Good evening! I hope your Friday evening is going well. Cloudy and 64 degrees in Delmar. There is a south-southeast breeze at 5 mph. The dew point is 62 degrees. The skies will clear tomorrow around 9 pm. At this hour, traffic has all but died down and the spring peepers are singing their song. 

It’s been quite a week in many ways, but I survived it. People get wrapped up in politics and all the silliness of the news and blow to blow of things rumbling in the far distance. And it was a pretty crazy week at work but I survived. I’m sure if the weekend forecast was better I would be heading out of town. But for now, it’s just nice sitting out back. 

I sat out back for about two hours reading a book called All You Can Pay, which details price discrimination and how it’s increasing today as with computers and the Internet that Big Business is learning more about us. Technology means we are increasingly getting a customized price, a form of invisible haggling that takes advantage of the consumer to maximize the amount they can afford or are willing to pay. Haggling used to be a a big part of shopping but now retailers are extensively sizing up people for profits. It’s really creepy how much the Internet knows about you these days. 

For a while I went down to the library. I just worked in essay for tomorrow and watched some interesting YouTube videos. It’s always interesting all that you can learn from the Internet. While the Internet learns about you too. 

That USB powered LED reading  lamp is still going strong and provided a nice white light on the book without eye strain. It’s just amazing how a lamp that can’t draw more than maybe 5 watts of power can light up a book so well. And the backyard at the same time. The color changing LEDs remain pretty and after five nights sitting out back, including some nights using the fan for multiple hours, and the lowest voltage disconnect hasn’t kicked in because the battery voltage is still too high. Battery voltage reads 12.1  volts, that even with the relatively low draw of the LEDs, it would be done in another hour. But I will retire to bed before then, and as soon as I start the truck tomorrow it will start recharging. 

Tonight will have a slight chance of showers after 2am. Cloudy, with a low of 62 degrees at 4am. Five degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 62 at 11pm. South wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. In 2016, it got down to 56 degrees with mostly sunny skies. The record low of 44 occurred back in 1954.

Last Quarter Moon tonight with 51% illuminated. The moon will rise around 12:11 am. The Full “Buck” Moon is on Sunday, July 9th. The sun will rise at 5:17 am with the first light at 4:42 am, which is 5 seconds later than yesterday. Tonight will have 8 hours and 41 minutes of darkness, a decrease of 16 seconds over last night.

Tomorrow will have a slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high of 81 degrees at 2pm. Two degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 68 at 1pm. South wind 3 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies and a high of 81 degrees. The record high of 94 was set in 1994.

Based on the totality of the evidence I don’t think I will go camping after the Gas Up. Even though Dutch Hollow State Forest is near Gallupville, it’s not going to be that nice of an evening and I don’t think I will feel like pitching a tent with all the humidity then taking it down along with all the gear. Hopefully next weekend will be better for camping. Tomorrow evening, I can do what I did tonight and sit out until late with a book and the reading lamp on the tailgate of my truck. 

Looking ahead to Sunday, a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. South wind 9 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Maximum dew point of 71 at 1pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 79 degrees.

In four weeks on July 14 the sun will be setting at 8:31 pm, which is 4 minutes and 5 seconds earlier then tonight. In 2016 on that day, we had thunderstorm, rain, partly cloudy skies and temperatures between 87 and 73 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 83 and 62 degrees. The record high of 99 degrees was set back in 1995.

Still have to order that camp reflector oven but I will do that later in the week. I don’t want to have it come when I’m stuck at a late night at work. I’m excited about being able to make Grands biskets right on the gas stove with ease compared to having to build a wood or charcoal fire with the Dutch Oven. 

Looking ahead, National Nude Day is in 4 weeks, September 1st is in 11 weeks, Lowville Cream Cheese Festival is in 3 months and Autumn Begins is in 14 weeks.

Not planning to rise early tomorrow but I should probably get to bed soon.