What a winter it's been! We've had January temperatures (January's usually about the coldest month here in The Peg) since November and the snow just keeps coming as well. At one point I could see the lake forming in the back yard and then my wife went on another business trip and - of course - we received another couple of massive snowfalls. I'm worried everything between here and Fargo is going to melt in one day and I'll see Happy Harry's Liquor's floating past me on the front street.
-- -- -- -- --
I do worry about the folks in the Red River Valley - most of them, anyway. But as a guy who has worked on countless forest fires, floods, train derailments and other public emergencies, I have one piece of advice for you: If someone tells you it's time to evacuate, then GET THE HELL OUT OF DODGE! Don't expect anyone to risk their life trying to save someone too stupid to know when to go. Like Kenny Rogers said, you gotta know when to fold them. And when it's time to leave, do so.
-- -- -- -- --
We broke up the savage blasts of winter with one holiday and a minor getaway. Cruised the Eastern Caribbean for a wonderful warm seven days sandwiched between sunny days in Fort Lauderdale. We'll likely do that again. Especially Sint Maarten, with its Dutch/French culture and laid-back lifestyle. Also liked Grand Turk, the small, tornado-ravaged island with the largest pool I have ever seen and the best Margaritas anywhere (at Margaritaville, of course). St. Thomas was pretty but way too aggressive, with taxi drivers harassing you for a ride and hawkers bellowing you to come into their stores to buy jewelry.
The minor getaway got me a chance to join my wife in Toronto for a couple of days, where she had gone on a business trip. It gave me a chance to stay at a lovely classic hotel (no complaints there) and visit with some friends in Burlington, along the shore of Lake Ontario. While they enjoy their southern Ontario lifestyle the one thing they could do without is that yellow summer sky and the view of the steel mill smokestacks a few miles down the shore in Hamilton.
Toronto? It's fast moving, but nowhere near that of New York or San Francisco. In terms of costs it's right on par with those cities. I spent $17 on two pints of beer the other night. Toronto is sort of like its airport - sterile. Maybe if I go back I'll see what all the fuss is about, but I'll bring my own booze.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment