MAX AND HURRICANE ISIAS, HIGH TIDES. OCT. 9, 2026

Remember when I complained about the hurricane/storm names of Rollo and Pollo because they were too similar? Well I’m falling all over Isaias. I see an I, I pronounce an I. I-sa-i-as. I had to look it up. It’s Spanish: “ee-sah-EE-ahs,” with the emphasis placed on the third syllable. Four syllables. Now I’ve got it. However, I would be pleased with something shorter. I’ve looked at the future names through 2031. One has four syllables: Ophelia. The rest are three syllables or less.

Which country gets to name the hurricanes? I looked it up. Hurricanes are named, not by a country, but an international committee under the World Meteorological Organization, an organization of the United Nations. Hurricanes to our close east and Gulf of Mexico are named by meteorological representatives from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Yeah, that makes sense. Can’t have different countries giving the same storm different names. I don’t mind other culture names. Just make them easy to spell and pronounce. Is that possible?

At 6:44 pm I tuned in to Max Velocity – Severe Weather Center on YouTube to hear 53 Waffle Houses have already closed because of Hurricane Isaias on the verge of landing in the Florida panhandle. Ya know it’s going to be dangerous when Waffle Houses close. While the company considers that an impressive statistic, I consider it a black mark against the company. Unless those employees are getting paid big, big bucks, those employees should be safe in their homes or packing up and leaving.

People have been instructed to evacuate. Of course many don’t. They do the opposite. Common sense was in short supply. At 6:47 pm six people, at least three of them kids, walked past a camera installed by a storm chaser to monitor an advanced beach surge. An old Florida dude in shorts walked out to dip his hands in the surf and throw fisticuffs in the air. At least he wasn’t stupid enough to get more than toes deep in waves that would have carried him off so easily. Vehicles drove through rising water.

Some bay bridges were closed although I’m not sure how that’s done. I looked it up. Some bridges raise a portion of the roadway to 90° to the road. Other cities place barricades and police officers. I’d hate to be those unlucky patrol officers who got tasked with the responsibility of manning the barricades. Some states don’t block the bridges. They figure if you are stupid enough to go up then your safety is on you.

Six storm chasers working with Max have scattered themselves to capture live coast conditions. Periodically, Max tapped into to their videos. At night, the chasers illuminated the storm with their headlights. During the height of the storm, the views out the windshields was nothing but slants of rain and inefficient windshield wipers. Debris broke the windshield of a storm chaser vehicle on an interstate. Another had his soft Jeep cover shredded. Why would someone drive in a hurricane with a soft cover?

Some cities didn’t turned off the electricity. Very cheery Christmas lights were wrapped around poles at Fort Walton Beach. Where the electricity was off, business’s emergency lights came on.

Design from Max Velocity

A small shed near a beach received lots of attention because it can be seen in one of the cameras, and the surge moved it. It became a running joke and viewers asked Max to make a T-shirt that they can buy. Max has a graphic artist in his employ and an hour after the hurricane hit shore, the artist had designed a shed image. Here it is. At 8:18pm Max said a shed T-shirt was available. By 8:20 the first person crowed that they bought one in steel blue. By 9:20 they had sold 360 on his merch page. Towards the end of the show he asked everyone to guess how many times he mentioned the word shed in two hours. I guestimated 65. It was 64.

Max is a young guy. 24. Graduated from a meteorological school last year. Has a strong, well enunciating voice for online and an outgoing personality. He currently has 2.19 million subscribers and throughout the evening three million households watched his show. That’s an amazing number. Tonight was the second highest live views of his channel. He is in a great position to build a massive online business since so many government weather facilities have been shut down.

When Max needs a break, he hands control to another young fellow in another studio somewhere who talks about related storm data and shows fresh graphics. Then it’s back to Max. He might be online for 8-9 hours. So much so that it takes a toll on his voice.

Max and his crew do a fabulous job at engaging with their online community through six different platforms. The chat window on his main YT screen sometimes has so many chatters that the screen scrolls continuously. When the action slows, he answers chatters questions, and reads the ones that interest him. This personal touch is drawing in a lot of viewers. I admit I am a fan.

Viewers can submit their location which shows up on a big map. Regular folks can send in photos and videos of weather and he might use them during the show. He also has partnerships. In between saying how many households were without power he mentioned a generator company. He also mentioned he uses WeatherFront for monitoring the weather live.

His and his crew’s energy and expertise reminds me how old I am. I’m grateful young adults are stepping up to fill important niches.

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Hurricane Isaias was inside the Gulf of Mexico. It’s 661 miles from where it made landfall in Destin, Florida to Port Aransas, Texas where I like to visit every fall. Even though the distance is across most of the gulf, Port Aransas and Corpus Christi experienced very high tides and waves. The usual happened. A dozen or so surfers ignored rip current warnings. The sea was, in some places, touching the dunes past the road which is nothing more than scraped sand that’s been lightly packed by vehicle tires. And yet people thought it was a good idea to park on the beach. Stuck vehicles everywhere. Cars, trucks, RVs. There’s a photo of a family trying to dig their Class C tires out when the wet sand is up to the axles. Volunteers from 361 Off-Road Rescue were unable to budge it. I wonder how much a heavy tow truck cost and if they were even willing to drive onto that muck. Someone parked a travel trailer so close to the water line that it flipped it on it’s side. Some folks commented it might have been an insurance scam.

The one good thing about high tides is it packs the sand pretty good after the water sinks. Make a good driving surface. I hope so. I’ll be there in a week. I know the parking area least likely to involve towing is a paved area next to the pier. In case it’s not available, our reservations are three blocks from the water. We are just going to have to hoof it.

WASHED AND WAXED THE CR-V, POMEGRANATES. OCT. 5, 2026

In the spring, I noticed the CR-V’s finish was not sheeting water off the surfaces. It’s parked under a carport or in a garage, but it has been through three southern New Mexico summers. Common sense says it needs a waxing. Might as well get it done so if I’m in Texas and it rains, the water will zip off.

I didn’t look forward to the task. The water here is full of minerals so I had to keep the vehicle wet until I completed scrubbing the entire SUV or the surface would be pockmarked with white circles. It will require drying it thoroughly then waxing before dust alights on it. I figure I have two hours before I’d have to rinse and dry again.

I got out all the items needed including a three-step stepladder as the temperatures rose high enough to be comfortable in a fuzzy pullover. First a rinse to remove the sand, then soap and water. I bought a clay bar to remove embedded particles that regular washing can’t remove. It feels like — clay. Yellow like a canary. I looked on YT how to use it. It’s not an intellectual exercise. Just sweat. Got the vehicle wet, rubbed the bar across the surface until the clay doesn’t stick or skip. Followed by a rinse. Well, darn it. One article said I should have done the clay bar first followed by washing and rinsing instead of washing, rinsing, clay bar, and rinsing. I hope it doesn’t affect anything.

Still running around between sections to mist the other areas. Finally, I got to out my new Royal Shine Microfiber Towel, XL 35″ x 24″. 1300 GSM. It’s been sitting in its cardboard box. To use it, all I needed to do was toss it on the horizontal surfaces and pull towards me. Man, that’s nice. I ran it across the windows which were full of drops. Sucked them up to perfection. Hey, I like this towel. I got about halfway through when I became aware that the towel was getting heavier. Like a five pound sack of sugar. The water uptake wasn’t as perfect as when I first flopped it out, but another wipe completed the task.

I was exhausted from all the activity. I went indoors and watched TV and napped. At 4pm I returned to the SUV and went over it lightly with the heavy towel that was drying quickly. I wiped on the polish — not wax — and after it turned a hazy white, I wiped it off with an old T-shirt. About ten percent of the vehicle is a dull plastic trim baked by the New Mexico sun. I cannot use the polish on that. And of course some got on it, and I had to scrub it off. Now the black trim looks even duller in places. I texted Margo and sure enough she has some trim stuff that should return it to black.

The vehicle is not done for the day but I am. I put away the wash items and took plenty of OTC pain pills. I don’t have to do yoga tonight.

Social media tells me the Deerhead Campground south of Cloudcroft on NM-130 is the last fee campground to close for the winter in the Sacramento District of the Lincoln National Forest. The gate will be locked on Saturday the 10th. That’s about a month later than the other campgrounds.

Folks are really complaining about the road work on US-82 from Alamogordo to High Rolls. Road work equipment apparently is making an already dangerous caution intersection at US-82 and Florida Avenue even more dangerous. The road surface is getting something called a fog coat/seal. A fog coat is a sprayed on layer of diluted asphalt to lock in the new chips in and seals cracks that might hold water during freezing temperatures. The pilot vehicle is taking traffic across this layer and folks are concerned that the asphalt will splatter on their vehicles. Most folks say it’s not, but I’m not taking any chances with my new wash job.

Wednesday

Bella woke up running. I fed her and put her outside. She disappeared around the west side. Did I have the gate open for her to get in the back yard? Yes. She was a race horse. She definitely needs a good long hike and it wasn’t happening today. We played fetch. Bella is quite good for a big dog.

I went to the discount store for canned dog food and treats. Met a local postal delivery woman. I asked her how the recent rains affected her route and she said it wasn’t bad, but the current road construction on US-54 is backing up traffic for miles in both directions. The state recently widened the narrowest part of the highway south of Corona so drivers — especially big trucks — would be enticed to take 54 instead of I-25. This current repair is 11 miles of road between Tularosa and Carrizozo that would be milled and inlaid, replacement of rumble strips and new guardrails. Will take 100 days to complete. I’ll be glad when they widen that length of road into a divided four-lane. Right now it’s collecting more than it’s fair share of headons and fatalities.

I returned back to the SUV. Time to clean the SUV glass inside and out and wipe on Rain-X. I need to replace the wipers but will have to watch some videos first.

I’ve been searching for new microfiber cloths. My last batch left tiny bits of material on the windshield. So bad I tossed the entire batch away. I recently purchased Maxshine 16″x16″ Glass Cleaning Microfiber Towels. 5-pack. 300 GSM. Unlike most microfiber towels that grip my skin most unpleasantly, these feel so soft. They removed the glass cleaner quickly and easily. I like ’em. However, I haven’t washed them yet. When I do, it will only be done in unscented, no dyes, no brightners washing machine detergent. Then air dried.

In between I did a number of chores, the most painful being to dispose of the pomegranate fruit off one of two pomegranate shrubs. The little failing shrub had six. The other had 100. I had to stop watering two months ago when the village was placed on emergency water rationing. This apparently was an vital time to water because the fruit turned from red to a brownish-red. Many were black on the bottom. After the recent deep rains, the fruit busted open. Birds and ants have been harvesting. I was disappointed because pomegranate drink is really healthy. Lemme go back to that painful comment. If you’ve ever stuck your hands inside a pomegranate bush you know the branches are full of two inch thorns. I wear heavy leather gloves. The fruits are held firmly to the plant and must be cut with hand shears. I trimmed the shrubs several years ago following the recommendations of doing so in early spring or the plant would fight back with lots of suckers and extra growth. Thought I did a good job and then — swoosh — came all the suckers out of the ground around the trunks. Maybe I’ll clip them in early January.

All this vehicle cleaning and leaning and squatting for two days has done me in. I’ll wander over to Margo’s tomorrow.

BUSY MORNING IN THE BIG HOUSE BACKYARD, TRIP REROUTING. OCT. 8, 2026

A cool, cloudless pre-dawn at the big house only because BellaDog whined for a potty visit, then patrolled the yard perimeter and meandered with her nose down through the middle. I’m wondering if we got a visit from a rat/mouse hunting critter last night. Every property in the subdivision has backyard concrete walls. Critters use the tops of the walls as highways. Getting in and out of our yard would be easy. We have a firewood rack that they can scramble up.

Margo woke at her standard time a bit before me. I went back to bed for two hours of the best sleep of my night and left Bella to play with Lolli. They can get rambunctious. Margo is always happy when I wake up. Not in that “oh darling I’m so happy you are awake.” It’s more like — “About time you got up to watch over the dogs.”

Margo cut my hair yesterday. So happy to not have the tips tickle below my eyebrows. I tell ya, a long drape with neck snaps works so much better than a towel. So much so that I bought a shorter one for when I pre-soak my hair using a special shampoo.

Yesterday, I dropped off Bella’s Bordetella vaccine update by the pet resort. Without that she doesn’t get to stay. On impulse I asked, “Would y’all have room for her for a day visit today?” Sadly, it was two days before a holiday weekend and they were fully booked. I want to get her in for two day visits before she spends two nights in December.

Ahhh, a leisurely wander out to the patio to sip on tea, watch the big city world go by, and tire the dogs out with fetch. Margo’s two cylindrical bird feeders are the center of the feathered universe. Lesser goldfinches are at every opening of the thistle seed feeder. The birds should reach their narrow beaks through thin vertical slots and pull out the thin seed. They have figured out how to raise the little domes at each stake that is used when Margo uses bigger seed. So they have access to a half inch wide opening and are gorging on the expensive seed. Sparrows are feeding at the cheap seed feeder. Pigeons come in periodically to feed on the fallen seed under the feeder. LolliDog chases them away and is teaching Bella to do the same.

Birds zip in and out of the tree canopies. The alley neighbor has a half dozen tall, columnar, evergreens. I can see a half dozen palm trees that were very popular 40 years ago. Some are tall and narrow. Others are short and wide. The most popular in the area is a chunk. Earlier this year an American kestrel raised a baby in a gap while small birds hatched out families all around them.

A front-loading trash truck that lifts the wide rectangular trash bins of a businesses to the west slowly made it’s way through the narrow alley. It’s got a deep rev and the dogs always stop to listen and smell as it passes by.

The trash truck woke the dog next door that is housed in a large covered pen over a dog house. It sounds like an ancient dog. I was nosy, took my two step stepladder and peeked over the concrete wall between our properties. Yep, it’s a very old dog. A young heeler gave me the stink eye when I peeked my nose over. The young couple spends a lot of time in their backyard. They keep a neat place and enjoy gardening. The squash they gave us was very tasty.

A small passenger jet rose from the nearby airport and headed north. I think the local airport has a single larger commercial aircraft arriving once a week. It’s mostly a smaller aircraft facility. It’s also the only airport in quite a distance with an extra long runway to accept the huge fire fighting aircraft. It’s a wonderful thing to have. Ten years ago, a wildfire started nearby and the planes took off, banked hard, dropped the load and was back in minutes. How fast the crews could get a tanker back in the air was determined by how quickly the crew could generate foam. That’s important when the pilots can only fly a certain number of hours per day.

Holloman Air Force Base was quiet this morning which was unusual. They trains pilots on F-16s, MQ-9 Reapers, and drone. The wing also delivers Air Transportable Clinics and Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources. The aircraft cross over the town on the way to the mountains where they sometimes rattle windows. When I hike the mountains, they are quite close. Pretty sure the animals have gotten used to the noise. I have not.

An ambulance siren moved through the subdivision and stopped not far away. Someone is not having a good health day. I did not hear the siren again which can be good news or very, very bad news.

Bella and Lolli tired my arm out from throwing studded squeaky balls. Lolli lives to fetch. Bella isn’t bad, but she doesn’t have the speed and agility that Lolli has. Lolli doesn’t deposit the ball in my hand. She will lay it on the ground about two feet out of my reach. Bella snatches it up and brings it to me. It’s nice not having to lean down that many times. I have yet to prove how many times I have to throw before Lolli gets tired. It’s sort of like how many licks to the inside of a tootsie pop.

Yesterday, at the little house where the backyard is two lots wide, I tired Bella out with long throws. I think she likes fetching when Lolli isn’t around. I know Lolli likes fetching solo because Bella cuts her off constantly.

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US-82 between Alamogordo and High Rolls is still causing traffic woes as road crews lay a thin fog coat over the new chip layer. This will tie together the new surface more firmly and will cover the small cracks which would crack wider when moisture and freezing temps meet. So many drivers have complained on social media that I will stay away until it’s finished. I leave for Texas in a week. I may be traveling via Roswell and dropping down to Artesia. Lemme check the New Mexico Road Conditions page. Gaaah. 17 miles of highway west of Roswell are being micro-surfaced, so now I’m back to going through High Rolls. I’m hoping the crews won’t be out on a Saturday and there will be less traffic.

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I returned to my little home on Friday noon and it was a nice relaxing evening until a ninja mosquito skewered me a number of times. It is the second mosquito I’ve encountered all summer. It reminded me I need to get Bella on heartworm preventative medicine by spring.

It’s a wonderful cool evening and I have my windows and front door open. It’s so nice not to run the AC. My electric bill fell considerably. There’s another month before the first average freeze. I am through watering the grass for the year. Maybe before I leave for Texas I will wrap my one outside faucet and winterize the RV.

Hark, I hear the approach of the 30-something, gaunt, a-hole riding a bicycle and leading a dog. He tosses down bang snaps so I know where he is within a couple hundred yards. Not sure what the purpose is other than irritate people. I’m happy to say he’s apparently running out of bangers.

Police officers and emergency services have hit sirens twice since I returned home. Something big. Sounds like it’s happening out on US-54 where there is a two-lane highway with shoulders. Way too many speeders failing to pass correctly and way too many head on collisions. Even before I hear the sirens, the neighborhood dogs raise crescendos of barks and howls. Bella was inside with me. I think if she were outside and I didn’t tell her no bark she’d join in. She is, after all, a pack animal. She gave a half-bark a couple of days ago while looking out the screen door. Nothing unusual about these people walking by.

I can’t say this posting was very exciting seeing as it doesn’t mention a plague, wildfire, major earthquake or nothin’, but I’ve spent too much time writing it so ya get it.

CHOCOLATE BAD FOR ME, SAY IT AIN’T SO

From a social media page, Alkaline Vegan News: Consumer Reports, Lead and Cadmium Could Be in Your Dark Chocolate. Some people voiced why the article is misleading.

I gave up chocolate about six weeks ago to make my gut feel better. But with an encroaching hurricane upping my anxiety I stopped by the store for chocolate pinwheels. The storm didn’t hit with the intensity expected and the package of pinwheels sat in my pantry. Enticing me. Urging me to eat them. I finally had one during a later impressive storm. So I put the rest in a plastic container and stuck it back in the pantry.

Again those suckers called to me. When I got back from Margo’s my mood needed a bit of a lift so I opened the pantry. They are gone. I must have tossed them out when I emptied the trash. Yay for me.

But I really wanted a cookie.

An hour later I found the container in the freezer. I stared at it like those old comedians after seven things go wrong. I slammed the door.

The chocolate siren call screeches through the house. I have no mast to tie myself to. I grabbed the container, stared at it and put it back in the freezer. When I got my sugar monkey back under control, I again approached the freezer. I grabbed the container, popped the lid, took it over to the trash can and upended the container. Plop goes all the goodies. I breathe a sigh of relief. Wait, what’s this? One remained stuck to the bottom of the container. Three bites of nirvana. It’s a gift from the gods I’m sure. Resolve kicked in and I slammed the container on the rim of the can. The final plop and I’m free. From the depth of the can comes a whisper, “It’s a new trash bag. You can reach in and …”