Monday, Monday . . . . and No Snow, not just 'nother day

For the past week, the weather forecasters have added to our Seasonal Mood Deficits. "Snow this weekend," they said. As the week wore on getting closer to the predicted dump, the snow got deeper and more "measurable," as they like to say---3-6 inches. One guy, all bundled up in his winter coat and stocking cap, who walks by my place every day, used the term "appreciable" when referring to what he'd heard.

That made me mad, and that was about mid-week. Anyone who uses any term even resembling the word "appreciate" to describe a snowy weekend in late April after at least 16 snowy weekends since November needs to go to the nearest English teacher and brush up on better choices of words to suit certain situations. I'm not blaming the gaffe on the stocking cap guy; he probably heard it from a weather forecaster.

Time for those folks to go to some PC lessons for weather forecasting, just so they can make it easier on their audiences who have had just about enough of their interminable winter forecasts and are yearning, begging, wishing, praying, beating their heads against the wall, hoping for some "appreciable" sun and warm, dry weather. And, learning how to let us winter-stricken folks down a little easier with their dire predictions might be good for weather forecasters' mental and physical health.

This "winter storm watch" stuff for five days straight could be just as dangerous this time of the year as those weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. In this case, the weapons of mass destruction do exist---in the form of two-legged, weary humans who could inflict some severe damage on weather forecasters if they have the nerve one more time to tell us about "appreciable" snow.

In their favor and probably to their relief, however, just like the weapons of mass destruction, the winter storm has not been found----at least at the Lovestead. I'm sure Tom Sherry could go somewhere to find some snow, but he ain't gonna find it here, and for that I am very thankful. I was very thankful for yesterday, and I told Bill it may just be that God is happy with me.

I went to church. And, I must say, that for once, there was a bit more snow up Bonners Ferry way than here in Selle. The priest did not faint upon seeing me sitting in my back-corner pew. He simply said with a smile, "I got you here." What Fr. Carlos didn't know was that he, indeed, got me there out of desperation.

Mother and I have been talking all winter about our being sentenced to Purgatory aka the never-ending winter for something bad we must have done. I've suggested to her a couple of times that it probably has a lot to do with the bad things she's been saying about Hillary. But that's a lame argument because I know we're not the only people in America who have said bad things about Hillary, and a lot of them have not endured a winter like ours.

So, there must be something else we've done to deserve this, and, of course, as Catholics, we're guilty. Anyway, I decided yesterday that maybe an appearance at Mass would make God happy enough to spare us anymore winter misery. And, it seemed to work.

I couldn't believe what a beautiful (yes, cold) day we had yesterday. Instead of one more day of bundling up inside, cussing what was going on outside, we were able to finish removing almost all items from the storage shed, take stuff to the dump, visit with friends at the wood pile and even go for a nice little hike on a beautiful piece of Fish and Game property. Later, I cleaned out some more garden beds and even got started pushing back all those horse manure piles that built up over the winter.

It was definitely a day of "pennies from Heaven," and I'm sure God was as happy to see me show up at Mass as Fr. Carlos was. So, I'm going to do my best to appear more often.

Oops, hold that thought! And, this is the honest-to-goodness truth----this very second, after all this raving and praising God about the no-show of more "winter of mass destruction," I've just looked out the window, and what do I see?

You guessed it. And, a lot of it flurrying around like a swarm of furious killer bees.

God and I are going to have to have a talk.

Slightdetour Extra: Hats off to Hal and Virginia Overland who systematically picked up a heckuva lot of trash from ditches in the Center Valley complex of roads yesterday. They took their 4-wheeler and trailer. While Hal drove and spotted trash, Virginia jumped out and picked it up. If ya see either of these fine Bonner County locals, tell them thanks for doing their Earth Day civic project. Their efforts are much-appreciated.