Patrick's Winter

We had our first significant snowfall of the winter this past weekend. As I was talking about it with me brother Patrick, he remarked on the one time we went the entire winter without shoveling snow. "It was the winter of 1982-1983," he explained. "We didn't get enough snow to shovel until the very first day of Spring."

Now, I have no reason at all to doubt him, and you shouldn't either. Patrick has the calendar down, uh, pat. He remembers things we wouldn't have the foggiest idea about. Over the years he's told me, not when my children were x years old (even I could do that) but when they hit milestones such as what I'll term millennial days. I recall him telling me when each of my kids were 1,000, 2,000, and even 3,000 days old. "Hey Marty," he'd call to me, "Charlie's 1,000 days old today."

You give him your birth date and he'll tell you without a pause the day of the week it was. Let's say you were born February 23, 1965. He would immediately say, "That was a Tuesday." Just like that.

So when Patrick says we didn't shovel snow at all during the Winter of 82-83, I believe him. For my money, we could use more winters like that.

Weather and Lions

It's cold. Not Antarctica cold, but it's cold. I'm so glad we have pipelines and coal plants though. Otherwise it would be colder.

It was too much to expect to get through the entire winter without a serious cold snap. Hopefully this is it for us in Detroit. It could be, you know. We're only about seven weeks until March, and less than 30 days to Spring Training. 

Congrats to the Lions too. I said I'd be more impressed once they won a second playoff game in my lifetime, and they have. It's a surprise that they get to host a second home game too. 

The Detroit Lions playing a second playoff game in one season? I honestly never expected to see it. It's not a sign of the Armageddon, is it?

Christmas Fears and Frets

Don't you get sick of it? I know I do. Wars and rumors of wars, albeit nothing that serious in this case. Thanks for the hyperbole yourself, Martin.

I'm reading and hearing warnings of a terrible storm out there somewhere which may be possibly brewing and might ravage the Christmas season, at least in the environs (Detroit, Michigan, for me) which are all around the nation but particularly the mid and northwest. And we may have blizzards, and we may not. The truth? They (they famous they) don't know yet. But will that keep them from fanning the flames of doom?

Nope. Christmas travel could be dicey this year. My family are all already exchanging what are we going to do texts.

I'll tell you what we're going to do: if things aren't that bad, a wild guess he says sarcastically, we stick to the plan and everyone travels safely. If not, we abandon the plan and simply accept that Christmas won't be the same this year.

I don't know what else to do, and there's really no sense fretting it. 

Weather Games

Obviously I can't speak for everybody everywhere, but winter had actually been kind of mild here in the D. That is, up until about the end of January.

The last three weeks have felt to me as though winter is acting like a kid towards the end of summer vacation. It saw its time coming to a close and thought, cripes, I gotta get all kinds of fun in the next few days.

We've had snow, rain, ice, freezing temperatures and high winds on a rotating basis. Now this coming week we're forecast to have almost spring like temperatures through Tuesday followed by intense cold after midweek. It looks like an icy Wednesday and more snow Friday.

Look, Winter, it's not our fault you got lazy and forgot the time. Kindly let Spring 2022 have her day, would you?

Once Upon a Time, in a Snowstorm Long Ago

It's winter, and we're dealing with a snowstorm here in Detroit. While outside making my third pass at shoveling snow, I see a guy stuck sideways on the street. Well, I'd appreciate help in similar need, so when I'm done with my walk I go to help.

I push, hard, and we get nowhere. A neighbor comes to help too, and we begin rocking the car back and forth for 15 minutes; nothing. I fall forward - hard - twice. Nothing. My shoulder is killing me now. But you help folks, right?

We finally get the guy out into the two track which currently serves as Avery Avenue. He drives 50 feet down the street and parks. He was only trying to move his car closer to his front stoop.

You are bloody kidding me. In the first major storm of the season in Detroit, me and a neighbor work our tails off so that you can get your car two houses closer to home in circumstances where NOTHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO IT.

I ought to send him my chiropractor's bill.

The snow fairies

I got out the door early and shoveled the sidewalks this morning. Then I brushed off the cars. I knew it had to happen sometime. It's difficult to escape from some form of winter in the D. But it makes me pine for the days of yore.

There was a time in my life when someone else would do the walks for me. I would politely ask them, with no underlying threats involved whatsoever, and they would take shovels and clear the walk. I would gratefully watch them through the windows with a hot cup of coffee. Or hot chocolate. Or something...warmer. And they would clear the snow.

Our kids are supposed to grow up and go on their own, right? But isn't there a law somewhere that they're still supposed to come home after winter storms and clear our walks? 

Asking for a friend.

Oh, the weather outside

Got up this morning and out the door before sunrise and cleared the first snow from the walks and the cars. It's not that I am or should be overly proud of such an achievement. It's only what a guy should do, right? But, well, I got out and cleared the first snow of the winter. And that's what eats at me. It's the first snow of the winter.

How many more snows are coming? How many more inches or feet of the white powder are lying in wait for me? It's just December 1st, after all. We can have snow into April. In fact we have. I remember one 6 or 7 inch snowfall on the last day of curling once, the first Monday in April that season. Twice in my life baseball Opening Day has been delayed by late snows. So we've, what, around five months of potential winter ahead of us? This after having snow flurries well into May of 2020, as astute readers may recall that I had remarked about. 

But, of course, 2020. 2021 surely can't match that, can it?

Please, please tell me I did not just hear a voice say, 'Hold my beer.'

What's on my mind Thursday, February 13, 2020

As I left early this morning amid the lightly falling snow, I noticed a guy clearing the flakes and ice from his car. His car with Florida plates. I hope he's enjoying Michigan.

They say the best things in life are free. I find that generally true: a child's laughter, a beautiful panorama, sunrises and sunsets. But among the things which are high on the list yet with small cost is the aroma of Tim Horton's coffee filling your car on a cold morning. For two bucks, it can give the free things a run for their money.

We're going to end up with about an inch of snow after the various prognosticators were calling for anywhere from one to six, depending on which one caught your ear. It makes me believe that beyond death and taxes, routinely wrong weather forecasts are certain too.

Baseball is coming. Just saying it. Repeating it actually. And I will be repeating it often in the coming weeks.

Baseball is coming.

See? Told ya.

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.

Wednesday warbles

Okay snow, you can stop now. So can you winter. I've had my fill.

I'm reading a book on 1968 which, while it touches on all historical events of that year, concentrates on the 1968 baseball season and World Series. As an 8 year thoroughly delighted at the Detroit Tigers' World Championship that year I find myself amazed as a 58 year old that it's been 50 years since it happened. I feel more and more all the time how the old timers must have felt as they aged. It is bittersweet in a way, but damn some of the memories themselves simply do not grow old.

Ah, well, maybe that's all the warblings I've got for today. I'll try harder tomorrow, honest!

Baby it's cold outside

It's that time of year. That time where I have to ask myself how much longer I can take morning walks. Beyond there being snow and ice on the ground I have no hard and fast rules about when to give up the daily constitutional. But today left me thinking about when I should stop.

There were snowflakes wafting by me this morning. The skies were gray and the air chill, though the sun did try to sneak through the clouds. It was, at the risk of understatement, dreary.

I'll not quit for a few weeks yet, to be sure. So long as I can layer and not feel too much frost on my nose I'll keep going. Part of the trouble is that walking's become my favorite form of exercise. It offers change with continuity if only on a small scale, something regular readers will know I value. Sure, we have a motorized treadmill and an exercise bike in the basement. But man, they're dull, even with the TV or radio on, or a CD playing. At least walking through even the same neighborhood varies a bit: you can wind around it differently. And walking by itself feels like progress. Staying in the same place feels just like that.

So we'll see. Last year I made until the first significant snowfall, which happened in mid-December. December 11, I believe, was my last walk last year. So my goal is beat that. Otherwise, to the exercise bike!

At least, that's my mantra. Making it into reality will be the actual challenge of course.

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.