TheBanyanTree: It was a dark and stormy . . . DAY

[Russ Doden]

Yuck.

That is all I can say.  Yuck.  Yesterday it never got brighter than a  
dark gloomy overcast.  You know, "It was a dark and stormy night" 
all day.  It started out being in the mid to low 60's when I came in to 
the office, and went down hill from there.  It would rain and blow, 
then just be dark.  And get darker.  Dark like it usually is here about 
5:30 in the eve this time of the year - dark enough to make you need 
to use headlights all day.  

Then, about mid afternoon, the rain changed to sleet.  Rain and sleet 
mixed together with lightening thrown in for good measure was the 
evening fare.  This morning I awoke to hear sleet blowing against the 
window of my bedroom.  Oh joy.  The weather forecast was correct 
for a change.  

I had a Chamber of Commerce function I wanted to attend to this 
morning, so I got ready and headed out.  My vehicle has 4 wheel 
drive so I engaged it and hit the streets.  The streets weren't bad!  
Wet and sloppy but not much worry about sliding if you were even 
the least bit careful.  Then the function was over and it was time to 
head back to the office.  Two lousy hours were all that had passed.  
The streets were more like 12 hours had passed.  Thick sleet and 
pulverized sleet mixed with sand and salt from the city crews 
covered the streets.  No clear patches anywhere!  I was glad I had 
4WD.  I saw a few cars turn onto the street I was on from side 
streets and promptly sit sideways facing the direction they had pulled 
out from!  Too much gas + not enough traction = problems.  We are 
supposed to get the brunt of the winter storm this afternoon with 5 to 
15 inches of snow.  I'm putting my bet on something closer to 5 
inches.  Even that will paralyze the city.  The weather forecasters are 
talking more like 10 inches.  I hope they lie.

It is singularly quiet here in the building today.  Many people are 
already starting to go home - those that came in anyhow.  When I got 
here the parking lot was only about 1/4 full and it is usually close to 
2/3 full.  

So ends November.  With an ice and snow storm - after having 
temps in the 70's two days ago, we expect a high of below freezing 
today.  I'm so excited.  Can you tell how excited I am.  Yuck.  

Russ