My Kind of Winter

We have had virtually no snow in Detroit so far this winter. Some flurries have come to earth in their sing song, lightly swaying fashion, and that's been about it, at least in my area.

They're calling for one to three inches Tuesday morning. That would be our most significant amount to date. If it comes. And if it does it'll melt off quickly. Detroit is expecting highs in the low 40s the rest if the week.

I can live with that the rest of the winter. Apologies, skiers and snowmobilers, but I'd be okay with record low snowfalls this season. I suspect I'm not alone in that thought either.

And So It Begins

Winter, I won't say I loathe you.

Okay, I will say I loathe you.

Detroit had somewhere around an inch of snow over this past Saturday night. They, the famous they, although in this case they are weathermen and they are to be particularly despised, are calling for one to three inches of snow tonight. It seems a bit early in the season for measurable snow just yet, but man proposes and God disposes, right?

Winter and I get along all right when she arrives late and leaves early. She appears to have other ideas for Winter 2021-2022. I do not find that amusing.

April in Winter

Measurable snow. In Detroit. On April 21. Where did that come from?

I've seen flurries this late. Indeed, as astute readers might recall, we had flurries into May last year. But that was 2020. We can dismiss that with the rest of the year's weirdness.

Perhaps it's only winter's way of asserting that it ain't over until it says it's over. I have a certain respect for that. 

Just be gone by my birthday tomorrow, okay, winter? It's one thing thing to assert yourself on somebody else's time.  But not on mine, understand?

The beginning of the end

Have you stopped to think that maybe we should think differently about summer and winter?

We tend to hate winter and love summer. Fair enough; I am pretty much in that boat too. Still, it occurs to me today, now that summer 2020 is actually begun, that we're on the downside of the year.

Give it a thought. With the first day of summer we've had the longest day of the year. The days get shorter and shorter and shorter until, you guessed it, winter. But when winter starts we're on the upswing. After the first day of winter days start getting longer. We've bottomed out. We're not at the end of things but the beginning of them.

Or do you care, and I'm just overthinking it?

Saturday rumbling

When 6-6 teams can make college football bowl games, there are too many bowl games.

The House impeached because it's imperative to remove President Trump as soon as possible, then might not advance the charge to the Senate? If anyone cannot now see this as purely political, you are not an impartial observer.

Other than the heavy snowfall in November (which is long gone around here anyway) this winter hasn't really been bad so far in the D.

And Christmas week is expected to be unusually warm. I don't really trust weather prognosticators I do hope they're right on that.

I went, I saw, I curled. And I'm still sore, even though I didn't do much. And this from Wednesday.

That's it, I quit. Have a good Saturday.

The first winter storm

Depending on exactly where you live, the Detroit area got 4-6 inches of snow yesterday. On the one hand, this is the latest I can recall (and I can recall about 48 of my 58 years) we've went before getting a significant snowfall. On the other hand, it's still snow, with all the problems that go along with it.

The older I get the less use I have for winter. It's just cold and slippery, and dirty once the pristine whiteness of newly fallen snow becomes mixed in with the grime of city streets and sidewalks. The irony, if irony is the right term, is that I'm really no fan of summer either. It's too hot and uncomfortable even with baseball and golf as saviors. I like May and September: warm enough that you can wear shorts and tees during the day, and maybe need one blanket at night.

I keep telling myself that I should be thankful that winter has been mild here, especially considering how badly beaten up the east coast and our neighbors south of here have had it. I remind myself hourly (okay, every few minutes) that we're actually only six weeks away from being past the worst of winter storms and temperatures. Yet when I look outside this morning and see winter's grip, to open my laptop to read the weather report for the next ten days (cold, too cold), such encouragement doesn't help.

Especially as I have to go outside and scrape off the cars in an hour.

Comes to mind

Relatively random Thursday thoughts...

It's the first day of winter. That means we're that much closer to spring. Hoo-ray!

Someday I'll have to relate about Price and his story about helping an army doctor with hemorrhoid surgery. But I'll never do it justice, so I'm slow to try.

I'm glad last week's snow is already gone. Snow looks nice only when it's fresh. Then it's just gray, icy piles and slush. Is it too early to hope we don't any measurable snow the rest of the year in Detroit?

As much of a baseball fan as I am I never got into the hot stove league. Too much conjecture, too much meaningless talk.

I think Christmas and New Year's day are just right this year: on Mondays. Three day weekends with not needing to plan around midweek holidays.

I wonder if the customer who has supposed to have come by for the last month actually gets to the Shop today?

I'm still looking for the next book to read. Thanks for the help with that, readers.

That was sarcastic. Ah well, see you tomorrow.

That was not sarcastic by the way.

Hating winter

It's official. I'm calling it right now, just like an election.

After shoveling snow off and on for over 24 hours, after clearing it from my home and my work, and after digging three cars out, I'm calling it.

Winter sucks. And it's only December 12.

Christmas aside, it is no longer the most wonderful time of the year. Nope, not by a long shot. Spring cannot get here quickly enough.

Winter Wonderland?

Strange weather, eh? Two weeks ago it was in the 60s here in the D and now it's 19. It's supposed to be colder mid-week too.

I think the worst thing about it, and I'll readily confess that for me this is a first world problem seeing as a lot of my fellow Michiganians were and are still without power (a misfortune we have avoided, and best of luck to you all to get power back soon) is that it makes the earlier warmth seem such a tease. In February I was walking to a trade show in Indianapolis in my shirt sleeves. I'm wearing an insulated shirt as I pound out this blog entry. And again, I'm in good shape. I have heat. Still, to get a nice taste of spring warmth and have it taken back is a shock.

Pity the poor folks on the east coast too. Yeah, it's difficult to pity them, but have a heart. They just braved one severe storm and now a nor'easter is streaking their way, due to hit Monday. It's supposed to be a bad one too. At least Detroit is missing out on that.

All I can do now is think baseball. It's coming up very soon and should bring the return of regular warmth when it does. Until then, may your power return quickly and your toes stay warm.

Tis not the season

It's official. I'm calling it right now, just like an election.

After shoveling snow off and on for over 24 hours, after clearing it from my home and my work, and after digging three cars out, I'm calling it.

Winter sucks. And it's only December 12.

Christmas aside, it is no longer the most wonderful time of the year. Nope, not by a long shot. Spring cannot get here quickly enough.