Our 25th Anniversary Weekend: Part 3
--Friday, May 9, 2008

In this last installment of pictures from our 25th anniversary weekend I thought it would only be fitting to share with you all the shots I took of the Smoky Mountains. The series of pictures below start from Saturday morning and go through sunset Saturday evening. Every few hours I would step out on our front porch and snap another shot. Like I said before, I just couldn't get enough of the view!

I thank you all for your feedback and for allowing me to indulge a bit about this trip as Shelia and I celebrate 25 years together.

Remember, if you want more information about this cabin, contact the good folks at Mountain Rentals of Gatlinburg. CA

One of the things we loved best about our cabin in Gatlinburg is that it pretty much had everything in it you could want – except maybe food – and we took care of that by hitting the local Food City store which was only a couple of miles away.

Yes, there’s a game room complete with a pool table, flat panel TV, CD Stereo with iPod port and a digital dartboard.

Minnesota Fats I’m not…just call me Kentucky Slim!

Shelia’s a pretty good pool player and we both love to play. Having this table in our cabin made us want one at home.

Need some of the other comforts of home? There’s a washer and dryer in the downstairs bath if you need to wash clothes.

The cabin has a fully functional kitchen with microwave, stove and oven, refrigerator, dishwasher and coffee maker. There’s even dishes and some silverware…so all you have to do is supply the food!

Now here’s one of the best parts of the whole weekend…hot tub!

Ahh…so relaxing! And while the 102 degree water is melting your every care away, you can stare straight ahead and soak in the incredible view…which looks like this…

(No description necessary)

Want to cook out or have a picnic? Just off the driveway is a grill and a gazebo covered picnic table with the scenic woods all around you.

As most of you know, Shelia loves to knit and crochet…and this picture of her is one of my all-time favorites because it’s her in her element in the most beautiful setting I can imagine.

And yes, I felt completely at home as well. I could sit for hours just rocking away and staring at the mountains…and I did!

We did venture out Saturday morning for breakfast to one of our favorite places to eat in Gatlinburg…the Log Cabin Pancake House. There are literally dozens of places to get pancakes in the Gatlinburg area, but this one (to us) is the best. It’s located just behind the Convention Center and up the street from the Space Needle.

Next to the Log Cabin Pancake House is a gift shop where Shelia found her a new friend to take home.

And for the first time, we saw Shelia’s name spelled the way she spells it with the “i” after the “l” and not before it.

Yep, this is nice and we certainly enjoyed ourselves. We highly recommend this Smoky Mountain getaway for any couple wanting to celebrate an anniversary or if you just need to leave town for a weekend and relax. I gotta tell you the folks at Mountain Rentals of Gatlinburg were outstanding. And this is not the only rental they have available. The rates are not all that bad once you consider all the cabins have to offer. I’ve already had a few of you write me for their phone number and how you can rent this same cabin called “A Passionate View”. It’s a toll free number…1-866-482-1044.

Take a virtual tour of our cabin "A Passionate View" from Mountain Rentals of Gatlinburg

Come back tomorrow…there will be a “part 3” to this post and it will feature all the pictures I took of just the mountain scene out our front porch. You’ll not want to miss it! CA

Today I celebrate 25 years of marriage with my wife Shelia. They call it the “silver” anniversary. I suppose that has more to do with the amount of gray showing in my hair than anything else, but it is a wonderful milestone. Thank you, babe for putting up with me and all my shortcomings…and they are many. Shelia is the only woman I know that loves me wholly and completely with no strings attached. I am by no means the model husband. I’ve given her plenty of reason to put her hands on her hips and tap her feet a few times in disgust. Throughout my career, she’s not always understood what I do but she’s always supported me. And somehow, even when I act like an immature idiot, she remains.

This weekend, I wanted to do something special for her 25 years of love and dedication. I’m the kind of person that feels no matter how big or extravagant the gift, it cannot equal what I’ve been given in return. Thankfully, Shelia and I both enjoy the simple things in life. To us, a weekend inside a romantic cabin nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains is heaven on earth. We’ve never been big city spenders or round-the-world socialites. Give us the mountains or the beach, some good food and place to sleep and we’re fine.

Shelia and I are happy to share with you some of our pictures from this past weekend. Many of you often write and say how much you appreciate us posting snapshots of our little weekend excursions and often want to know more about the places we visit. We took a lot of pictures and gathered a lot of information on this trip, so follow along and I will provide some links and phone numbers as we go along so you can plan a romantic weekend of your own.

In my search for a romantic getaway, I immediately thought of Gatlinburg, Tennessee…one of our favorite places to be. We’ve stayed there before either in a hotel or a chalet. But for this momentous occasion, I wanted something extra special. I wanted something that truly combined our love for the mountains with a few modern-day conveniences thrown in. We found the perfect setting with a cabin called “A Passionate View”.

This is the view from the front porch! It was so breathtaking that I couldn’t stop looking at it. I can only imagine what it might look like in the Fall.

“A Passionate View” not only applies to what you see outside, but inside as well. The interior of this newly constructed cabin was wood all over!

The bedroom was as cozy and comfortable as could be. It's simple country charm at its best with just a hint of modern conveniences such as a cordless phone, flat panel TV and wireless internet throughout. (Notice the pocket weather radio laying on the bed. Never leave home without it!)

And when you awake, you sit up and look out this window to see the view of a lifetime!

Now you see why they call it “A Passionate View”!

In the bedroom is a heart-shaped Jacuzzi. There’s also a full bath with shower in the bedroom loft if you so choose.

This looks like a good place for a picture.

The den has a flat panel TV with cable access and a DVD player. There’s a romantic fireplace there as well all nestled in the corner.

And the couch is rather cozy as well!

Check out the dining room table made with tile inlay right at the bottom of the stairs. Great for a romantic meal for two.

Well, I’ve run out of time for today but there’s plenty more to show you. Check back here tomorrow and the next few days for more pictures from our 25th anniversary weekend. In the meantime, if you are curious about our cabin called “A Passionate View”, click on the link below for a virtual tour. It really helped us decide this was the place we wanted to stay. And if you decide to make a reservation, ask for Vanessa...she'll take good care of you! CA

Virtual tour of "A Passionate View" from Mountain Rentals of Gatlinburg

A big “thanks” to everyone who attended our second annual StormFest this past Saturday! It was another successful StormFest full of helpful severe weather information, great food, science experiments for the kids and pretty much anything you needed to know about personal preparedness.

Once again, we are indebted to the staff at Bowling Green High School (a big tip of the hat to Mr. Alvey and crew!) and all of our vendors who helped us make this happen.

We thought we’d share some of StormFest with you in pictures in hopes that those of you who didn’t attend get a little better idea of what you missed. And by the way…we’re already planning our 3rd StormFest for 2009!

Here is former WBKO weatherman Jason Lindsey talking with the Richardsville Elementary School group who put together personal preparedness kits. Jason is now the science instructor at the Bootheel Science Museum and performed several experiments with the kids.

At this year’s StormFest, Midland Radio introduced the latest and greatest thing in weather radios…one that is very portable and will automatically scan for the nearest NOAA broadcast! This model fits in your purse or pocket and will sound an alarm if there’s a warning in your area. What a great idea to take outdoors, to a camping trip, while traveling or to a ball game. We’re working with Houchens to get these on store shelves in the coming weeks.

Here are some of the folks from Houchens that sold and programmed weather radios at StormFest. All day long, people were coming from all over South Central Kentucky to either purchase a weather radio or have them programmed for their area.

New to StormFest this year were the folks from Pet Protection Services. At their booth, they offered some great tips on how you can better protect your pets from severe weather and other dangers.

Tony Rhoades’ State Farm Insurance was another vendor this year and presented some unique disaster kits as door prizes.

Mid South Lumber and Supply’s emphasis was on safe room construction. A lot of people have been asking for safe rooms to be built in their new homes and Mid South had tons of valuable information on the materials needed and estimates on what a safe room might cost the average homeowner.

This is a cross-section of what a safe-room wall might look like. As you can see, there are several materials that make up the structure of a safe-room which protect those inside from flying or falling debris caused by high winds and tornadoes.

Always ready and willing to help is the South Central Kentucky chapter of the American Red Cross. At their booth, you could get step-by-step instruction on how to put together your very own personal preparedness kit and buy a first aid kit on the spot.

Our corporate partner The Medical Center was also at StormFest highlighting their EMS services.

The Barren River Area Development District (BRADD) and CERT (Citizens Emergency Response Team) were at StormFest to provide information on how ordinary citizens can participate in rescue and recovery efforts during times of emergency.

Here’s one of the disaster kits put together by the kids at Richardsville Elementary.

Yes, there was food! And some healthy “Allen Challenge” treats, too provided by Crossroads IGA.

Ever been inside an actual in-ground tornado shelter? We had one at StormFest that you could sit inside of and Shelter Plus of Kentucky could give you information on.

Our thanks to Community Action of Southern Kentucky for being a part of StormFest!

Boxes and boxes of weather radios…the most popular item at StormFest.

One of the many presentations at StormFest featured a historical look back at the Spring Storm of ’98 that pounded Bowling Green and much of South Central Kentucky with large hail, flooding rains and tornadoes.

Some of the crowd at StormFest watching slides presented by Ronnie Pearson of Warren County Emergency Management and Joe Sullivan of the National Weather Service.

Some of the StormFest attendees with Shane at the WBKO booth.

Time for a break! In between the basic spotter class sessions, there was time for a refreshment break where folks could mingle, buy a weather radio or get more information about storm shelters and safety kits.

This is Bruce Thomas of Midland Radio. Bruce presented the attendees with information about how NOAA weather radio works, how many lives it’s saved and the latest advances in weather radio and all-hazards technology.

Noodles the Clown also made an appearance at StormFest to help kids (old and young alike) have a great time. CA

I promised you more pictures from my Spring vacation...but that will come in a few days. In the meantime, I would be remiss if I didn't implore you to attend this year's StormFest.

This will be our second annual event which promises to be much bigger and better than last year. If you don't already know, StormFest is this Saturday from 9am to 1pm at Bowling Green High School. Like last year, we will hold the event in the commons (cafeteria) area along with seminars in the auditorium and some activities outside.

First and foremost, I want to make sure you know StormFest is FREE and it's open to every member of your family. This is not an event just for adults or weather junkies. It's for young and old alike. You want to learn more about severe storms and how to spot them? Then you'll want to attend our storm spotter seminar presented by the National Weather Service. Need to buy a weather radio and have it programmed? Houchens IGA will be there with tons of radios for $29.99 (plus the cost of 3 AA batteries unless you bring your own) and we'll program it just for your area.

The American Red Cross will be there with preparedness and first aid instruction. For the kids, Jason Lindsey (a WBKO weather alum) will be here from the Bootheel Youth Museum with lots of science and weather experiments. The Bowling Green Air Evac chopper will also do a fly-in and we'll launch an official weather balloon.

In addition, there will be several door prizes given away including some weather radios.

The theme of this year's StormFest is centered around the anniversary of "Spring Storm '98" which happened 10 years ago on April 16th. Can you believe it's been ten years? I still see a few cars being driven around with hail pings! That was a big day in weather history for this region as 4-inch diameter hail fell on Bowling Green followed by over 5-inches of rain and tornadoes that killed and injured many in this area. That's the same day a tornado went through downtown Nashville. We will have a special look back at that day during StormFest with Warren County Emergency Management who witnessed the storm and the resulting damage firsthand.

While you're at StormFest, you'll also be able to test drive some of our weather products such as "WBKO-To-Go", "Fast Alert", "WeatherCall" and more. We have an entire arsenal of products available to you so that you can now take the weather with you at all times.

StormFest will also provide you an opportunity to give us some one-on-one feedback. We're always happy to hear your suggestions - and your gripes. Our goal is to continue to provide you the weather coverage you want and expect. Shane, Matt and I will be there to answer your questions and address your concerns. If there's something you're just dying to ask us or have an idea to toss our way, we want to hear from you at StormFest.

Don't forget, it's this Saturday at Bowling Green High School from 9am to 1pm. Oh, and one more thing...when you arrive at the school, please park in the back lot behind the commons area. The front of Bowling Green High has only a circle driveway and not enough spaces for the hundreds of people that will show up. We will try to have some signs or someone to direct you to the rear of the high school so that you can conveniently park and walk right into the commons area.

I hope to see you and your family at StormFest! CA

Ahh…nothin’ better than a Spring Break vacation! Shelia and I had been planning this for a while and we were ready to get away for a while. It’s been two years since we last visited our “second” home in southern Mississippi and after the crazy weather we’ve had, I was ready for a change in scenery and atmosphere.

So many of you appreciated seeing pictures from our last visit to the Mississippi Gulf Coast so I made sure we packed the camera in hopes of seeing what progress had been made since hurricane Katrina.

We left Kentucky last weekend with snow still on the ground. And while seeing our first big snow in about ten years was exciting, I was ready to head south and get a taste of a warmer climate.

I think Shelia was ready for warmer times, too…although she looked pretty fantastic dressed to hit the ski slopes!

When you head down I-65 and you cross the Alabama state line, the NASA space rocket is one of the first things you’ll see. Shelia always says when she sees this, she knows she’s on her way back home to Mississippi.

Shelia’s home town, Columbia, Mississippi…population 3500…SAH-LUTE!

Shelia’s smile says it all…she’s home!

My smile says “I left the snow behind me!”

As we turn off US 49 in Gulfport onto US 90 (the Gulf Coast Highway), we begin to see some of what Katrina left behind. There are still hundreds of empty lots where million-dollar homes once stood.

On the other hand, we saw many signs of real progress that we didn’t see two years ago. This was one of many new condo townhouses going up along the coast.

As you travel down US 90 from Gulfport to Biloxi, you see towering condo after condo…certainly a wonderful sign that the Mississippi Gulf Coast is on its way back.

We saw many folks working on new homes right along the Gulf Coast Highway – like this one – while others have decided their not taking any chances and have moved their new homes further inland.

Oh yeah…Biloxi Beach.

Shelia loves it here and so do I. And while most prefer the beaches in Florida, we like it better here. It’s the same sand…the same body of water…the same sky…less hastle.

Let’s see…partly sunny, wind from the south at 12…temperature 72…it’s all good!

A true symbol of hope…the Biloxi Beach lighthouse. It has withstood many a bad storm or two, including Camille in 1969 and Katrina in 2006. On this day, workers were repainting it and adorning it with an American flag.

As the marker shows, this lighthouse has been here since 1848…160 years!

No doubt, both Gulfport and Biloxi still have much work to do putting things back together. Here is one of many piers still left broken by Katrina’s waves.

Despite what you might think, there’s lots of beach open along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. And the best part, it’s not crowded!

The casinos appeared to be doing a booming business as we drove along the coast. One of the hardest hit casino hotels during Katrina was the Hard Rock in Biloxi. They were only open two weeks when Katrina hit and they’ve pretty much rebuilt everything the storm took away.

Okay Parrotheads (and Shane Holinde)…here it comes…the Margaritaville Hotel and Casino is under construction and will be opening in 2010. Native Jimmy Buffett certainly has high hopes for business along the Gulf Coast in the coming years.

This was one of the more breathtaking signs of improvement we saw. This is the US 90 bridge that connects Biloxi with Ocean Springs. It was totally destroyed by hurricane Katrina. This new bridge was opened only a few weeks ago. It’s built stronger and much higher than the original bridge in hopes it might survive anything else nature tries to throw its way. Important fact: this bridge was built in record time by many South Central Kentuckians! That’s right, there were dozens of contractors and workers from our area that were instrumental in rebuilding this bridge. This bridge will do more to help rebuild the commerce along the coast than you can imagine!

As you can see, only one lane of the bridge is open at this time. They’re still painting and adding other finishing touches to the bridge before opening all lanes.

Since Katrina hit in 2005, folks along the coast had to detour off US 90 up to I-10 and then back down to rejoin US 90 in Ocean Springs. Now the trip only takes a few minutes with the completion of the bridge and the new approach to the Ocean Springs side.

After a few days at Shelia’s grandmother’s house in southern Mississippi, we head down I-10 to southern Alabama. I’ll post some pictures from that part of our trip in my next post! CA

Well, someone got their wish! Those of you who have been asking me for weeks...no, months about a "good" snow don't have to ask any more. This snow storm will certainly be rememberd for years to come as the one that finally broke the "snow drought" over South Central Kentucky.

And even though some of it has already started to melt away, the totals around the state were impressive. We ended up with 5-inches of snow officially for Bowling Green. And the way the storm tracked, parts of the county saw a little less...others a little more. I live in the southern part of Warren County and measured around 3.5 inches. But as you head further northwest in the county - near Hadley - we had some of our SkyWatchers report almost 6 inches of snow!

We received literally dozens of e-mails and phone calls last night with reports of thundersnow. As I mentioned in my last post - the one just before the snow storm struck - I mentioned that thundersnow was a real possibility. It's a very rare event in which there's so much upper level energy associated with the snow storm it produces lightning and thunder, even though it's cold enough at the surface for snow. Many claim to have heard booms and rumbles of thunder but wasn't sure what it was. Anytime you have thunder with this kind of winter system, look out! It also usually means it has the capability of producing lots of snow...and it did!

Our projections for this storm were pretty much right on target...and yes, we're happy about that! What makes us even happier is that most of you we've heard from are estatic! Most are enjoying this rare treat so much we feel like kids again. I know I've talked with some of you in the past few months wondering if we'd ever see the kind of snows we used to see in our younger days. Remember the snows of the '70's? Yeah, me too...especially that big one of January 1978 when we were out of school for a month!

For those of you who have been persistent readers of my blog or who have heard me talk at spotter classes and classrooms know I am a big believer that weather patterns are cyclical. If you look back through history, there's an overall pattern change about every 30 years. It's not an exact 30 year cycle, but pretty darn close. Let's take the '70's for instance. It was during that time when Time Magazine had a front page spread making claims that we were entering the "next ice age" and global cooling was something we should all be fearful of. During that decade, we had some of the worst winters on record. We also had the worst tornado outbreak on April 3, 1974...still a record yet to be broken. And look what's happened so far this year - near record breaking tornadoes and huge snow events.

I truly believe the 30-year span from the '80's until now was our cyclical warm period. And what have you heard talk of for the past 30 years or so? Global warming. And what did Time Magazine feature on their front cover just last year? The claims of global warming. As we close in on the decade of the 20-teens, we are in transition to a cooler weather cycle. This means for those of us who remember the weather patterns of the '50's, '60's and '70's, they're likely to make a comeback.

Regardless of it all, make time to enjoy the snow and share it's beauty with friends and family. That's what it's all about. And thank all of you who shared your snowy e-mails and photos with us. Also a big thank you to our network of SkyWatchers who kept us up to date with your reports throughout our coverage. Satellites can see up high...radars can see a little lower, but only YOU have the eyes on the ground to see what's really going on and those reports help us so much.

Well, after all this excitement, I'm taking a little vacation. Shelia and I haven't been to visit the kinfolk in Mississippi in a while, so we're headed south next week. Matt will be filling in for me and I will return on the 17th. When I get back, we'll be hitting the ground running with a BUNCH of spotter classes and final preparations for our annual StormFest event on March 29th. I'll see you then! CA

Well, it's certainly taking it's sweet time, but hang on kiddies! This winter storm isn't over yet and the biggest punch has yet to be thrown.

This morning's round of mixed precipitation didn't last long and thankfully because surface temperatures were nothing like a couple of Thursdays' ago, we didn't have many travel problems. It was a heavy, wet snow mixed at times with sleet and rain for the most part. However, there were some heavier bands of snow that developed and redeveloped west and north of Bowling Green that produced some 1-inch and 2-inch snow amounts in Grayson, Edmonson and Hardin counties. In fact, Elizabethtown already has 4-inches of snow on the ground as of this writing.

The best moisture and energy with this storm is cranking into high gear right now with exceptionally heavy snow from (of all places) northern Louisiana, much of Arkansas, west Tennessee and running straight up the Mississippi River. This is the area of snow due in here this evening and overnight tonight. The latest computer forecast models indicate not much has changed from earlier projections. If anything, there is a bit of an increase in the projected storm totals for some parts of the region.

One notable change is the upgrade of Monroe, Cumberland, Clinton and Russell counties to our southeast to be included in the Winter Storm Warning. Earlier, a Winter Weather Advisory was posted for this area with projected sleet and snow amounts of 1-2 inches. It appears now that you could see anywhere from 2-4 inches of combined sleet and snow accumulation starting tonight and through midday Saturday for places like Tompkinsville, Burkesville, Albany and Jamestown.

The Louie B. Nunn/Cumberland Parkway corridor east of Bowling Green will likely see a swath of 3-6 inch total sleet/snow accumulation from this storm. In fact, much of the immediate Bowling Green area lies within the region most likely to see anywhere from 3-6 inches storm total snowfall before ending Saturday afternoon.

Anywhere west, northwest or north of Bowling Green still stands the best chance of getting significant "big time" snowfall tonight and Saturday. Those in the Hopkins, Ohio, Breckinridge county areas could see a good 6-10 inches of snow. From Hardin county northward into the Metro Louisville area may see a whopping 10-14 inches of snow by tomorrow! In fact, the latest indications are there could be a brief period of what we call "thundersnow" in that area due to the elevated convective nature of this intense winter storm. Think of it as a thunderstorm in the winter time that can produce heavy amounts of snow. Yep, thunder and lightning as the snow is falling. Pretty incredible.

Everything should begin to die down to flurries by tomorrow afternoon across the region. However, we're not going much, if any above freezing Saturday and everything will stay on the ground for at least a couple of days until we see some moderation. The snow and ice pack itself will keep temperatures fairly cold in the 20s overnight and only near freezing Saturday, back into the 20s Saturday night. Maybe we will get just enough above freezing and see some sun on Sunday to begin the melting process.

Just stay off the roads this weekend if at all possible. This will not be a good time to venture out if you don't have to. CA

Just to give everyone a heads-up...a winter storm of significant proportion is heading our way. Shane and I just sat in on a conference call with the National Weather Service and they are using terminology we haven't heard around here in about 10 years.

Late tonight/early Friday morning, precipitation will begin to fall to our west as mostly snow with some sleet and rain mixed in. That first wave of precipitation will move along the Ohio River tomorrow morning causing hazardous driving conditions. For this reason, Christian County Schools have already decided to close Friday and there will be more. Right now, it's looks as if our precipitation will start as mainly rain, but sleet and freezing rain may mix for a short time north and west before it all changes to snow tomorrow during the afternoon rush hour and into the early evening. It will then continue to snow all Friday night and through Saturday until about midday.

This storm has the potential to produce ice and snow amounts of 2-4 inches in the immediate Bowling Green area by midday Saturday. There will be amounts of 4-8 inches...possibly even up to a foot of snow only a few miles to our west and northwest...from Todd and Christian counties northwest through Hopkins and Ohio counties. Lesser amounts of 1-3 inches is expected in our southeastern counties along and south of the Cumberland Parkway.

In addition, strong winds will be associated with this storm causing blowing and drifting snow across the area. The strongest winds may gust from 30-40 mph causing blizzard-like conditions in western Kentucky - something they have not seen there since the 1970's!

There is still some computer forecast model disagreement with this storm and the track and timing could change some - but either way you slice it, we are going to be impacted in our area starting early tomorrow morning to our west and working eastward into the afternoon across Bowling Green and beyond. If this storm tracks further south and east from what we're seeing right now, the amount of snow could be significantly higher than the 2-4 we're "officially" calling for right now.

Everyone should do what they can tonight and the first half of tomorrow to prepare for this winter storm and its impact. I will update you again tomorrow morning if i'm not too busy already! CA

Well, as I mentioned in my post from this morning, the forecast computer models were having a hard time agreeing on just how this storm would play out. They still disagree to some extent, but are coming closer in agreement with recent runs. All afternoon, I've been consulting with fellow meteorologists and participated in two conference calls with the Paducah and Louisville National Weather Service offices. Then, Shane and I talked this afternoon to bring you this update.

The biggest change we're seeing from this morning is a delay in the start of the precipitation and even more warmer air working into the overall system. Right off the bat I can tell you this is now mostly going to be a RAIN event for Southern Kentucky. That's not to say there won't be a brief period of sleet and/or freezing rain for a time tomorrow, but the overall "event" from start to finish will be primarily rain.

Instead of the precipitation starting early tomorrow morning, it appears now we really won't see anything reaching the ground until a good 6-8 hours later than first anticipated. That's great news for those heading to work or school tomorrow morning (or, bad news if you wanted to get out of school!). There very well may be echoes on the radar in the morning across the area, but most of what we might see won't be reaching the ground as it appears we'll still be too dry at the surface to support any moisture. This will be the main reason for the delay in the start of the actual precipitation. So now we're looking at sometime after 10am or midday tomorrow before we begin to see precipitation fall - and it will most likely start as a brief period of sleet and/or freezing rain for Bowling Green. This will start a little earlier to our west, later to the east of I-65. Then, it should all change to rain as we go into tomorrow afternoon and evening as temperatures by then will be enough above freezing to keep the precipitation liquid. However, further north and northwest, there will be a longer period of frozen precipitation which could lead to some .10-.25" ice accumulations on trees and power lines. Unfortunately, for some of the same people that were hit with last week's ice storm, they could get hit again.

There's still some uncertainty with this entire system, so please check back with us tomorrow morning on AM Kentucky and I will also post an update here for those following along on our web channel. CA

First of all, the weather spotters class we had scheduled for tomorrow (Thur) evening at Van Meter has been postponed. It will be rescheduled at a later date. Now - the bigger story is that a "Winter Storm Watch" has been placed in effect all day tomorrow into Friday morning for the entire WBKO viewing area. A Winter Storm Watch means there is the "potential" for some accumulation of ice and snow in the area. Some of the computer forecast models we look at have different opinions as to how this will all play out, but here is what we're seeing at the moment: tonight, an arctic high pressure system will move in bringing us low temperatures in the 20s. This will establish lots of cold air over the region. Early tomorrow morning, much warmer Gulf air and moisture will surge northward. Since warm air is lighter than cold air, this warm moisture will override the cold air in place therefore causing a warm air layer just above us. However, near the surface will be a layer of cold air below 32-degrees brought on by tonight's low temperatures. We expect a period of snow to begin to our west and southwest early tomorrow morning spreading eastward. Precipitation may even begin here as snow in the morning until temperatures begin to warm above freezing. However, it's that critical time from morning until midday when we will watch what temperatures do at the surface and just above us as to what precip type we'll get. We're thinking that there could be a period of 2-3 hours in which the snow changes to sleet or freezing rain. This will no doubt cause slick roads - mostly west of us - as people are going to work and school. The longer it takes to transition the warmer air at the surface, the longer the period of frozen precip will last...and therein lies the big question we don't quite have an answer to just yet. If the sleet and freezing rain last much longer, we could have issues with a coating of ice on trees and power lines...possibly up to a quarter-inch thick. As the day progresses, we do see a complete changeover to all rain as we warm at the low levels. However, this warming will not make it much further north along the Ohio River and into northern Kentucky and southern Indiana where they could end up with several inches of ice and snow. If it all comes together, we could see another major ice storm in those areas. Shane will have more on this developing situation this evening as new information comes in and we will fine tune the forecast again for you..and of course, I will be here very early tomorrow morning to keep you up to date on any changing trends with this developing winter storm. CA

I realize that statement may be an opinion to some, but it's the words we live by at WBKO. In just a matter of a week, we've dealt with a tornado outbreak and an ice storm. And while all the long hours makes us a bit tired, we won't complain. After all, there are still volunteers hard at work helping families put what lives they have left back together. For some, the loss is irreplaceable.

For the past week, those of us responsible for alerting you to severe weather have been conducting evaluations of our response. I, for one, am notoriously hard on myself after such events. From the top down, this evaluation starts at the National Weather Service and goes all the way down to emergency responders at the local level. We also do a measure of self-examination after such events here at WBKO.

Since the outbreak of February 5th, we've heard from a rather large number of you who appreciate our severe weather coverage. On the other hand, there are those critical that we could've done better. And while the "nice" e-mails are always welcomed, it's the more critical ones I really pay attention to. While some are straight out rants, some complaints contain a measure of real concern and some good suggestions we have adopted over the years.

I will tell you this...rants, especially those that use foul language, personal attacks or are unsigned by the sender go directly in the trash. In this day and age of e-mail and the internet, anyone can cowardly send an unsigned message literally ripping a person apart. In some instances, character homicide is the intent of the sender. However, if you have a legitimate gripe about something we did or didn't do, we encourage you to send it to us. We will read it and take it to heart.

Each severe weather event makes us pay more attention to detail next time. We evaluate and we re-evaluate. Yes, we found some things we can improve on, but overall, we did our job. We warned our viewers a good three days ahead of time of the potential for severe weather. As February 5th approached, we highlighted the severe weather potential when the Storm Prediction Center raised the risk to "moderate" and we warned everyone that unlike the windstorm of January 29th, this storm had a higher potential for tornadoes. I wrote about the severe weather potential here in the "Corner" (scroll down) not once, but twice. All of us pleaded with everyone to "check your preparedness plans" and "buy a weather radio". During our coverage - which was not only on TV but also live on area radio stations - we kept saying "take cover NOW!" and "don't go to bed yet, this isn't over".

And let's make another thing clear - we are the ONLY television station fully committed to South Central Kentucky's weather. We hear a lot of chatter about "the Nashville stations" or Louisville and Evansville and their coverage. I agree, they all do it well. However, on night's like February 5th, TV markets like Nashville had their hands full with Tennessee twisters and a state primary election. They're always going to focus more on their area than ours. They may give you the impression they are covering this area, but at best they can only give you a glimpse of what's going on right here. Only we can give you the full picture and devote all of our coverage to your hometown.

Please keep this one thing in mind...all of the tools we offer to help you prepare and keep track of severe weather are NO GOOD unless you exercise personal responsibility. No one wants to hear truth like that these days because a growing number of people would rather play the "blame-game". It's always someone else's fault. Truth be told, you now have at your disposal more ways to stay completely informed about the weather than ever before. Most of these tools are FREE from us and require very little effort on your part. Spending $29.95 on a personal weather radio for your home is a very cheap price to pay for what is virtually an INDOOR warning siren!

Our committment is to alert you first and cover you best. We do that better than anyone else - whether locally or regionally. This isn't bragging, it's fact. We've invested in the best weather tools available and have a team with a passion to make sure you know what's going on. And to help make sure that each and every single person in South Central Kentucky is better prepared for the next severe weather event, we will be holding a number of FREE spotter classes and programming weather radios on a regular basis in the coming weeks.

So, let's all use these past three weeks of terrible weather as a lesson. A lesson that ALL of us can learn from. CA

Like you, I've been amazed at the pictures and footage of the damage from Tuesday's tornado outbreak. While the loss of property will no doubt total into the millions, the loss of life is the hardest to take.

For such a long time it seems, we've been able to "dodge the bullet" when it comes to storms this severe. While we've had some close calls, no storm event since the Super Outbreak of 1974 has been this deadly.

Until this tragic event, most of us recall the Spring Storm of '98 as the worst storm to hit this area in a generation. Can you believe it's been 10 years this April 16th? I still see some hail-battered cars driving around town - and I can still hear the noise those 4-inch chunks of ice made as they pounded the roof. That's a sound I will never forget.

For the most part, episodes of severe weather have been few and far between since then. And I'm afraid that has made us complacent. Right after the '98 storm, everyone wanted to attend a storm spotting class and buy a weather radio. After a while however, the requests for classes and the sales for weather radios went down. And that's how we are. It's human nature.

But complacency often breeds failure. Whether it's failure to prepare or failure to respond, complacency often plays a role. Aside from those who take us seriously any time severe weather threatens, some let us know in colorful ways that weve interrupted their TV program for no good reason. Part of our responsibility at WBKO is to make sure you don't take these storms for granted. Any of them. Some claim it is wrong for us to assume the next storm that hits could be dangerous. We're often accused of "crying wolf" or being on TV for lengths of time just to hear ourselves talk. Tuesday night, we were getting numerous complaints about "split-boxing" our coverage between the severe weather and Super Tuesday election results. It was either not enough about the election or enough about the storms. Suddenly, the hate mail and phone complaints stopped when I delivered the horrible news that three people had just lost their lives in Muhlenberg County.

People started taking us seriously.

We have a big responsibility to let you know what's headed your way and that it could hurt you. Sometimes, it's easy to guage the severity of the storm...most the time, it's not. And that's why for years, you've been hearing us emplore you to attend a spotter class or buy a weather radio. After the '98 storm, we partnered with The Medical Center to purchase a live, real-time Doppler radar. To date, we're still the smallest TV station in the country to have such a system. Recently, we upgraded our entire weather center with the very lastest in weather technology. We've armed our website with an entire arsenal of tools you can download to your PC or take with you on your mobile device.

Please, take advantage of these opportunities to prepare yourself. It's not a matter of "if"...it's a matter of "when". We are currently scheduling spotter safety classes with the National Weather Service all across the area in the coming weeks and months. "StormFest", which launched sucessfully last year will return again this March where you and your entire family can attend and learn everything you need to know about protecting what means most to you. Go get a weather radio if you don't already have one. They're only $29.95 at any Houchens, IGA or Jr. Food Store in the area. It's a proven lifesaver.

The people that died, suffered injury or lost property this past Tuesday didn't deserve what hit them...no one does. Our thoughts and prayers are with each of them and for any of you that has had to deal with the blow the storm brought your way. For some, it's an inconvenience. For others, it will change their lives forever.

WBKO, along with the American Red Cross is asking for your help. Today and tomorrow at our station, you can "drive in and drop off" your cash or check donation to help the families in our area affected by the storm. We will be here from 10am to 6pm today and 10am to 2pm Saturday at our studios on Russellville Road and the Natcher Parkway (exit 5). Whatever you can give will go a long way to putting these people's lives back together. Thank you and God bless the people of South Central Kentucky! CA

Viewer Feedback
"Chris, thanks for all the work that you and the storm team do. I was not directly affected by the tornado or winds, but we were tuned in all night. I didn't realize how bad the damage was until we took a visit to Muhlenberg County over the weekend. It is pure chaos, I couldn't imagine not having any warning of what was about to happen.Thank you for all your hard work and long nights.May God bless you!" - Judy

"Just wanted to let you know, you said something a couple of years ago during a severe storm that I have been wanting to comment on since. You had said that because of the tornado outbreak in 74 that you had decided to become a weather man. I was 4 when the tornado hit, and it has left an impact on me. I am not scared of storms, but I do respect them. I am originally from Xenia, Ohio. If you can't remember any details about that, it can be found on internet. Anyhow, I just wanted to let you know that someone that definately knows what you are talking about is out here listening to you. Thank you for all the times that you don't leave us when you can. Even my 2 girls got excited the other day and said, when they heard your voice take over the broadcast, that we would be okay, cause Chris was there. I don't mean that you are God, but we can trust the 13 team. Thanks for all that you do."
Chrissy and family

"I KNOW NOT EVERY ONE THINKS THE COVERAGE THAT YOU AND THE REST OF THE WEATHER TEAM DO DURING STORMS IS A GOOD THING, BUT HERE AT MY HOUSE WE DO!!
DURING THAT BAD HAIL STORM A FEW YEARS AGO MY YOUNG SON AND I WERE IN A DOUBLE WIDE AND IT HIT US....YOU WERE ON THE TV THAT DAY TELLING HORSE CAVE TO TAKE COVER...SO WE DID...THE HAIL BEAT HUGE HOLES IN THE SIDDING OF OUR HOUSE BUT THANK GOODNESS WE WERE ALRIGHT. SO TO THE PEOPLE WHO THINK YOU ARE "INTERUPTING " THERE SHOWS....I THINK THEY SHOULD TURN TO A DIFFERENT CHANNEL...BECAUSE AT MY HOUSE WE WILL ALWAYS BE GREATFUL!" - Amy Jaggers

Things still look to go downhill as we get into this evening and late tonight across South Central Kentucky. SPC (Storm Prediction Center) keeps most of our area west of I-65 in a MODERATE RISK for severe storms and tornadoes while the rest of the area is under a SLIGHT RISK. A rare HIGH RISK of severe storms and long-track tornadoes has been posted now for portions of Soutwest Tennessee, Northwest Mississippi and much of Eastern and Central Arkansas. This is where the tornado threat will be highest (see the latest SPC severe weather threat here).

This morning's round of thunderstorms along the Ohio River was caused by a southward sag in the cold front to our north tapping into a surface moisture axis which is rich in abundant moisture. There have been reports of street flooding in Henderson with cars stalled in an underpass. There were also reports of penny-sized hail and wind gusts of 60 mph as the storms blew through. It appears that line will continue to move north and east parallel with the Ohio River although some of that activity could drift further south into our northern counties as the morning wears on.

Not much else has changed from my last post except the window in which I think we will see the cold front move through. The latest computer forecast models are hinting that we could get a few cloud breaks from time to time this afternoon which would add to the instability already in place. And for this time of year, it doesn't take much sun energy to fuel severe storms - so only a little sun will go a long way to fire these storms up. I anticipate seeing a second wave of mostly isolated to widely scattered single-cell or multicellular thunderstorms during the afternoon hours, especially to our west and southwest. These are the kind of storms that would become severe very rapidly throwing down damaging winds, large hail and even a few tornadoes - moreso in the HIGH RISK outlook area. Then as night falls, the cold front moves in and all the individual storms begin to congeal into one long squall line of intense thunderstorms moving west to east. This will be similar to what we saw last Tuesday in that any storm in the squall line may contain up to 70mph+ winds which will cause widespread wind damage. We will also be watching for bowing segments within the squall line. These will be key to spotting possible weak tornado spin-ups along the line as it passes through.

It now appears the squall line - followed by the cold front won't pass through until around midnight or shortly thereafter. This means it will be a mostly nighttime severe weather event so make sure you've reviewed preparedness plans for you, your family and co-workers today before the weather turns nasty. Stay connected here and I may have another update later if time - and weather allows. CA

Here we go again! We could be looking at another round of severe weather as we head into Tuesday afternoon and evening. Last Tuesday (Jan. 29th), there were nearly 100 reports of wind damage across Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, southern Illinois and Indiana. In a few cases, there were winds in excess of 70mph (hurricane force) and at least a couple of places that saw winds up to 90mph. These winds produced tornado-like damage to places like Mt. Hermon on the Barren/Monroe county line and near U of L's campus in Louisville (see a recap with pictures here).

The Storm Prediction Center has already placed all of Western, South Central and parts of Central Kentucky under a MODERATE RISK for severe storms Tuesday afternoon and evening (see the risk map and discussion here). What this means is there is a little higher probability than last week of getting damaging winds and even a few tornadoes in our area tomorrow.

What makes this system a little more troublesome than last week's is the amount of added moisture and instability. By this I mean we will be seeing a lot of unseasonably warm, moist air surging under a cold, winter air mass to the north. We could be flirting with record high temperatures tomorrow across the region. I am predicting 72 as a high for Bowling Green, but it wouldn't be impossible for us to tie the record of 75 on Tuesday set in 1927. That's way too warm for February - and that kind of warmth at the surface combined with cold air aloft causes atmospheric instability. Here's something else to watch...if we see any amount of sunshine tomorrow morning/early afternoon before the cold front arrives, that will only add to the instability and could make the late afternoon/evening thunderstorms even more severe.

Heavy rains will also be a concern with this particular storm as we could see some 1 to 3 inch amounts in the area. While the rainfall forecast from the HPC (Hydrometeorological Prediction Center) paints an overall picture of .75 to 1.50" of rain in South Central Kentucky (see HPC map here), there could be some locations that receive more than that.

So, here's how I see Tuesday taking shape: we will start the day with a few scattered showers as we did this morning. Then, there will be a bit of a lull in the rainfall and may even see some sunshine breaking through the clouds around midday. Remember, any amount of sunshine we get will only add to the instability. If we stay cloudy or keep the rain in here, there will be less of a tornado threat later on. However, the cold front with the worst of the damaging wind and tornado threat will move through Bowling Green sometime between 5 and 7pm local time. But unlike last Tuesday, this front appears to be moving at a slower pace which means instead of a quick blow, this severe weather event could last several hours.

Each of you should check your severe weather preparedness plans and continue to monitor WBKO for the latest updates. We have a full arsenal of severe weather tools for you to use on your PC, your cell phone or PDA on our weather page. This would also be a great time to get a weather radio and have it ready to monitor any watches or warnings that might be issued. Shane will have another assessment of the severe weather potential tonight on WBKO at 5, 6 and 10 and I will update you again early tomorrow morning. And stay connected right here because we are going to Alert You First and Cover You Best! CA

MONDAY, JANUARY 14
I can’t believe it’s here…the final week of “The Allen Challenge”. Actually, it’s the end of what I call “phase one” of the challenge. I hope to challenge myself by staying fit and healthy for the rest of my life. I’m sure some of you are betting that I will gain it all back – and that’s fine. Have fun. It’s very possible I could, but I’m going to do everything I can to not ever go back to where I was. Today, Travis puts me on the elliptical for a few minutes and then it’s back to lifting weights. But the old problem with my left knee has returned. All I did was take a weird step and it was a stabbing pain underneath my left knee. That’s why it’s good to have the physical therapy folks standing by at Total Fitness Connection. They took a look at it and found some inflammation so I will ice it down a few times tonight and tomorrow and all should be fine. Today’s Diet: Apex fit mix drink with skim milk. Morning snack: Lean Cuisine pepperoni pocket. Lunch: Subway 6” lean turkey sandwich, Lay’s Light potato chips and Diet Coke. Supper: Homemade chili made with lean ground beef.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 15
Travis says we’re going to take it a little easy today until my knee feels better. It doesn’t feel too bad so I get back on the elliptical for a while and then the treadmill. Today’s Diet: Honey Bunches of Oats cereal with skim milk for breakfast. Morning Snack: Apple slices and grapes with orange juice. Lunch: Lean Cuisine cheese pizza with Coke Zero. Supper: Leftover chili.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16
Wednesday weigh-in: 251 lbs. (-3 pounds over last week -32 lbs. total)
Yes! Another three pounds which puts me over 30 total pounds lost! This is really what I wanted from the beginning…to show at least a 30 pound loss for the 12 weeks. I told most people I wanted to lose between 30 and 40 pounds and it has worked! Through all the holidays, the times I “fell off the diet wagon”, the times I whined and moaned about exercising or denying myself of some of the foods I used to eat…it has all paid off. I pictured what 32 pounds lost might look and feel like…and I can tell you it’s even better than I imagined! I miss my workout today because of a day-long department head meeting. Today’s Diet: Apex fit mix drink with skim milk. Lunch: baked chicken with green beans and Irish potatoes, iced tea with Splenda. Supper: Tossed salad with grilled chicken, toast and iced tea.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 17
Today, I get a late start working out and Travis has already left for the day. But I know what to do as he has trained me well. I workout on the elliptical for 30 minutes and then do a few leg extensions, abdominals and some free weights. Then I head over to the treadmill to round out the last 20 minutes. Today’s Diet: Sausage and scrambled eggs with orange juice for breakfast. Morning Snack: Apple slices and grapes. Lunch: Lean Cuisine Pepperoni Pizza with Coke Zero. Supper: Applebee’s house salad with 2 mini-burgers and Diet Coke.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18
Well, here it is…the official end of “The Allen Challenge: Phase 1”. I must say that when I started this challenge, it was hard for me to envision losing more than 30 pounds…but here I am! This morning at Total Fitness, we spent a long time shooting video for the big finale which will air next Wednesday on AM Kentucky. It will be a retrospective of the entire 12 weeks – all the ups and downs of my exercise and lifestyle change – along with (I’ve been told) a few surprises I don’t know about. Words cannot begin to express my gratitude to Total Fitness Connection for what they’ve done to encourage me, slap my hand when needed and get me back up on that healthy horse and stay fit! But we’re not quite done yet. Stay connected to WBKO as the 2nd phase of the Allen Challenge is announced next Wednesday. I can tell you that you might be surprised to learn what I’m doing next. I can’t believe I’m taking this next challenge on!!

MONDAY, JANUARY 7
The countdown is on…only two weeks left in “the Challenge”. I must say, if it ended today, I’d be incredibly happy with the results. Today, trainer Travis puts me on the elliptical for 30 minutes and then it’s more weights the remaining time. Today’s Diet: Apex fit mix drink with skim milk and a banana for breakfast. Morning snack: Apple slices and grapes with orange juice. Lunch: A plain Sonic hamburger with lettuce, pickle, ketchup and mustard with a Diet Coke. Supper: leftover homemade potato soup.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 8
It’s another 30 minute cardio workout on the elliptical today followed by lots of weightlifting with Travis. As a matter of fact, Travis is dressed down in his gym clothes when I arrive at Total Fitness today and is in the midst of his daily workout. He is in the power weight section of the gym lifting what I call “big boy” weights that I have no business trying. But, you know me, Mr. Curiosity has to give it a try…so I go over and attempt to lift the big weights resting on the rack. Travis first shows me the proper way to lift without hurting myself and I give it a try. I think I lifted it a few inches and set it back down. Then Travis tells me I just lifted 350 pounds! Guys like him who are cut and have “guns” the size of cantaloupes make it look easy. I don’t think I will ever be on that level, nor do I want to be…but it was fun just to give it a try. Today’s Diet: Apex fit mix drink with skim milk for breakfast. Morning Snack: Lean Pocket Parmesan Chicken with orange juice. Lunch: 6” Subway Roast Beef sandwich with Lay’s Light potato chips and Diet Coke. Supper: O’Charley’s salad with 1 potato skin, 2 chicken tenders and no yeast rolls (I love them, but my weigh-in is tomorrow!).

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9
Wednesday weigh-in: 254 lbs. (-4 pounds over last week -29 lbs. total)
Yeah baby…back in the game! Another four pounds lost since last week and I feel fantastic! What’s even better is that I know this last week-and-a-half will be much easier with a faster metabolism and no holiday foods to get in my way. Today, I do very little cardio as Travis wants me to work in the weight room. I do leg extensions, leg crunches and actual dead-lifts. They weren’t “clean” lifts, but I lifted 135 pounds from the floor to my waist about 12 times. Today’s Diet: Scrambled eggs and sausage with orange juice. Morning Snack: Lean Pocket chicken with Coke Zero. Lunch: A plain Sonic hamburger with a double-berry smoothie (these are great…a combination of strawberries and raspberries with no-fat yogurt). Supper: Zaxby’s Zak Snak chicken dinner with fries and Coke Zero.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10
Severe weather hits today and I am busy from sunup to sundown. I was supposed to be at several meetings and workout today, but the weather turned nasty early on…so I had to cancel everything I had planned including going to the gym. This also threw my diet off a bit as I started the day with no problem but didn’t really eat lunch until around 3:30. This is the first time anything like this has happened through the entire Challenge. Today’s Diet: Apex fit mix drink and skim milk for breakfast. Late Lunch: 6” Jimmy John’s Roast Beef sandwich and Coke Zero. Late Supper: Ruby Tuesday’s salad bar with a cup of white chicken chili.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 11
I am still rather tired from yesterday’s severe weather but look forward to getting back into the gym since I didn’t get to go. Today, Travis puts me back in the weight room to do a variety of reps. And, there’s a camera following me as we’re taping parts of my routine for the “big finish” of the Allen Challenge. Today’s Diet: Apex fit mix drink with skim milk and a banana. Morning snack: Lean Pocket chicken with orange juice. Lunch: Long John Silvers baked fish with Diet Coke. Supper: Puerto Vallarta Mexican burritos with refried beans and rice.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 12
I spent much of today at the Medical Center Health and Wellness Expo programming radios and talking to many of you about my weight loss and exercise program. I start the day with some coffee and a sausage biscuit. That was followed by a Lean Cuisine pita bread sandwich with chicken and a Longhorn steak with baked potato and salad.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 13
Shelia is very sick today – probably with the virus that’s going around – so we stay home and veg out all day. For breakfast, I have a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats with skim milk. That is followed by two whole wheat burritos stuffed with lettuce and vegetables, lean beef and refried beans. For supper, Shelia’s feeling better and wants a real good hamburger. It’s been a while since I’ve had one, too so I go to Toots and order two of their hamburgers with some curly fries. Believe it or not, I couldn’t finish it all!

MONDAY, DECEMBER 31
Here we go…it’s New Year’s Eve…the last of the big holidays. If you’ve been following along, you know I usually stay flat or only loose a little during weeks there have been holidays. The good news is, at least, I have not gained. I’ve been told that’s a pretty good feat. Still, I wish I was a little further along than I am. Those times I’ve lost 5 to 7 pounds in a week were sweet. But, I’ve been reassured by Travis and the rest of the crew at Total Fitness Connection that I’m pacing quite well. I am off work again today but I want to make sure I don’t miss working out. Travis has me cardio-up today, so it’s 30 minutes on the elliptical and 30 on the treadmill. Today’s Diet: Egg Beaters scrambled eggs, whole wheat toast, turkey bacon and orange juice. Lunch: Lean Cuisine chicken parmesan with rice. Supper: Cracker Barrel catfish with green beans and corn with Sugar-free Apple pie for dessert.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 1
Happy new year! And to think, I’ve got a jump on what most people use as a new year resolution – losing weight. I am hoping to stay much slimmer and healthier in 2008 than I did in ’07 or in any other year past. I do go to workout today even though it would be easy to stay home. Today’s Diet: Oh’s honey nut cereal with skim milk and orange juice. Lunch: Sonic plain hamburger with mustard, ketchup and lettuce and about six tater tots. Supper: Whole wheat spaghetti with Ragu Heart Healthy sauce and a side salad.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2
Wednesday weigh-in: 258 lbs. (-2 ounces over last week -25 lbs. total)
Well, it’s Travis’ turn to be on AM Kentucky for the weigh in so that must mean I won’t show a loss. Turns out, I didn’t drop pounds, but I did drop ounces! I’ll take it! When I get to Total Fitness, Travis has me spend only 5 minutes on the treadmill and then moves me right in to the weight room. He is increasing the weights each time and I’m really feeling it in my arms, legs and chest. Today’s Diet: Apex fit mix drink with skim milk and a banana. Morning snack: Lean Pocket Ham and cheese with orange juice. Lunch: Lean Cuisine Pepperoni pizza with Coke Zero. Supper: Homemade chili.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 3
At the gym today, Travis puts me on the elliptical for 30 minutes followed by a special round of weights. I go through a number of reps at each machine…abdominals, deltoid flys, leg crunches and back stretches. Today’s Diet: scrambled eggs and sausage with Diet Coke. Morning Snack: grapes and apple slices with orange juice. Lunch: Lean Cuisine lasagna. Supper: Leftover chili.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 4
Just when I think there’s nothing new to learn, Travis shows me a few other machines at Total Fitness today. He says he wants me to learn how to operate the various weight machines around the facility so that I can fashion my own workout once “the Challenge” is over. I found a few of these really challenging…such as the abdominal crunch which really burns those belly muscles! Today’s Diet: Apex fit mix drink with skim milk. Morning snack: Apple slices and grapes with orange juice. Lunch: 2 McDonalds grilled chicken wraps and a Diet Coke. Supper: Homemade potato soup with ground turkey sausage.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 5
Not much going on today. Before Shelia and I head to the grocery store, we grab some breakfast at Ryan’s. I find it fascinating the number of people who give me funny looks when I show up to eat at a buffet restaurant. Again it’s about portions and choices. You can still go to your favorite place to eat as long as you eat right. For breakfast, I have some fruit along with scrambled eggs, one biscuit with about a tablespoon of gravy and some bacon. Lunch: Lean Cuisine cheese pizza with Coke Zero. Supper: Shelia and I head over to Barren River Lake and eat at the Driftwood Restaurant located in the Louie B. Nunn Lodge. I had baked chicken with green beans, a vegetable medley, salad and about a cup of banana pudding (hey…it has fruit in it!!)

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6
I want it noted here that I chose to go workout today. That’s right, I wanted to go workout, so I did. This is a big deal for me because I’ve looked at the past 10 weeks as something I had to do. There’s a part of me that needs the accountability which is why I did this challenge on TV with you watching and keeping me on track. Then there’s a part of me that wants to do this on my own without anyone telling me what to do or how to do it. And just like with any thing else you learn in life, you ultimately have to take what you’ve learned and apply it. Today gave me a taste of that and I enjoyed it. I put in my hour with 30 minutes on the elliptical and another 30 on the treadmill. Today, I run house audio at Hillvue and breakfast is provided. They told me that just for the Allen Challenge, someone had brought in some yogurt, fruit and cereal so that we could make our own low-fat parfaits. While I did have one pig-in-a-blanket, the parfait was delicious and actually filled me up. Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with low-fat honey mustard. Supper: Dorito’s multigrain tortilla chips with refried bean spread and low-fat cheese.