What I write about varies. Unlike other blogs which are consistently about food or books or chaps sporting big beards, mine is a spectrum erudite entries, full of wisdom, to drivel and rubbish. What determines the gravity or levity of these scribblings depends on what pops into my pumpkin. I’m not picky; like a democratic drawbridge I go down for everything. I wonder if this is what improv theatre is like, the way they look anyway. The actor is given a topic and is told to run with it. If so, I don’t envy them. I go over each sentence several times for prosody, content, and speling errors until they are right.
My friends and relations back in the Midwest are howling today resembling an orchestra of scorched cats about the weather; apparently they are getting dumped upon by snow and slush and gray skies which invariably makes them cross. What surprises me is the intensity of the vociferous laments which convey shock as if they have never seen such things before. Perhaps it is a matter of age. Just about everyone I know these days is well over forty (and well over four feet). As Midwesterners age, cold weather becomes less tolerable.* Last week it got down 4C here in Phoenix, which felt quite gelid. As expected at this time of year, this didn’t arouse any empathy from family who were shoveling their walks – again.
February is a a dreary month in general and one tries to get out of it somehow by going to more clement climes. Thanks to covid19, we are going nowhere but staying home. I might try to coax Someone to go on a long weekend somewhere, provided we can do this safely. Maybe to the southeast of Arizona where the wineries are. I’ve never been to them. This is probably a bad idea for a lot of reasons so it is ‘stay put and endure February’ as we all tend to do.
Does anyone have any plans for February?
Anyone have snow?
*And they complain about it more.
41 comments
February 1, 2021 at 9:52 AM
rjjs8878
No plans. Snow is expected this weekend.
February 1, 2021 at 10:08 AM
Urspo
how much snow? I wants to know. 🙂
February 1, 2021 at 10:26 AM
rjjs8878
Just a slight chance. Probably only a dusting.
February 1, 2021 at 10:29 AM
anne marie in philly
rabbit rabbit. currently 3″ of snow and sleeting. we are expecting another 9-10″ of snow today into tomorrow. we ain’t going anywhere.
February 1, 2021 at 11:12 AM
Urspo
this sounds jolly viz. a snow storm outside and cozy warm inside
February 1, 2021 at 10:57 AM
Parnassus
No snow here, but if it is 45F here, I have to keep explaining to people who say that is much colder wherever, that they have heat. Since there is no indoor heat in Taiwan, if it is 45F outside, it is 45F inside, and damp to boot. On the plus side, “spring” comes earlier here.
–Jim
February 1, 2021 at 11:12 AM
Urspo
no heat ever? not even little space heaters?
February 1, 2021 at 11:40 AM
Debra She Who Seeks
Here in Edmonton we have a decent amount of snow on the ground (1 foot maybe, in undisturbed places) and have had a very mild winter up until last week. Now we are in the grip of a polar vortex and it will be -30C by the end of this week. So long as there’s no windchill to amp up the frostbite, it’s bearable though.
February 1, 2021 at 12:29 PM
Urspo
-30C does not sound feasible but I have heard about such temperatures all my life growing up, always as a ‘cold front from Canada”.
February 1, 2021 at 12:11 PM
Moving with Mitchell
Plans? What are plans? 70 and sunny here today. No apologies.
February 1, 2021 at 12:30 PM
Urspo
I forget what part of Spain you reside. I recently saw a Youtube lecture on the differences between Spanish spoken in Spain and in Mexico. They made reference to the latter as similar to a certain region in Spain.
February 2, 2021 at 2:14 AM
Moving with Mitchell
I don’t know where in Spain the language is most similar to Mexican Spanish. But I’m in Andalucía and it’s definitely not here.
February 1, 2021 at 12:29 PM
Lori
Sunny and no snow right now but this weekend is supposed to be very cold. I think Sunday the high is supposed to be 12. No plans for February outside of the house anyway. I had to chuckle at a few of your lines.
February 1, 2021 at 12:31 PM
Urspo
I try to write to elicit chuckles; I am glad to know they succeed.
February 1, 2021 at 12:50 PM
larrymuffin
Yes, Yes I agree full of erudition and wisdom. I tell people please read the good Dr. he should have his show on TV. and he is cute to boot. The vocabulary is too posh for words.
February 1, 2021 at 2:49 PM
Urspo
aw shucks I’m blushing.
Please send lobsters or dragon cheese.
February 1, 2021 at 2:44 PM
Linda Practical Parsimony
I like erudition very much! 70F yesterday and 38F today. Snow might fall in my town, not here. It won’t last long. I hope not so I can keep wearing this sleeveless blouse under a thin sweater and sandals.
The thing that is heating me today is the $389 Tommy paid to have the dishwasher installed. I don’t need any heat source!
February 1, 2021 at 2:50 PM
Urspo
i feel your pain. We are soon to get a new dryer or repairman
February 1, 2021 at 3:32 PM
Sam
I plan to whine at least twice this month about snow and cold. It’s in my DNA. If my internal thermostat would not fire up at night, I could at least claim the cold as perfect sleeping weather.
February 1, 2021 at 4:03 PM
Urspo
must be a Midwesterner at heart hohoho
February 1, 2021 at 4:03 PM
Todd Gunther
I would love to share some of our snow with you. How many inches can we put you down for? (Yes, that is meant to be a double entendre.)
February 1, 2021 at 4:04 PM
Urspo
provided it is quality I will settle for any
February 1, 2021 at 5:48 PM
Bob Slatten
No big plans.
I was hoping for a little snow, we do get some here in SC, but so far … none.
February 2, 2021 at 7:36 AM
Urspo
As Wednesday Addams likes to say: “Wait’
February 1, 2021 at 7:48 PM
Old Lurker
It is good you check for spelling, but who checks your grammar? ” is a spectrum erudite entries” sounds as if it is missing an “of” someplace, but I am hardly edumicated in these matters.
It is also worth noting that neither the cartoonist nor his children wear pants, even in the winter. No wonder 4C feels cold! Maybe if you focus the Zoom camera upwards so your relations did not see your pantslessness you would elicit more sympathy for suffering through Arizona winters.
February 2, 2021 at 7:37 AM
Urspo
Oh the pain. I go over these entries over and over and the story is the same: I think I get everything proper, I publish, and later typos and grammar errors arise like dandelions on a clean lawn.
February 2, 2021 at 9:08 AM
Old Lurker
Do you read the entries aloud to yourself? You would be surprised at how many errors this can catch, at the expense of your dignity if Someone/Harper catches you.
February 2, 2021 at 9:54 AM
Urspo
I try. The demon Titivillus usually prevails.
February 1, 2021 at 8:07 PM
Robzilla, Native of Slam Diego
It’s going to rain today, but I’m already indoors for the next 2-3 days except for grabbing the mail. I’m part of the shorts and t-shirt crowd as well.
February 2, 2021 at 7:37 AM
Urspo
Ah youth!
February 1, 2021 at 10:32 PM
Pipistrello
The weather! Me loves this, the carbohydrate of Anglo-Saxon conversation. Mild and drizzly today betwixt intermittent scorchio and intermittent bucketing this week, for this a La Niña Summer. Off on the train to visit my parents tomorrow – 3 hours be-masked and immersed in books, then another train trip to the mountains west of the city to visit neighbours in their holiday house. Staycation times whilst Mr P is on summer hols.
February 2, 2021 at 7:37 AM
Urspo
I love your lexicon and prosody so!
February 1, 2021 at 10:34 PM
Will Jay
The snow is up in the Sierras, as it should be. We are finally getting some rain. I would dearly love to escape to somewhere sunny and warm, however my most exciting escapade has been a trip to the big Target store to pick up an order. I am truly living on the ragged edge of excitement.
February 2, 2021 at 7:38 AM
Urspo
We go every weekend to Albertsons not as exciting as Target but we get pears and eggs.
February 1, 2021 at 11:36 PM
wcs
Mild temps here, but lots of rain and wind. Makes walking the dog a muddy mess. Some snow would be welcomed, but it’s unlikely.
February 2, 2021 at 7:39 AM
Urspo
Our pooch would rather hold it in than go out in the rain. Good for you two for going!
February 2, 2021 at 11:30 PM
wcs
Soggy weather does not intimidate a Shetland Sheepdog, no sir.
February 2, 2021 at 6:45 AM
johnmichael42003
No plans for February. I don’t like winter, so don’t make any plans. And of course there is COVID restrictions, so there’s that.
My blog is all over the place.
February 2, 2021 at 7:39 AM
Urspo
“All over the place” blogs are my favorite; I go there to see what may be there
February 2, 2021 at 7:04 AM
David Godfrey
It is snowing here for the third day in a row, probably 4 or 5 inches in the ground. More than we had the last couple of winters put together. No plans to leave home except shopping and walking anytime soon.
February 2, 2021 at 7:40 AM
Urspo
this sounds downright cozy. I miss these sorts of wintry days.