Friday, December 16, 2011
Thanks to Safeway
La Niña hasn't landed on our rooftops yet this year. In the previous two LN winters (2008 and 2010) we got hit hard and early. 2008 gave us a record-breaking 30 inches in early December. 2010 didn't break records, but started in early November and continued well into April without relief.
So far this winter has been strictly average for temperature (high 30, low 20) and well below average for snow. Total is only 7 inches, none of which stayed long. And the rest of December looks to be the same, if NWS is right.
Thanks to the weather gods for giving us a break! Presumably we'll still get whacked in January, but LN has missed two whole months when she normally gives us hell. That means we've missed two whole months of shoveling sidewalks and raking roofs.
(Superstition prevents me from showing the usual animation of Polistra and Happystar with a patron saint; somehow feels like tempting fate at this point.)
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Special thanks to the Northwest Blvd Safeway for thoroughly de-icing their entire parking lot every time it's needed. This morning the parking lot was just about the only securely walkable place in town; everything else was glazed by freezing fog. This fits into the pattern I've noticed before: NW Blvd merchants show an unusual friendliness and concern for customers.
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Another random seasonal note: This year a half-dozen houses within my visual range have mounted rather fancy Christmas light displays, of the type that you have to put up and take down. For the previous 20 years only one house had lights, and they were always the same permanent string of lights along the eaves. The new effort at cheerfulness fits into the overall resurgence and 'brightening' in this part of town.
So far this winter has been strictly average for temperature (high 30, low 20) and well below average for snow. Total is only 7 inches, none of which stayed long. And the rest of December looks to be the same, if NWS is right.
Thanks to the weather gods for giving us a break! Presumably we'll still get whacked in January, but LN has missed two whole months when she normally gives us hell. That means we've missed two whole months of shoveling sidewalks and raking roofs.
(Superstition prevents me from showing the usual animation of Polistra and Happystar with a patron saint; somehow feels like tempting fate at this point.)
= = = = =
Special thanks to the Northwest Blvd Safeway for thoroughly de-icing their entire parking lot every time it's needed. This morning the parking lot was just about the only securely walkable place in town; everything else was glazed by freezing fog. This fits into the pattern I've noticed before: NW Blvd merchants show an unusual friendliness and concern for customers.
= = = = =
Another random seasonal note: This year a half-dozen houses within my visual range have mounted rather fancy Christmas light displays, of the type that you have to put up and take down. For the previous 20 years only one house had lights, and they were always the same permanent string of lights along the eaves. The new effort at cheerfulness fits into the overall resurgence and 'brightening' in this part of town.
Labels: coot-proofing
¶ 5:49 PM
