Rocket Jones

March 01, 2005

No particular point

Another "snowstorm", another bust for the local weathermen. I'll give them this, with all the major rivers, the coast to the east and mountains to the west, this area is a real Meteorological crapshoot to predict. Still, just claiming "sunny" every day would result in about the same accuracy rating in the winter.

But this morning the roads are an icy mess in our corner of the world, so I called in and took the day off. My job is cyclical, so this week I could do that, next or last week I wouldn't have had the option. My wife works for a medical facility, so she doesn't have that choice either. I made sure the sidewalks were de-iced and scraped the snow and ice from her car and walked the neighborhood a little bit to check the roads. She made it ok, but it was icy dicey until she got to the main drag.

Mookie is on day six of her weather-enforced pre-Spring break. She spent yesterday online looking at college information and found a place similar to Monster for theatrical jobs and internships.

For every star on Broadway, there's a thousand hardworking people behind the scenes who make them look good.

I looked outside a bit ago and it was snowing again. Huge fluffy, slow-falling flakes. Absolutely beautiful, but it was spoiled a bit by the cars parked everywhere you look. There's a reason Currier and Ives always pictured the Vermont countryside instead of Virginia townhouse suburbs.

But I'm tired of winter. I have a new gardening book, yet another "small space gardening" reference, and a renewed desire to turn my backyard into a peaceful green retreat instead of the dirt covered expanse of dense shade that it is. I did almost nothing last year out back, needing to take a break from my continual attempts to make it something beyond a handy place for the dogs to take a dump.

Part of me says that this is the year to finally take down the maple tree that dominates the back half of the yard. It won't completely open up the space to sunlight, because the neighbors on both sides have huge trees in their yards as well. But my maple drops those accursed monkey balls year round, and much of it's root system is at ground level, meaning I had to build a makeshift retaining wall around it's perimeter in order to hold enough soil for a few scraggly hostas and succulents. I'm tired of the tree and it's awkward location, and the entire space would be open to infinite change if it were gone.

Something to consider, I'll have to talk to my wife about it.

So that's my day in a nutshell. Pondering garden projects and happily sweating under the April sun. Planning and anticipating the renewal of spring.

And laundry.

Posted by: Ted at 08:52 AM | category: Square Pegs
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1 Ted I have to admit that our snow predictions here on the mountain at almost 2000 feet are a bit easier.We actually got our predict of about 7-8 inches.If it's even calling for a chance of snow we usually get some.Back in I believe `93 we had three big storms that all dumped over three feet on us.The one dropped over six feet.I used to have tons of pics of it all but when I left the job I was working at at the time I left them in my locker.
I am lucky in that we have a relatively undeveloped area here especially since the park is right behind us.I've got 6 million acres in my back yard.It makes for quite the winter wonderland.However,it's not the place to be at all in a severe ice storm.Out through the woods beside my house,about 3-400 feet away,there's a path that cuts through the woods.If you actually could run through those woods in an ice storm I would bet $500 that ya can't make it from my house to the path and back alive.
One thing that you can count on(I'm sure you'll agree)is the humidity during the summer.Just about the only thing bad about it.being the kind of person who just loves rainy nasty weather I really think i'm gonna move to Bergen,Norway.The City of Rain.Rains there an average of 9 of every ten days year round.That's why Nordic kayakers are so good.Lot's of whitewater there.Plus,all of the gals are blonde haired and blue eyes and everyone speaks english.I'm there,dude!Someone give me a ticket.
Well thanks for letting me rant.

Posted by: Russ at March 01, 2005 03:01 PM (kh5am)

2 That's what the comments are for, Russ. Feel free any time.