Venice Reuters — 

Weeks of dry winter weather have raised concerns that Italy could face another drought after last summer’s emergency, with the Alps having received less than half of their normal snowfall, according to scientists and environmental groups.

The warning comes as Venice, where flooding is normally the primary concern, faces unusually low tides that are making it impossible for gondolas, water taxis and ambulances to navigate some of its famous canals.

The problems in Venice are being blamed on a combination of factors – the lack of rain, a high pressure system, a full moon and sea currents.

I hope you don’t have vacation plans that include Venice in the near future.

 

 

 

Lake Oroville in California was an important reservoir that supplied water to a large power plant.

When the drought hit, the lake completely dried up, causing the power plant to close.

Now, the lake has made a dramatic comeback with recent rains.

The power plant is running again!

I thought you might enjoy some CLIMATE GOOD NEWS today.

If not today, when?

Do you really live today fully?

Most of us don’t.

No, we drag with us the regrets of yesterday or the apprehensions of tomorrow.

Don’t do that, YOU ONLY HAVE TODAY!

As the saying goes, “make the most of it.”

Each morning, set your mind on something you want to accomplish!

What are the steps you must take that can lead to a successful accomplishment?

Let’s also not forget that accomplishments boost SELF ESTEEM!

And a high sense of SELF ESTEEM creates a CAN DO attitude.

So, what will you accomplish today?

If not today, when?

An email isn’t enough.

A text is not enough.

A phone call is a little bit better.

But, nothing beats visiting a sick relative or friend IN PERSON!

Today’s digital world allows various means of shallow gestures to sooth your conscience.

And those shallow gestures are the pathways most people take.

The digital world has not brought us closer together.

It has provided pathways to avoid visiting people IN PERSON! 

Even those who are sick.

Will you get in the car and visit someone who needs to see you?

If not today, when?

Parenting doesn’t end when you son or daughter moves out.

No, parenting is a lifelong commitment to be available to your offspring.

They know that you have had challenges similar to those they’re facing now.

The issues may be their role as a spouse, parent or employee.

You and your spouse are the people who are trusted to tell them the truth.

In these confusing times, your advice is important because of the element of trust which you have earned.

I really believe your offspring are stepping out into a future that is fraught with new challenges none of us have witnessed before.

These challenges include: Climate change, A divided country, Unwanted outside influences such as social media.

You are the ROCK they will need through the present turbulence.

If not today, when?

From Sanjay Gupta:

According to a 2021 survey from the nonprofit Common Sense Media, kids who are surveys age spend an average of 8 hours a day on TVs, tablets, video games, phones.

But I think the real question is how is this technology really impacting my daughter’s health physically, mentally?

What can we say for sure about that?

And when are we just guessing?

And if it’s not all bad, then how do we maximize the good and minimize the bad?

These are the questions I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.

So this season, we’re going to speak to a number of experts who are also parents looking into these very questions.

But also to my daughters, who reminded me again and again, this new world wasn’t necessarily the world they wanted.

It’s the one that, for better and worse, we handed to them. (CNN)

This topic should be of great interest to every parent!

If not today, when?

Things to include in EMERGENCY PLAN:

A meeting place

Safe room with access to bathroom

WATER!

Canned or prepared food

A standard can opener (Not electric}

Radio with extra batteries

Flashlights with extra batteries

Candles, lighter and holders

Blankets

Towels

T Paper

Medicine you need

Cell phone with charger

A lot of faith and A SENSE OF HUMOR!

If not today, when?

I’ll bet you don’t get enough sleep.

And sleep is a very valuable commodity that we must have.

So, what’s keeping you up.

Problems you can’t solve?

Or, problems you can solve but don’t know what approach to take?

If the problem is a lack of enough money, there are still many lucrative job openings available.

If you are unhappy in a relationship, the other person is probably unhappy too.

Sit down and talk it out.

If you need more sleep, approach it like any other problem.

There are solutions to every problem if you take the time to solve it.

If not today, when?

Super Bowl Sunday!

Every Sunday can be Super Sunday if you spend it with family.

It won’t be easy because some family members have a habit of being with friends.

We know a very busy home builder who takes no business calls on Sunday.

Social media can invade each of your family members at any moment.

That’s why cell phones must be turned off during “FAMILY TIME.”

Many of us are are addicted to our cell phones.

If you can’t dedicate all of Sunday to family, how about a few hours w/o cell phones?

This could give you a time to reconnect with family.

If not today, when?

 Vickie Moretz had never left the southern United States, let alone traveled abroad. The prospect of flying across the Atlantic was equal parts exhilarating and terrifying.

It was February 1982. Vickie was 22, a recent graduate from the University of Tennessee, en route to London to participate in a work study program.

She was traveling with one of her best friends, Sandra.

Against the odds, Vickie and Sandra had not only both made it on board, they’d ended up in seats next to each other.

And then Sandra introduced Vickie to the man who completed their row of three.

“This is Graham,” she said. “He’s from England.”

Graham grinned hello. Dressed in a green sweater with curly red hair, he exuded a friendly, relaxed confidence that instantly put Vickie at ease.

Graham was also 22, and hailed from Lancashire, in the north of England. He’d graduated from the UK’s University of Leeds the year before and had just spent several months traveling around the US while he waited to start law school.

Vickie and Graham have been MARRIED 40 YEARS!