What is with this weather? Places got snow that never had it before. We the people in the southeastern part of the country are not equipped for icy roads and snow pack (no matter now thin it might be.)
Okay, I cheated by lumping myself in with the folks in the above paragraph. I've faced blizzards and below zero temps when my parents lived in Chicago. I vividly remember one Christmas eve, flying in when it was 25 below for the ACTUAL temperature, and 80 below for the windchill - seriously. When we landed, the pilot came on the loudspeaker and said "Welcome to the tundra." We all looked in horror at the snow blowing across the tarmac. Because of the extreme temps, the baggage handlers could only work a few minutes at a time. So we had to wait on the runway for a gate to become available. I had learned long before to carry on my luggage when arriving at O'Hare. Those were the days! There were no security checks, no luggage inspection. You just got to the gate, gave them your boarding pass and they let you go on to the jetway. Unfortunately, our world is no longer that safe, nor are we so complacent in our own security.
But I'm digressing...give me a break, I had freezing drizzle on my windshield a while ago when I went out to lunch.
Anyway, my parents met me at the gate - another thing we miss today. We walked through the terminal and out to the parking garage where Dad had parked. I kid you not,when I walked from the terminal into the parking garage, my nose hairs froze in an instant. If you haven't experienced that particular sensation, count yourself fortunate. It's not something I'd care to repeat. This ominous little "plink" rang in my head when it happened.
As for our current weather conditions, I want to blame Al Gore, but intellectually know it is not his fault. It's climate change - something our planet undergoes every few decades or so. Can you believe Alaska has temps in the 60s and we're all cracking the ice off the palm trees and citrus? I mean, this is FLORIDA. People move here to avoid cold winters. Not this year. The loose translation for the word "Florida" means "land of the flowers." That does not go well with freezing drizzle, snow, or ice storms. People were sledding in Panama City - a town known for its beautiful white sand beaches. Makes me cold just to picture it. Of course, we had diehard surfers here braving the temps in their wetsuits.
And as for the folks in Atlanta, I really feel for them. I've gone through a few ice and/or snowstorms in Texas that were much worse than predicted. I remember one during which I got so bored, I learned to make bagels from scratch. That's a lot of work, by the way. But I was glad for the diversion that kept me from going stir-crazy. I have one hard and fast rule. I never drive on ice. I will brave snow, but never ice. I will walk outside for the sake of my Tzus, despite having hit the sidewalk hard a few times.
The best news about this cold spell is its move away from us. For the next few days, we'll be in the upper 60s moving to the upper 70s. Whew. That's so much better.
Except for having to take one of my Tzus outside at 4:00 this morning in a driving rainstorm with temps in the 30s, the cold hasn't been an inconvience to me this time. After all, when a Tzu says he has to go, you'd better listen. Just wish I had on a warmer nightgown...
I hope all of you are warm and safe with your loved ones. The front is moving away for all of us. Our best friend, a big area of high pressure is moving into the area. That means the cold fronts won't reach us. Whew.
I hope you've all made good use of your time if you were house-bound. Lots of good movies out there these days to download.
Oh, I did watch a strange, but fascinating film on the SyFy channel last weekend. It was called Skyline and for once was a theatrical release from a couple of years ago, not a SyFy original. It centered around an alien invasion, focusing on Los Angeles. I won't tell you more than that about the plot.
I will say, this one is gory, with unexpected action throughout. The aliens reminded me of some of the creatures in the recent film Pacific Rim. But these aliens had a special little quirk unique to them.
Parts of the film were ugly in viewing and in the concept. But if my cryptic notes appeal to you, check it out. I'm sure SyFy will repeat it. The ending has stayed with me ever since I watched it.
That's it for now. I've finally found my printer (missing since my recent move). I just can't find the cable to connect to the computer...It's always something!
I plan to be posting a couple of book reviews in the next few days.
Until then, take care. Thaw out. Be safe.
Sharon, we had an ice storm in WV one winter, and the snow was so heavy you could hear the limbs snapping as they broke from the trees. People worried about their roofs caving. We were without electricity for 7 days. We farmed out our kids to family who happened to have electricity, and my husband and I stayed at home to keep the pipes from freezing. I still went to work every day. I, too, remember well that feeling when you go outside and your nose hairs freeze. As soon as you take a breath, it happens. I was thinking, did my nose hairs really just freeze? LOL
ReplyDeleteEven though the weather is cold here now, I still would rather be here than in bitter cold temps.