THE WEISS CHRONICLES

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Another conversational snow 

So we had some more snow today.  The snow was actually heavy enough to get on the sidewalks and make them slippery and we postponed a 'major' shopping event for us. It also led to cancellation of a cherry blossom kiting event on the mall downtown (although there was almost no snow downtown, it was still wet and cold).

This snow was unpredicted also.

The cherry blossom trees in our neighborhood are still far from blooming; similarly the ones along the tidal basin are still far from blooming. However, some neighborhoods in town the blossoms are more advanced. 

The image above was taken near the Livingston apartments in Chevy Chase (and posted on the internet).

posted by Martin Weiss  # 5:52 PM

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Conversation Snow for the 2nd Year in a Row on March 25 

Today, we had, what is frequently called, conversation snow. That's where it snows and people talk (sometimes on and on and on) about the snow but there is no effect on traffic, school closings, grocery store congestion, etc.


Dulles Airport had about 4" which broke the record for the date which was set last year (3.5"). National airport had about 1.5". Gaithersburg (Walrus) had about 5".


First image is of a cardinal in the cherry blossom trees near the tidal basin in downtown Washington D.C. (its from the internet). The trees are probably at least two weeks from full blossom. 



Second image is a red fox taken in north Arlington (also from the internet). 

posted by Martin Weiss  # 5:17 PM

Sunday, March 23, 2014

L'elisir d'amore at Kennedy Center 

 Ann and I went to a matinee showing of "Elixir of Love", an opera by Donizetti (one of 70 that he wrote in the early 19th century). This was the first live opera that I had heard since I received a set of hearing aids about 18 months ago.  It really did a job. The soprano (Ailyn Perez) was really, really amazing (getting nearly pure tones at high frequency and high volume) and there were some fabulous duets. The opera has a silly plot. Its a comedy drama where a peasant thinks he is using a magic elixir to get girls to love him (hence the name of the opera) but actually girls love him because word got out that he inherited a fortune.

First image is inside the Kennedy Center lobby. Some temporary statuary. 

Second image on the portico overlooking the Potomac. There is a pro fine arts quote by Kennedy above the waterfall (yes that's a new wig on Ann).

posted by Martin Weiss  # 8:20 PM

Monday, March 17, 2014

Snow - Probably the Last Significant Accumulation of the Season 

Last night and early this morning, we got about a half a foot of snow.


The 1st image is predawn on the 17th from internet.


          The second image is our back porch about 130pm on the 17th.


Dulles got about 11" and about 50" for season", BWI about 8" and about 40" for the season, Gaithersburg (Walrus's yard) about 10" and about 50" for season, National airport about 7" and about 30" for season. 

We drove through the beginning of the snow leaving a Purim supper at the Postols (sort of an annual event with us- the Purim event that is, not the snow thing).

The snow was of the medium wet kind. It wasn't as easy to shovel as the previous storm but not too difficult.

This is also delaying the cherry blossoms (actually the first green buds appeared on the 16th per the National Park Service).

posted by Martin Weiss  # 7:27 AM

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Unpleasant mashgiach task 

I was on mashgiach duty at a private residence. They were having a purim party. The meal included meat served warm. 

I had just finished lighting sternos under the vessels that would hold the meat food dishes when I saw a cute little girl in a cute little costume (either a Queen Esther or Queen Vashti dress) coming up the sidewalk holding a little bag. I thought to myself, "What is that bag for?". Then I remembered that on Purim, people send mishloach manot (dainty food treats) to friends (per verse 9:22 of the Book of Esther). 

I realized that the bag might have dairy products and I needed to keep it away from the meat vessels). I stopped the little girl and asked her if I could look in the bag. She wasn't too thrilled with the idea but did agree to it. It had a dairy item in it and some items without a label. I told her she would have to give it to me and I would hold it until the party was over (actually I ended up placing it in a box sequestered in a closet). She looked sad and said, "but my mommy said I had to give it to the mommy of the house". 

A few minutes later another girl, cuter and with a cuter costume, came up the sidewalk also holding a bag and the above conversation was approximately repeated. 

 This happened a few more times and I felt really horrible about myself.

There is an irony here. The book of Esther is the only place in the Hebrew Bible that uses the word 'kosher' (כָשֵׁר) . It is in chapter 8 verse 5 and the word is usually translated as 'proper'. 

posted by Martin Weiss  # 3:30 PM

Friday, March 14, 2014

Chickens Home to Roost in Annapolis 

For the second year in a row, Ann went to a medical coding conference in Annapolis. 

For the second year in a row, I drove her.

A major change in Annapolis since spring 2013 is there are some two dozen giant chickens on or near West Street a bit uptown from the historic district. 

The two images are from a newspaper article that was posted on the internet.

Annapolis considers this the  arts district and apparently they had been planning this for several years.

posted by Martin Weiss  # 6:00 PM

Sunday, March 09, 2014

Saved 98% with these two weird tricks 

Today we went to CVS. We used some 'Cash Back' bonuses that we had accrued. We also bought Coke in bottles and cases of 12 cans. 

The Coke was on deep sales discount.

The sales receipt said that I owed $2.21for $49.45 worth of merchandise. Of course if we drank tap water instead of Coke, it would be even less and we wouldn't have to go to the store.

posted by Martin Weiss  # 9:33 PM

Monday, March 03, 2014

Invasion of the Virus 

A virus infected Ann, me and George in the past few days.

Ann has had a bronchial virus beginning about Feb 27; I had a gastrointestinal  virus from about Feb 28-Mar2 and George has a similar gastrointestinal virus today.

The image is from the CDC which does not show the scale. The virus is about 100 nanometers in diameter (coincidentally, recently a giant 1500 nanometer sized virus was discovered in tundra in Siberia)

My assertion they are all viruses is because we all got it and also, among the symptoms were hot and cold sensitivity.

posted by Martin Weiss  # 1:45 PM

A Cold March Snow 

When we have snow it March, its usually the wet heavy kind.

Not this time. Although the snow began as wet, the temperature dropped quickly and most of the snow fell with temperatures in the low 20s or below. In fact, I began shoveling at about 100pm today and it seemed really cold. I looked at our outside thermometer and it said 14F which is pretty nasty for any mid day reading and at least 30F below where the average is for this date.

The snowstorm was widely predicted and many business and other organizations closed (e.g., schools, government offices).

The image shows Rockville Pike in North Bethesday, about 5 miles east of our house. It was taken during what would normally be morning rush hour and both sides of the road (6 lanes in total) would be filled.
Early pm storm totals:
Our house about 5"
BWI about 3.5"
Reagan airport 3.5"
Dulles airport 5"
Kevin Shaw in Gaithersburg about 6"

posted by Martin Weiss  # 1:30 PM

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