Thank goodness!!

Whew!! We have been in a Arctic Freeze the last 2 days but its breaking tomorrow. I drive Medicaid patients to Drs visits, clinics, dialysis, etc and because of the Wind Chill warnings, snow, drifting and such almost all my runs were canceled. That means i was inside the house almost all day/ night until my wife got home from work about 11:00pm. Some of you guys might have noticed the excessive amount of posts that was way out of my norm.. Until about a half hour ago when i found out im back to normal work tomorrow I was starting to lose my marbles on the board here.. The swishing in my head, talking to the stuffed animal dog, talked to Hunter s Thompson on the phone, Putting on a yellow rain jacket/rubber rain boots, getting in shower and reciting Bill Murray in Cadyshack.. None of that seemed too bad but when i started texting my buddies and telling them... Cant wait to root on the Patriots!!! That was the moment!!.. That scared me.. Had to reel it in but everything is all good here... Hey I think thats Balto coming up the drive with my Diphtheria Antitoxin, been waiting for that :) :) Lol ...... I think i posted and responded about 50 times the last 2 days.. I do admit i was getting a little loopy with my posts at times... Tha k god i am back to normal in the mornimg.... Thats not an overload for some of you guys but i dont have nearly the knowledge and expertise to answer members questions and im terrible at my thumb hitting wrong letters and numbers that i could edit almost every post and that gets old fast so i ll just observe and occasionally post.. That explains all my posts and rambling and babbling on a little bit... Going a little stir crazy being cooped up and having my face and eyes fixated to a screen for what seems like 36hrs out of the last 48 kicked in a nice natural buzz though... Bright side to everything Grandma used to say.. Undortunetly i have a couple of real questions i need to post still ... Take care fellas, SMW

Thanks you for volunteering your time to help those who cannot help themselves.

The northern midwest has certainly had its share of cold this year. I heard that yesterday (01/26) Chicago and Minneapolis were the coldest cities in the contiguous 48 states and we were even colder than some cities in Alaska like Anchoridge . The low yesterday was -4 degrees F. But that will feel like a heat wave compared to the coming week. On Wednesday morning the temperature is supposed to be down to -22 degrees F with a wind of 22 mph. Thus, the windchill is expected to be -52 degrees. In these conditions frostbite can occur in under 10 minutes with any exposed skin.

Like you , I volunteer to help those who cannot help themselves. I volunteer with the local Emergency Management Agency. We just received notification that the county is activating warming centers around the county, so we need to check tomorrow to make sure the centers are all prepared for a likely influx of those seeking to get out of the cold.

If you live in areas with this type of cold, please remember to check on vulnerable neighbors. I suspect we will find people frozen to death, both on the streets and in their homes after things warm up.

Hello to all.. Holy smokes was that a brutal week!! Ive lived in this area almost my whole life of 50yrs and we are used to nasty winters for sure... But i cant remember a stretch of weather like Michigan and the Upper Midwest just went through.. Im heading to the Post Office now as the State was shut completely down for 4 days.. We had wind chills of -40 and in some spots below!! If you live in the area and just went through it you know what im talking about.. And to add to Rays post above. It was so brutal with the cold and up to 2ft of snow that shelters/churches/schools, etc all stayed open or were available at all times that i have only heard of a very small amount of fatalities in the area... One is too many but considering what could have been it was a testament to helping out in the time people need help.. Well done

I know how you feel, i've been going nuts not being able to go out and mess with my new forge. Been able to go to work but by the time I get home the last thing i want to do is brave the cold and go out in the garage all bundled up and play. Supposed to be in the 30's and the 40's on Sunday. Wow!

See, this is why I live in Florida. My southern blood is to thin for all that. Give me 90° every day of the year. It's been tough here too. I have to wear long pants and a jacket and my wetsuit when I surf. What's that all about?:shrug: I miss my surfing baggies and Hawaiian shirts.

That sounds awful Paul.. You should come up here sometime.. If you have never done this let it sink in for a minute.. Its supposed to be around 25-28 degrees tomorrow and im looking forward to getting up and heading out 1mile on a lake that is covered with over a foot of ice, drilling lots of holes through the ice and then hope to catch some fish :) .... Cant wait for a few more years until my wife has her time in at work and we'll be joining you Paul.. We will be the late 40's and 50yr old working retirees but i wont complain a bit to not have to deal with winters again...

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Originally Posted by TCMichigander

That sounds awful Paul.. You should come up here sometime.. If you have never done this let it sink in for a minute.. Its supposed to be around 25-28 degrees tomorrow and im looking forward to getting up and heading out 1mile on a lake that is covered with over a foot of ice, drilling lots of holes through the ice and then hope to catch some fish :) .... Cant wait for a few more years until my wife has her time in at work and we'll be joining you Paul.. We will be the late 40's and 50yr old working retirees but i wont complain a bit to not have to deal with winters again...

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Brrrrsky!!! If God had intended us to ice fish he would have given us fur like a bear. I met some guys back in the 80s who claimed to surf in Lake Michigan. They said when storms come in it makes for good waves. I guess they used bigger boards because you're not as boyant in fresh water. Too cold for me. Hell, Pacific water off LA was too cold for me.

I have lived in Thunder Bay all my life, 65 years, and can recall instances of what is now called the Artic Vortex going back to when I was a kid. I believe that over the last 20 odd years these out flows are happening more frequently and for longer periods of time. I recall one that lasted about 3 weeks in that 20 year period. Seems the effects are pushing further south too and we are on 50 miles from the northern Minnesota border. We'd all better get used to dealing with this weather pattern but it is not easy.

The vortex has moved east and currently we are at 5F with 0 wind chill factor. Feels almost balmy compared to this morning.

Bob

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Originally Posted by BobH

I have lived in Thunder Bay all my life, 65 years, and can recall instances of what is now called the Artic Vortex going back to when I was a kid. I believe that over the last 20 odd years these out flows are happening more frequently and for longer periods of time. I recall one that lasted about 3 weeks in that 20 year period. Seems the effects are pushing further south too and we are on 50 miles from the northern Minnesota border. We'd all better get used to dealing with this weather pattern but it is not easy.

The vortex has moved east and currently we are at 5F with 0 wind chill factor. Feels almost balmy compared to this morning.

Bob

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When it gets too cold in the winter to surf in a spring suit it's time to move further south.

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Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

When it gets too cold in the winter to surf in a spring suit it's time to move further south.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpTf1KZtk10

I live in Traverse City and the city is home to 2 large Lk Michigan bays... In the last 10yrs there are at least 2 actual surf shops that opened up and guys/girls surf Lk Michigan on a regular basis now.. Frankfort is about 45min away on Lk Michigan and you will see people surfing/body surfing a lot in the summer especially when tje winds pick up... But the crazy ones get out in late fall and through winter when it gets down right nasty out on the lakes.. If you want to check out some really dedicated surfers just you tube Lk Superior Surfing.. Anyone that surfs in Florida/Cali/Hawaii etc will roll an eye until they watch what these guys will put themselves through to get the best waves they can... Almost everyone is amazed....

https://www.perfectduluthday.com/201...-stoney-point/

Thanks 32t... Beat me too it

When I mentioned it my wife sent me this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rgf...ature=youtu.be

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Originally Posted by 32t

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpTf1KZtk10

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See what I mean? Look how far down in the water.their boards are. In salt water it's more on top of the water...unless of course you're a 54 year old fat guy like me :roflmao

Here's what I want to know. If you northerners have all that ice and snow how come we have the best hockey team in Tampa?:y";"
Watching the Lightning get ready to whoop the Islanders as we speak. "LET'S GO LIGHTNING!"

Man! As if I don't see enough of that gawdy orange and blue with all the Gator fans here.:gaah:

Because you had Steve Yzerman to construct your whole roster... -Check Mate:)

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Originally Posted by TCMichigander

Because you had Steve Yzerman to construct your whole roster... -Check Mate:)

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OOOOOHHHHH!!!!!:dropjaw:

Hey, whatever it takes. All's fair in love and war...and then there's hockey.

Ever heard of the Jamaican bobsled team...btw the Panthers are beating Nashville

I did see the score of the Panthers game.... As a lifelong Red Wings fan the last few years have been tough... So my favorite team becomes whoever beats Pittsburg..

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Originally Posted by TCMichigander

I did see the score of the Panthers game.... As a lifelong Red Wings fan the last few years have been tough... So my favorite team becomes whoever beats Pittsburg..

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Sorry to say it wasn't the Lightning Wednesday. Pittsburgh had the ugliest win I've seen in a while.

Oh well. Panthers lose 1-4. Lightning wins 1-0 in a shoot out. Guess that's why I'm a Tampa fan. Man that was some fine hockey! Islanders played some fabulous defense.

Who won?

Who cares?

I watched the end of Islanders/Lightning game.. I have always liked the Islanders and rooted for them to do well.. When i started out playing Hockey we were too far North of Detroit to see them on TV (we only had 2 stations anyway) and only kept track through next day newspaper.. But I remember watching the Islanders winning the finals on late night tape delay circa late 1970's so I could put a face to guys like Billy Smith, Trottier, Clark Gillies, Mike Bossy, Butch Goring, Morrow, etc ..

Growing up in the south hockey was someone else's game for the whole of my childhood. Interestingly roller blades we're the advent of kids playing hockey here. I never had a history of watching it and those memories. I liked it but never had a team to call my home team. My daughter actually made me a hockey fan because she is one. I always liked it but only started following it and had a team recently.

See what you missed... Bet you wish you grew up in an area that feels Arctic 5 months of the year?.. :)

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Originally Posted by TCMichigander

See what you missed... Bet you wish you grew up in an area that feels Arctic 5 months of the year?.. :)

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Well, I do get to skin it (surf without a wetsuit) for 7 months out of the year so there's that.

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Originally Posted by 32t

Who won?

Who cares?

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Amen to that! I was just watching the recap. Both of those teams played an amazing game.Tampa kept it right in front of the Islanders goal almost the whole game but they couldn't seem to get it in the net. Vasilevsky looked like Wonder woman with the bracelets deflecting bullets. I'm definitely a Tampa fan but man, I have to hand it to the Islanders. When you have a team that's that good at defense against a team that's that good at offense it's like an unstoppable Force against an immovable object. The thing that gave Tampa the game was Vasilevsky. What an amazing goalkeeper! That guy BETTER make it into the Hall of Fame.

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Originally Posted by TCMichigander

I did see the score of the Panthers game.... As a lifelong Red Wings fan the last few years have been tough... So my favorite team becomes whoever beats Pittsburg..

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So I guess you've become a Panthers fan because they just beat those dratted penguins 3-2. I'm glad to see them win against Pittsburgh. Those poor guys are having a rough year. Tied wins for losses and 20 points in the red on the point diff. I'm not really a Miami fan but they really need some love