Good morning! Back to work after the Presidents Day Holiday the first post 5:30 PM Sunset of the year 🌆. I’ll try to stop my Donald Trump obsession for a few hours today. Mostly sunny and 10 degrees in Delmar. Doesn’t feel that cold this morning. Crisp yes, but not that cold. Maybe because I left the heat turned up a bit last night. There is a north-northeast breeze at 6 mph. 🍃. There are 4 inches of snow on the ground. ☃ Things will start to thaw out at Thursday around 7 am. 🌡️

Today will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 25 degrees at 2pm. 11 degrees below normal. Northeast wind 6 to 14 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. It is still winter, as they say. At least for a few days before the big warm up starting Thursday. A year ago, we had partly cloudy in the morning, which became light rain by afternoon. The high last year was 44 degrees. The record high of 66 was set in 1981. 11.4 inches of snow fell back in 1972.❄

The sun will set at 5:32 pm with dusk around 6:01 pm, which is one minute and 17 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At sunset, look for clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 22 degrees. The wind chill around sunset will be 10. ☃️ There will be a west-northwest breeze at 11 mph. Today will have 10 hours and 47 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 45 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will be mostly clear 🌃, with a low of 8 degrees at 5am. 10 degrees below normal. Maximum wind chill around 9 at 6pm; Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm in the evening. Cold but not outrageous for late February. In 2018, we had light rain in the evening, which became mostly sunny by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 43 degrees. Very mild last year, saved on those hefty heating bills. The record low of -16 occurred back in 1966.

Tomorrow will snow, mainly after 5pm. Increasing clouds ⛅, with a high of 29 degrees at 3pm. Seven degrees below normal. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. A year ago, we had partly cloudy in the morning, which became light rain by afternoon. The high last year was 63 degrees. The record high of 66 was set in 1930. 11.2 inches of snow fell back in 1977.❄

I went over to John Wolcott’s house and we spent some 4 hours going through the files yesterday. 📜We got through one of the Albany boxes, on to the next one the next time I get over there. Probably not this week as I expect a fairly busy week with maybe some more snow tomorrow but after the snow it will warm up.

I much preferred taking the bus into the city and walking over to his house,🚌 especially yesterday with the lack of traffic due to the holiday. No worries about driving myself in city traffic plus I got a little walk. The Sheridan Hollow bridge on Henry Johnson Boulevard was very well plowed which was nice. 🚶I was worried about it being snow covered and slippery but the city kept it plowed.🧹

After visiting Wolcott’s house, I walked down to the library and returned my library books and played on the internet for about two hours, grabbing a few more videos and uploading some maps and content for my blog.💻 Trying to have more useful and interesting content for the blog. Kind of cold walking down there. I wasn’t prepared, not bringing gloves as it wasn’t that cold earlier but the wind picked up and mercury dropped.😱

Came home, dimmed the lights and watched a few YouTube videos that I had previously downloaded. 🎥 It actually was pretty cozy as I have my blaze orange hoodie and I turned up the heat earlier knowing that it would be getting colder outside. It’s funny how it always either chilly or too warm in my apartment, it seems like the thermostat always under or overrides. I am quite happy with how my lighting system works in my apartment although I am not happy with how much power the relay uses when deactivated – nearly a watt. 🔌I guess it’s probably the built-in power supply that operates the opto-isolator and other components. But at least my bedroom is nice and bright in the mornings even when the sky is kind of dark – and things dim nicely when it’s time for bed.⚙️

Tomorrow is the Save the Pine Bush dinner, with the all star cast of Ward Stone and Keith Shue talking about the cogeneratiom plant 🏭the state wants to build inside the old ANSWERS incinerator. Plus good lasagna as Save the Pine Bush celebrates it’s 41st birthday. Cake too.

I am continuing to really enjoy water with apple cider vinegar in it, although I have to careful about enjoying it with moderation.🍎 A drop of it makes the water a wonderful apple flavor and a bit tart, with zero calories which is good because I drink too much milk and not enough water at home. But I did notice that my gums feel a bit sensitive from the acid and maybe it’s upsetting my stomach a bit. But it is so delicious. And cheap. I bet that $2 bottle will last for several weeks.

I’ve long been enjoying frozen fruit as an inexpensive and relatively healthy treat before bed, and sometimes a few cheerios to boot.🍒 I don’t have candy or cookies in my apartment 🚫although I might have some up camping come the summer, although I could also see eating more fresh fruit such as apples and bananas and things like raisins at camp. I’ve also quit drinking alcohol for the most part because it’s so expensive and unhealthy, although I could see getting a 30 rack for camp come the summer. I’m no health expert but if I can find tasty things that are inexpensive and easy to cook I’m all for them. I also always try to include a large portion of vegetables in nearly every meal.🍌

Right now, a split verdict on the weekend. 😕 Saturday, mostly sunny, with a high near 42. Sunday, showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 45. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Typical average high for the weekend is 37 degrees. Still warming up a bit everyday now until we reach that big 83 degree mark in July.

Saturday is the Save the Pine Bush hike that I’m leading. It should be a good hike or more like a ski. ⛷ Looks like a nice day. After the hike, I’ll probably go out for a walk on my own for a couple of hours until dusk. I’m thinking it might actually be really good weather for skiing this time. We will see for sure. My ski boots are fixed but maybe I should glue my ski tips, as they are also fraying.👢

In four weeks on March 19 the sun will be setting at 7:06 pm (Daylight Savings Time),🌄 which is one hour, 33 minutes and 55 seconds later then today. In 2018 on that day, we had cold, sunny and temperatures between 35 and 15 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 46 and 27 degrees. The record high of 78 degrees was set back in 2012.

Looking ahead, Last Sunset After 8:30 PM 🌆 is in 21 weeks and Election Day 2020 🗳️ is in 89 weeks.