Weather around the nation

It's December now.   Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow, sounds much more palatable, even a mite exciting, even at 70F degrees outside, yep, again.   That song didn't sound so good in 75F weather on Veteran's Day.   Was waking up M when my favorite "pop rock" Christmas song came on, by The Boss of course, and we laughed together about it, "Do you know what time it is?"  Grumble grumble......   okay, after a line or two more, and some tickling, THEN she was more laughing about it.    Even later, Eurythmics played their Christmas song as "song of the day" and I spaced and could have called in and won $500.   Ah, well, so I enjoyed the song anyway.  Holiday music has begun full force, apparently.

Had to get her up earlier today -- M is off with her class at a Spanish "concert, flamenco dance, ballet" thing.  Um, okay.   A bit of adventure, touch of culture.:)   It's been damp, sometimes raining.   Thunderstorms between 3-7pm mean nasty Friday rush hour traffic is likely, something I can understand my mother not wishing to drive in to stay in Crystal City tonight (for Oireachtas).  I'm happy to not do it myself.

But, midwest?   I'd been so worried for my dear friend, enroute home from Germany yesterday.   Ice in his town, in his whole state (we have offices on the other side of that state).   Let it snow means SNOW, not ICE.   M called her twin girlfriends who've moved there, and had a half day yesterday.   They were inside, with power, and safe, excited for the 9-11 inches of snow predicted overnight through today.   My friend DID make it home, some of his flights canceled, so he drove many hours through ice and snow and weather crap, a bit dicey, and long, some in his town without power but he and his kids are fine.   At least one in our office made it in today, too.

Not long ago, Seattle was hit, not just snow but also ice.   My cousin was enroute back from visiting his fiance in British Columbia, trying to be home in the Puget Sound area to teach his class on Monday.   He got stuck north of Seattle, even the McDonald's in that town he stopped in was closed, not good tires, not warm clothing.  Finally an internet search found him a hotel vacancy, and the next day he enjoyed warm soup and sandwiches with my aunt in the warm of a home surrounded by peaceful winter beauty.   Our office near there had people calling into meetings from home even on Tuesday.  

Let's not forget the thunderstorms a bit ago, too -- flooding closed our offices in coastal Virginia recently as well.

I've found thee best weather source to be http://www.weather.gov

So was my umbrella in the car this morning as I anticipated, where it is normally?  Ha, no, as I walked in the light rain.  Will all those heading to Oireachtas be okay traveling?   M and I sure hope so, thankful none are heading from the midwest.   Even many local to northern Virginia are staying overnight tonight there, so certainly all those from Texas and Florida on up (through Maryland) are enroute today.   Ah, I forgot at first -- there was actually snow in parts of Texas yesterday.   And, for what it's worth, the 2006 hurricane season just wrapped up, runs through November each year, El Nino keeping things more quiet IIRC.

Be safe, of course.   Lots of ways to do that.   Then take a moment to awe and smile at the treasure of it all.   If it's snowing where you are, can you catch some on your tongue for me, please?   I love snow:)   (Maybe a week or so from now, lol.)