Every Dad and Husband has a “honey do” list. I have many things on this list; taxi cab driver for my kids, yard work, projects, and cleaning the pool. It’s a job that my kids will now do after shattering every bone and muscle in my left foot last weekend. Once surgery is complete, I will be in a wheel chair or on crutches for the next three months.

All because of a simple fall. While being transported by rescue my life for the next three months flashed before me. I can’t work in the garden for the remainder of the season, play fall soccer, go apple picking, or decorate the house for Christmas.

No outdoor Christmas lights. No chicken manure for the garden. No more swimming. What is a guy to do? I know-set up a bell, ring it multiple times to see how fast my family will actually move.

Truthfully, hanging around is not for me. I hope to be back on the air soon!

UPDATE  (Tuesday 11:16am):  Due to thunderstorms in the area, NASA scrubbed the launch early Tuesday morning.  The next attempt will be early Wednesday morning at 1:10am.  Look for the Shuttle to pass through our skies at approximately 1:18am.
                                                                                                                                                        

You’ll have to stay up late for this one-of-a-kind show, and it may be one of the last opportunities for you to see shuttle launch, too. 

The Space Shuttle Discovery is set to blast off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida early Tuesday morning (August 24th).  Liftoff is scheduled for 1:36am and a few minutes after liftoff, we’ll be able to see it here in Southern New England. (more…)

The title to this post could fit a number of things in my life as a new mom— like how quickly Charlie is growing….how fast the days/weeks/months are flying by…. or how he is learning new skills at a lightning pace…. but today it’s about how accidents can happen in the blink of an eye.

For me it was a valuable lesson that, thankfully, did not come with any serious injuries to my little guy. 

We were getting ready to leave the house this weekend and I was cleaning up.  There was a pile of toys in front of the couch that I wanted to put away, so I sat Charlie in the back corner of the couch, then stood right in front of him while I straightened up.  In an instant, Charlie was face first on the floor screaming.  He had rolled off the couch and his precious face had broken his fall.  It happened so quickly, and even though he was only inches away from me, I wasn’t able to prevent it.   After a few tears and a little rugburn on his cheek, he was fine.  I, however, would remain upset and worried through the rest of the weekend.

I should have known better than to put him on the couch like that.  It was a valuable lesson that you have to stay one step ahead of their abilities and, thus, potential dangers…. it was only a few days ago that Charlie couldn’t get himself from a lounging position to his hands and knees, but, obviously, now he can do it.  And while he’s not mobile yet… he’s pretty close.  I need to get my house babyproofed BEFORE he sticks something in the sockets, or gets into the cleaning supplies and I need to lower the crib BEFORE he pulls up on his own and falls out of it. 

My mom gave (as always) sound advice… that it’s these little errors in judgement that can help us prevent big ones.  Take it and learn from it.  Of course, it didn’t help me feel any less like a terrible mom.

DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS…THE OUTER MOST NORTHWEST RAIN BANDS OF
HURRICANE BILL WRAPPED ACROSS EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND EASTERN
RHODE ISLAND. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2.5 TO 3 INCHES WERE REPORTED IN
PORTIONS OF PLYMOUTH AND BRISTOL COUNTIES IN MASSACHUSETTS. BESIDES
THE HEAVY RAINFALL FROM HURRICANE BILL…LATE LAST NIGHT IN
NARRAGANSETT RHODE ISLAND…GALILEE BEACH WAS FLOODED UP TO THE
DUNES WITH HEAVY BEACH EROSION. IN ADDITION…ON THE ISLAND OF
NANTUCKET…CODFISH PARK ON THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE ISLAND HAD
OCEAN WATER ON COASTAL ROAD. IN THE MADAKET SECTION…ON
MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE…THREE HOMES WERE SURROUNDED BY COASTAL FLOOD
WATERS. LOW TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT AVERAGED IN THE UPPER 60S TO
LOWER 70S.

FOR TODAY…HURRICANE BILL WILL HEAD TOWARD NOVA SCOTIA…WHILE A
FRONTAL BOUNDARY SAGS SOUTHEAST AND DRAPES OVER OUR REGION. WITH A
WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS ENTRENCHED OVER OUR REGION…THIS FRONTAL
BOUNDARY WILL LIKELY ACT AS A TRIGGER FOR AFTERNOON AND EVENING
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE BEST LIKELIHOOD WILL BE OVER THE
INTERIOR. HIGHS TODAY WILL TOP OUT IN THE MID 70S TO LOW 80S.

UNSETTLED WEATHER MAY CONTINUE INTO MONDAY WITH AFTERNOON AND
EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS…NAMELY OVER THE INTERIOR. HIGHS
WILL RISE INTO THE MID 70S TO MID 80S. LOOKING BEYOND MONDAY…THE
WEEK IS PROJECTED TO BE SOMEWHAT MORE COMFORTABLE…ESPECIALLY NEXT
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WHEN COOL HIGH PRESSURE SPREADS INTO NORTHERN
NEW ENGLAND AND SOUTHEAST CANADA.

It still looks like Hurricane Bill will pass a few hundred miles south and east of Nantucket on Sunday morning…keeping the hurricane force wind well offshore. The outer Cape and Nantucket will see sustained winds of 30 mph for a few hours Sunday morning along with gusts near 50mph. Bill should race away by afternoon into the Canadian Maratimes. Despite the track out to sea, the “wave energy” from the ocean will reach our shores Saturday and Sunday resulting in tremendous surf to those beaches that face the open Atlantic. In my opinion it is not safe to swim this weekend..especially on Sunday when some of the strongest waves will occur. Many of the major television networks will be broadcasting from the Cape this weekend where the largest waves will occur. Any showers or thunderstorms this weekend will be due to a weather disturbance moving in from Upstate New York and not from Bill. I will be back on the air during the Sunday morning news from 6am to 9am, while Pete Mangione will be broadcasting live along the south shore.

Tony Petrarca

200 PM AST FRI AUG 21 2009

…HURRICANE BILL EXPECTED TO TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST LATER
TODAY…

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FOR
BERMUDA.

INTERESTS ALONG THE COAST OF NEW ENGLAND AND IN THE CANADIAN
MARITIMES SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF BILL.

AT 200 PM AST…1800 UTC…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BILL WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 28.5 NORTH…LONGITUDE 66.8 WEST OR ABOUT 290 MILES…
465 KM…SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF BERMUDA AND ABOUT 695 MILES…1115 KM…
SOUTHEAST OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA.

BILL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 18 MPH…30 KM/HR. A
GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AND THEN NORTH IS EXPECTED
LATER TODAY AND SATURDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE CORE OF
HURRICANE BILL IS EXPECTED TO PASS OVER THE OPEN WATERS BETWEEN
BERMUDA AND THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES ON SATURDAY.

DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE PLANE CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING BILL SUGGEST
THAT THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 110
MPH…175 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. BILL IS NOW A CATEGORY TWO
HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN
INTENSITY ARE LIKELY TODAY AND SATURDAY.

BILL REMAINS A LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND
OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES…185 KM…FROM THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 290 MILES…465 KM. RADAR
FROM BERMUDA SHOWS MORE RAINBANDS APPROACHING THE ISLAND.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY AN AIR
FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS 957 MB…28.26 INCHES.

BILL IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3
INCHES OVER BERMUDA…WITH MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 5 INCHES.

LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY THIS HURRICANE ARE AFFECTING PUERTO
RICO…HISPANIOLA…THE BAHAMAS…AND BERMUDA…AND SHOULD BEGIN
AFFECTING MOST OF THE U.S. EAST COAST AND THE ATLANTIC MARITIMES OF
CANADA DURING THE NEXT 24-48 hours. THESE SWELLS WILL LIKELY CAUSE
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SURF AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS ON SOUTH AND EAST FACING SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND BEACHES

STAY TUNED TO EYEWITNESS NEWS FOR UPDATES…AT THIS POINT BILL IS MOSTLY A BEACH AND OFFSHORE WATER CONCERN…WITH NOT MUCH IMPACT ON LAND..HOWEVER THE OUTER CAPE AND NANTUCKET MAY SEE WIND GUSTS OF 30-50 MPH FOR A FEW HOURS SUNDAY MORNING

Tony Petrarca…08-21-09 2:09 pm

…BILL BECOMES A LITTLE LESS ORGANIZED…

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FOR
BERMUDA.

INTERESTS ALONG THE COAST OF NEW ENGLAND AND IN THE CANADIAN
MARITIMES SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF BILL.

AT 800 AM AST…1200 UTC…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BILL WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 26.8 NORTH…LONGITUDE 65.8 WEST OR ABOUT 385 MILES…
620 KM…SOUTH OF BERMUDA AND ABOUT 820 MILES…1320 KM…SOUTHEAST
OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA.

BILL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 17 MPH…28 KM/HR. A
GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY…
FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH ON SATURDAY. ON THE FORECAST
TRACK…THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE IS EXPECTED TO PASS BETWEEN
BERMUDA AND THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES ON SATURDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 115 MPH…185
KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. BILL IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. ALTHOUGH SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES
THAT BILL HAS BECOME A LITTLE LESS ORGANIZED…SOME SLIGHT
RESTRENGTHENING IS STILL POSSIBLE LATER TODAY FOLLOWED BY A GRADUAL
WEAKENING ON SATURDAY.

BILL IS A LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND
OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES…185 KM…FROM THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 290 MILES…465 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 958 MB…28.29 INCHES.

BILL IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4
INCHES OVER BERMUDA…WITH POSSIBLY SOME AMOUNTS OF 6 INCHES.

SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED ALONG PORTIONS OF THE
BERMUDA COASTLINE OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO DUE TO LARGE AND
DANGEROUS BREAKING WAVES GENERATED BY THE HURRICANE.

LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY THIS HURRICANE ARE AFFECTING PUERTO
RICO…HISPANIOLA…THE BAHAMAS…AND BERMUDA…AND SHOULD BEGIN
AFFECTING MOST OF THE U.S. EAST COAST AND THE ATLANTIC MARITIMES OF
CANADA DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. THESE SWELLS WILL LIKELY CAUSE
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SURF AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS.

…POWERFUL HURRICANE BILL REMAINS ON TRACK…

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FOR
BERMUDA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24
HOURS. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA…GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

INTERESTS ALONG THE COAST OF NEW ENGLAND AND IN THE CANADIAN
MARITIMES SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF BILL.

AT 1100 PM AST…0300 UTC…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BILL WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 24.9 NORTH…LONGITUDE 64.3 WEST OR ABOUT 510 MILES…
825 KM…SOUTH OF BERMUDA AND ABOUT 975 MILES…1570 KM…SOUTHEAST
OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA.

BILL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 18 MPH…30 KM/HR. THIS
MOTION SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT WITH A GRADUAL TURN TO THE
NORTH-NORTHWEST ON FRIDAY…FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH ON
SATURDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE IS
EXPECTED TO PASS BETWEEN BERMUDA AND THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED
STATES ON SATURDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 125 MPH…205 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. BILL IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELY DURING THE NEXT 12
TO 24 HOURS…AND BILL COULD REGAIN CATEGORY FOUR STRENGTH ON
FRIDAY. GRADUAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON SATURDAY.

BILL IS A LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND
OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES…185 KM…FROM THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 260 MILES…415 KM.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE ESTIMATE BY A NOAA HURRICANE
HUNTER PLANE WAS 943 MB…27.85 INCHES.

BILL IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4
INCHES OVER BERMUDA…WITH POSSIBLY SOME AMOUNTS OF 6 INCHES.

SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED ALONG PORTIONS OF THE
BERMUDA COASTLINE OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO DUE TO LARGE AND
DANGEROUS BREAKING WAVES GENERATED BY BILL.

LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY THIS HURRICANE ARE AFFECTING PUERTO
RICO…HISPANIOLA…THE BAHAMAS…AND BERMUDA…AND SHOULD BEGIN
AFFECTING MOST OF THE U.S. EAST COAST AND THE ATLANTIC MARITIMES OF
CANADA DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. THESE SWELLS WILL LIKELY CAUSE
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SURF AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS.

…SUMMARY OF 1100 PM AST INFORMATION…
LOCATION…24.9N 64.3W
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…125 MPH
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NORTHWEST OR 310 DEGREES AT 18 MPH
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…943 MB

A new study released yesterday shows that women who breastfeed their babies could significantly reduce their risk of developing breast cancer… especially if an immediate relative has had it.  The numbers are pretty staggering–women who breastfed their babies had a 59% lower risk of developing premenopausal breast cancer. 

The study was authored by an associate professor at my alma mater–the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and used information from more than 60,000 women.  More research is needed to confirm the results, but it suggests that breastfeeding can do as much good for a mother at risk of developing breast cancer as the often-prescribed Tamoxifen drug can.

The human body continues to amaze me!!  I succeeded in my goal of nursing Charlie exclusively for 6months.  While we had a rocky start, it’s been well-worth the effort and something that I truly believe has been both good for his growing body and mine.  That said, it was one of the biggest challenges early on as a mother, so I understand why some make the switch to formula.  I am just glad I stuck with it.  Right now, he gets formula in the mornings when I am at work, then I nurse him in the afternoon, evenings and middle of the night. (yes–he’s still waking up!)

Being a Yankee fan isn’t always enjoyable. Sometimes it’s like being on Gilligans Island. Trapped and nowhere to go, with long lost friends constantly calling you about how poorly your team is playing. But, for one weekend, The Yankees controlled the Universe again. Great pitching, timely hitting and great coaching helped them beat the best team in the league. Even though their record doesn’t show it now, the Sox are still the team to beat. Lets only hope it will come down to game seven of the ALCS, ninth inning, two outs and Derek Jeter takes Paps deep to win the series!
It’s good to dream.