Rise and Shine --- Ice, Ice, Baby

Good Morning and welcome to one of those days you wish you could just stay in bed!

I remember the winter of 1992-93, the worst winter in history (well, OK, maybe not, but it was still bad). Instead of snow, we had freezing rain and ice seemingly every day.
The ice was sometimes so thick on the cars it seemed like you would need a hammer and chisel to knock it off.
Even the old trick of starting the car and putting on the defroster only meant you wasted gas for a half hour (of course, gas was like a dollar a gallon, so there).
Every time I hear a weather report calling for ice, I remember back to those days of sliding into work. There was no getting around it.
Hopefully, today's strange, crunchy snow isn't what we are going to be seeing for the rest of the winter.

Rise and Shine --- It's the heat, baby

Good Morning and welcome back the soup!

I don't know about you, but when the lightning started last night I shuddered a little bit. Now, they are calling for thunderstorms this afternoon.
I used to like summer thunderstorms. It gave a little break from the heat and the lighting and thunder was something to behold.
Now, though, we don't have normal storms. We have hail the size of softballs and trees uprooted. We have power out for days and families wondering what's going to happen.
With no power on Friday (and a car that wasn't exactly working correctly), the children and I took a walk around town.
Seeing crushed by trees and cars flattened was amazing. What's more amazing were the people. Yes, they were going to be faced with insurance company nightmares over the next few months, but those we saw out Friday were taking it in stride.
OK, that big tree we used to sit under and have picnics is now in our living room. Oh well, time to clean up.
For some, it might be a time to break down. Curse the skies.
Those we saw, though, were happy it wasn't worse. Happy nobody got hurt.
After all, that's what matter's most.

Rise and Shine --- Oh no, Snow!

Good Morning and is this winter becoming a joke, or what?

So, there's another storm hitting us today. Those who are hooked on the word 'warming' in Global Warming like to put out their half-thought out ideas every time it snows.
Now, if you can actually look out the window and say the climate is not changing in a major way, well, I'm happy for you.
When the Easter Bunny comes by for tea, tell him (or her) I said hello.
Look, no matter what the wackos want to say, there is a significant climate change going on across the earth. These huge storms that seem to hit us every few weeks are only part of it.
Hurricanes have been stronger (remember Katrina?), earthquakes have been more devastating (Haiti?) and tidal waves are knocking out whole communities (Thailand?). So, focus on the word 'warming' if you want and don't be surprised if the Easter Bunny brings his buddy the Tooth Fairy.