Tag: weather

And Suddenly, The Lake Got Cold!

That’s the worst that could happen to the lake!!! At the very end of summer, no matter what the weather is, the Lake is consistently warm, often warmer than the air, and I could already feel it in the second half of August.

And then, just when I created one extra extended weekend with one extra day off, there were three days of winds and starting-and-stopping rains, and by Monday evening, the lake water was ice cold! I knew nothing about it and plunged in Tuesday morning. I boldly walked into the water, and suddenly felt something not right! It felt like mid-May, and I couldn’t stay in the water for more than 30 seconds.

When I walked back home down the alley, a car slowed down beside me, and a dad with the kid in the back seat asked me: Excuse me, I am just wondering, is the water the same frigid cold as yesterday evening? I replied that I was not there last evening, but the water is frigid indeed. He said: OK, at least I am not crazy! I couldn’t believe it – it’s not right! I agreed, but unfortunately, nothing could be done.

The next morning, the situation was the same. I asked Grandfather Google what the matter was, and he replied that the winds pushed the warm water away from the beaches, and the cold water from the depth of the lake had risen. That was understandable, but excruciating, since the days are already getting shorter, and I couldn’t believe it was possible, even with the current heat wave, to warm up this vast body of water for a second time within one season.

Still, I kept coming. On Thursday, it was not only cold, but also the unimaginable number of horseflies didn’t let me even dry myself! There were so many, latching at my legs, my sandals, and my towel, that I had to run from the beach, all wet, pulling on my beach tarp on the way.

Today, I resolved to give it one more attempt. And the miracle happened! There was a moderate wind in the direction of the shore, and nice waves were coming. First, when I stepped into the water, I immediately felt it wasn’t as cold as it had been for the past several days, though it was still cold. Then, when I walked deeper and turned my face to the waves, I suddenly felt the movement of the warmer water!!! It was coming back, not on the surface, but beneath it!

Miigwech aapiji, Michigami! Chi-miigwechwi, Gisis!

A Very Eventful Day And Bats Monitoring

Yesterday was one of the record days in terms of the number of times the weather changed, and how much it took to an extreme. I had a nice early morning bike ride before work, then, it was a tornado warning during the day. Fortunately, it didn’t touch Rogers Park, but in the office, we were instructed to shelter in place, and it continued for 45 minutes. The rain was pouring, and it was very windy, and it was hard to believe it will get better any time soon.

Then, suddenly, things started to clear up, and by 4 PM, there were no traces of it. I was hoping I could go to the beach right after I get home, but for some reason, the beach alert ws not removed. The red flag was up, and a lifeguard was marching around the pier. I was extremely disappointed, but decided to repeat the attempt at 7 PM. The problem was that I also wanted to attend the Bat Monitoring event, which was scheduled for 7:30, so I had very little time. Still, I decided that something is better than mothing, and I didn’t regret it! Just half on hour was plenty to be thankful to the lake and the happy fact that I live so close to it!

The Bat Monitoring was another super-interesting thing. The presentation took place at the Loyola fieldhouse. Liza Lehrer, Assistant Director of the Urban Wildlife Institute at Lincoln Park Zoo, gave an overview of the Urban Wildlife Institute’s bat research program and its key findings. I learned a lot! For start, I didn’t know we have bats right here, in Chicago! I didn’t know that they migrate, like birds, and that some of them hybernate in winter! And I didn’t know they are closer to humans than rodents.

The most exiting part was a live demo! It turned out, that there is a special equipment one can use to detect and record the bats that are flying around us! Also, there is a program which can autoamtically decode the sounds and identify the species, and also record the place were recording was made. The Lincoln Park Zoo people had two of these sets, and we had an opportunity to see them in action! It was surreal – I never ever thought that there are bats, and so many, right there, by the beach, where I walk almost every day.

If it wouldn’t be so late, I would stay longer!

Stormy Lake

I want to say it was the worst summer weekend so far: barely 70 both days, pouring rain for half of Saturday, and strong winds both days. My friend from Oak Park visited me on Saturday; she always wants to sit by the lake, but there was no chance of that! At least the rain almost stopped by the time she arrived, and we walked to the lake to watch the waves.

“Not A Tornado” Pictures

Officially, we didn’t have a tornado in our neighborhood (there was a tornado that touched down more to the south), but while I was in the office on Monday, I could feel the building slightly swinging. And many trees in Rogers Park were uprooted. My neighbor walked around and took several pictures.

This one is mine – just by our house.

There were two storms on Monday, one around 1 PM and another around 5 PM, and both times, it became pitch black, as if the night had suddenly fallen. My mom got very scared, and when I came to see her later on Monday, she kept asking what it was. But honestly, it was scary for anyone who had seen it!

After The Storm

A bike ride on Thursday morning, after the tornado had nearly passed Rogers Park

The Weather

It’s not only that the temperature jumps up and down, not only that we have snowfalls and thunderstorms within a couple of hours, but it’s also something in the atmosphere that affects people’s minds and moods.

I felt completely dysfunctional both on Monday and today. Well, today I was mostly tired for no good reason (I mean, there was no more reason to be tired today than on any other day of the week), but Monday felt really bad.

There was an accident on the Red line, and the trains were rerouted, and I only realized it after I stayed on the platform at Lake for more than ten minutes. I knew I had to visit my mom as well and be back for a yoga class, so, without any ETA for this transportation crisis, I called Uber during rush hour, which I never do!

My mom was also quite emotionally disturbed for no good reason, which made me think it was something “in the air,” but nevertheless, I did not feel like my usual self, and was tired like a normal person 😀.

Also, I felt like I was getting a cold, which I didn’t get after all (maybe, just “so far”). It was exceptionally cold on Tuesday, and it was supposed to get better today, so then I got out of the house this morning and saw it was snowing again, I was ready to cry. It’s started to warm up by the afternoon, but now I do not trust this weather 🙂

A Couple Of Sunny Days, And Morning Biking

I know it’s not spring yet, just a couple of warm days in the middle of winter, but I am so thankful for them!

I got on the bike both Sunday and Monday, and saw the sunrise over the lake!

February

The Sunday weather was gorgeous, but because of my 50-hour work day Thursday – Saturday, I had to stay at home most of Sunday, finishing some urgent chores in all areas of my life, and I got out of the house just once.

Christmas Countdown

I didn’t post about our corporate party yet, although the post was almost finished, because it is still difficult to operate in a holiday mood after the tragedy that happened practically at home, but nevertheless, life continues.

Aside from the party, I spent the weekend decorating the cookies and baking additional batches. Saturday started with a trip to Jewel-Osco, the only store that still carries inexpensive plastic cookie boxes, which are not only affordable but also super light, which makes them perfect for shipping.

Also, I baked two kinds of gluten-free cookies, mostly to mail to our exiting team manager, whose wife has a severe gluten intolerance, but then I also had leftovers for others. I loved the GF flour I got this year, and will make sure to stick to it.

This weekend was record cold, down to negative in the mornings, and here is how my balcony door looked from inside – I thought it’s increadibly pretty:

To my surprise, the lake was not frozen!

Also, I received one more international package, this time from Ireland:

The new ornament is already on the tree!
And the chocolate awaits 🙂

A Snow Day In Chicago

Wednesday was windy like never; Thursday and Friday was super-cold, and on Saturday, it was snowing, setting the record of the most snowiest day in Chicago in November!

Boris and I ventured to the Loop, because I wanted to go to the Art Institute, and do some holiday shopping. It was still cold, it was still very windy, plus, it was snowing!

I found this sweater in one of the boxes when we were installing new shelves in our storage unit. It was hand knitted for me by my grandaunt when I was eighteen, and I decided to try it on. Since it looked not bad at all, I decided to take it out :). I have received complements about it everywhere on that day!
That was by our house at 3:30 PM, and it was not it!

Boris and I took turns cleaning our stairs because it was completely unsafe to use them:

By 6 AM, the snow was mostly over, and the cleaning crew came and cleaned it from everywhere, and then the snow started melting. However, it looks like it’s not it, and there will be more cold and more snow during the upcoming week.