26 JAN 03: A CHILLING EFFECT
The temperature in Columbus may have topped 40 F. yesterday. Early Friday, we fell to 13 with a wind chill index around zero! OK, who was the smart aleck asking for nice ice hockey weather?
I haven't checked back at that house on Broadway where the riding mower was out two weeks ago. (9 Jan) You don't think she was clearing room for a skating rink, do you!?!?
This is the coldest the weather has been since I moved to Columbus in 1997. So to be safe, I let most of the faucets drip overnight - except for the bathtub. It's been dripping continuously for several years.
The last time I told my landlord about the bathtub, a crew came out and wrestled with it. Then one man said he'd have to come back "after the first of the year" and fix it. That was December 2001 - so do you think I've been patient enough?
It's been SO COLD that I've cycled through my collection of sweaters in the closet. But I have NOT yet brought out the thermal underwear. At some former apartments I would have - but this one DOES have working heat.
My older brother introduced me to thermal underwear 20 years ago, as our Mom was buried on an even colder December 30th in Kansas City, Kansas. That day was SO COLD that I seem to recall the graveside minister having mercy on us, and reading the "Reader's Digest Condensed" version of the Scriptures.
That reminds me: I had the strangest dream about my older brother Friday night. I invited him to my church's basketball weekend - and he showed up with crutches, two "peg legs" and no feet. If his bosses are working him THAT hard, he ought to speak up about it....
That reminds me II: My current supervisor at work has something at her desk I've never seen in a TV newsroom before. It's a paperback copy of the book, "1000 Dreams Explained." Is this how she plans to analyze the promises of politicians?
To bring this topic back around: during my CNN Headline News years, I shared a cold-weather quote from the Associated Press with a good friend. Someone in the east said about a cold wave, "It's colder than a boss's heart!" She shared it with her staff on the computer - then was afraid she'd made a big mistake.