigation I found that the car payment was deducted twice by the bank because it was twice paid.
I called the leasing company and they told me that at this stage there was nothing they could do. But since it was a double payment February is now considered paid. So there is a bright side of this saga but I am still against it. I still think the good old fashioned checks worked better. But hey, when I'm licked I capitulate.
As the weekend approaches news get more and more hysterical about the possibilities of a snowstorm on Saturday. Me personally, believe it when it gets here. I think the weather forecasters get to be paid off by the sanitation unions because the only ones who profit from these storms are the sanitation workers. They sit in their snow plow/salter trucks all night drinking coffee and hot chocolate and wait for the snow. And in the meantime getting overtime pay. And they have the nerve to ask the public to feel sorry for the poor overworked sanitation workers.
Nobody ever felt sorry for me in my working days when I had to work overtime, which included working seven days a week.
My car lease payments are due on the 19th of each month. For some reason we scheduled the payment for the 19th of this month on January 2 of this year. Then subsequently since it was forgotten that the payment was already scheduled this payment was again submitted a few days ago.
Result was that this morning I found a very dangerously low balance on the bank account. Upon further investigation I found that the car payment was deducted twice by the bank because it was twice paid.
I called the leasing company and they told me that at this stage there was nothing they could do. But since it was a double payment February is now considered paid. So there is a bright side of this saga but I am still against it. I still think the good old fashioned checks worked better. But hey, when I'm licked I capitulate.
As the weekend approaches news get more and more hysterical about the possibilities of a snowstorm on Saturday. Me personally, believe it when it gets here. I think the weather forecasters get to be paid off by the sanitation unions because the only ones who profit from these storms are the sanitation workers. They sit in their snow plow/salter trucks all night drinking coffee and hot chocolate and wait for the snow. And in the meantime getting overtime pay. And they have the nerve to ask the public to feel sorry for the poor overworked sanitation workers.
Nobody ever felt sorry for me in my working days when I had to work overtime, which included working seven days a week.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Tuesday
It was brrrr cold today. It looks like winter finally arrived. They also forecast serious snow for the weekend. I can't wait to see the city under a nice white blanket. But weather forecast is about as lame as the financial forecast.
They are only successful with retroactive forecasting. They have no idea what to expect but they can clearly explain why what happened happened. Was this a deep enough thought.
Today's morning was spent with housecleaning and laundry. Both extremely exciting however, when I do it alongside my wife I really don't mind it at all. This is a large apartment and it needs constant upkeep. She cleans it every day but once a week it is also being washed behind the ear.
As I mentioned it earlier we started paperless bill paying through the internet. I am in a constant fear for what do we or did we forget to pay. I guess I am too old fashioned and need to get used to this system. I have to realize that I have to move with the times. I thought I was patriotic when I wrote checks and mailed them because I placed postage stamps on the envelops and kept the postal system operating. Now, I am abandoning my patriotic attitude and will not buy anymore stamps.
Sorry mailman!.
They are only successful with retroactive forecasting. They have no idea what to expect but they can clearly explain why what happened happened. Was this a deep enough thought.
Today's morning was spent with housecleaning and laundry. Both extremely exciting however, when I do it alongside my wife I really don't mind it at all. This is a large apartment and it needs constant upkeep. She cleans it every day but once a week it is also being washed behind the ear.
As I mentioned it earlier we started paperless bill paying through the internet. I am in a constant fear for what do we or did we forget to pay. I guess I am too old fashioned and need to get used to this system. I have to realize that I have to move with the times. I thought I was patriotic when I wrote checks and mailed them because I placed postage stamps on the envelops and kept the postal system operating. Now, I am abandoning my patriotic attitude and will not buy anymore stamps.
Sorry mailman!.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Sunday/Monday
I am not a tardy person but this time I have to say mea culpa because last night I just plain forgot to write. I am not promising that this will not happen again but I will make every effort for not to skip any day.
Yesterday we had a very lovely brunch with my former brother-in-law and current friend and his wife. The brunch was for my birthday and it was held in a nice Manhattan eatery. The weather was good, parking was no problem and we spent a good two and a half hour eating and talking. Haven't seen each other for a very long time so there was a lots of catching up to do.
My wife, Abigail and me ate well but abstained from dessert because we had an ulterior motive for after brunch.
And that was going in to the Hungarian pastry shop and have some good Hungarian pastry, which we did. My wife had a nice generous portion of chestnut puree, I had a humongous slice of poppy strudel while Abigail had a similarly humongous portion of apple strudel. Interestingly, we ate everything. Meaning the stuff must have been good.
By the time we left the pastry shop snow was coming down pretty strong. Not a blizzard but a good snow shower. January 17, that was the first snow for this winter season. It snowed on and off all night long and this morning there were areas covered and most of the cars on the street were blanketed. But unfortunately (for me) it didn't last and in spite of the cold by the end of the day most of it was gone.
Today is MLK Day and that is a national holiday. Some businesses are closed but I never had this day off when I was part of the working class. The only thing we noticed that traffic was lighter than usual.
Schools were closed today and because of this Abigail was home. It is totally fascinating how a 13 year old can piss a day away without doing anything useful. All day on the smart phone/tablet/Skype and God knows what else. Somewhere in this three day weekend the homeworks were squeezed in but I really don't know when and how.
As long as the good grades keep coming in I'm ok with it.
Yesterday we had a very lovely brunch with my former brother-in-law and current friend and his wife. The brunch was for my birthday and it was held in a nice Manhattan eatery. The weather was good, parking was no problem and we spent a good two and a half hour eating and talking. Haven't seen each other for a very long time so there was a lots of catching up to do.
My wife, Abigail and me ate well but abstained from dessert because we had an ulterior motive for after brunch.
And that was going in to the Hungarian pastry shop and have some good Hungarian pastry, which we did. My wife had a nice generous portion of chestnut puree, I had a humongous slice of poppy strudel while Abigail had a similarly humongous portion of apple strudel. Interestingly, we ate everything. Meaning the stuff must have been good.
By the time we left the pastry shop snow was coming down pretty strong. Not a blizzard but a good snow shower. January 17, that was the first snow for this winter season. It snowed on and off all night long and this morning there were areas covered and most of the cars on the street were blanketed. But unfortunately (for me) it didn't last and in spite of the cold by the end of the day most of it was gone.
Today is MLK Day and that is a national holiday. Some businesses are closed but I never had this day off when I was part of the working class. The only thing we noticed that traffic was lighter than usual.
Schools were closed today and because of this Abigail was home. It is totally fascinating how a 13 year old can piss a day away without doing anything useful. All day on the smart phone/tablet/Skype and God knows what else. Somewhere in this three day weekend the homeworks were squeezed in but I really don't know when and how.
As long as the good grades keep coming in I'm ok with it.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Saturday
I skipped a few days of writing because I was told not to go near my computer. Actually the reason was medical. Last Tuesday I went to see an eye specialist because earlier my optometrist said I should have my eyes checked for glaucoma.
So I took my eyes to the doctor for the checkup. The last time I went to see an ophthalmologist was over twenty years ago and I really didn't know what to expect. About twenty-five years ago I had cataract surgeries and I didn't have any problems since.
The doctor now told me that on my left eye there is a little secondary cataract that should be removed. The reading test proved that point because I had trouble reading certain lines from the chart. The doctor said the procedure is very minor and it is done with laser and he could do it right there and then. I naturally agreed to it, why drag it out unnecessarily.
So, he did it. Blasted my eyes with the laser for about twenty five minutes or less and then it was over. I didn't feel anything except I see clearer on that eye now. He prescribed an eye drop that I had to use only for three times. Do you know how much it cost after insurance? $266 was my copay. Unbelievable! They gave me a coupon but the coupon had so many exclusions that I was not able to make use of it.
Next time I'll try to get the prescription done at a Sunoco station because over there I get a 5 cent a gallon discount.
Now, because this procedure was done I was advised to take it easy for about three days and try not to strain my eyes. My wife said looking at the computer screen strains the eyes and that was why I couldn't do anything.
I guess he isn't to concerned about my glaucoma because he only wants to see me in three weeks. Why should he be? It is my glaucoma, not his!
So I took my eyes to the doctor for the checkup. The last time I went to see an ophthalmologist was over twenty years ago and I really didn't know what to expect. About twenty-five years ago I had cataract surgeries and I didn't have any problems since.
The doctor now told me that on my left eye there is a little secondary cataract that should be removed. The reading test proved that point because I had trouble reading certain lines from the chart. The doctor said the procedure is very minor and it is done with laser and he could do it right there and then. I naturally agreed to it, why drag it out unnecessarily.
So, he did it. Blasted my eyes with the laser for about twenty five minutes or less and then it was over. I didn't feel anything except I see clearer on that eye now. He prescribed an eye drop that I had to use only for three times. Do you know how much it cost after insurance? $266 was my copay. Unbelievable! They gave me a coupon but the coupon had so many exclusions that I was not able to make use of it.
Next time I'll try to get the prescription done at a Sunoco station because over there I get a 5 cent a gallon discount.
Now, because this procedure was done I was advised to take it easy for about three days and try not to strain my eyes. My wife said looking at the computer screen strains the eyes and that was why I couldn't do anything.
I guess he isn't to concerned about my glaucoma because he only wants to see me in three weeks. Why should he be? It is my glaucoma, not his!
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