No hot time in the old town

As I mentioned yesterday, this area is in the throes of really cold weather. If you want a precise measurement, it’s bloody colder than a landlord’s heart, which scares those of us who rely on Metro to get to and from work.

Especially when snow enters into it, as it did overnight into yesterday morning. Whenever there’s anything less than perfect weather, Metro becomes a crapshoot. Snow moves it to a whole new level.

School districts in the vicinity of The District They Call Columbia shut down for the day (which means supermarket shelves in the area were denuded of milk, bread and disposable diapers) and the federal government was on two-hour delay with liberal “unscheduled leave” and teleworking.

My mile-and-a-half drive to the Metro station was a little dodgy at 0445, but I noticed that highways were clear and plenty of traffic was moving at speed along both the Dulles Access Road and I-66.

However: Metro.

My car, as you can see, had drifts of snow from the doors being open for at least five minutes before departure:

And there was no heat on.

You cannot believe how cold the 40-minute ride is when there’s no heat and the outside temperature is around 25°F.

Man. #WMATA

Forewarned is forearmed

As you might be aware, the eastern part of North America is experiencing positively Arctic weather, which we’re told will hang around for several days.

So you can expect me to be on the lookout for silliness.

Viz:

P.S. From the Twitter thread, apparently the poster logged the danger, but went out for the food anyhow.

  

Up in the air

Here’s another entry from the vanity plate collection:

It was on a vehicle that you’d generally associate with testosterone, although I did not see the occupant(s):

No indication of the aircraft of choice, and no way to tell if the 80 is year of birth, or of active flight status.

Still not as good as one I saw once in the parking lot of Star of the Sea Church in Virginia Beach. That one was SPY NAVY, and the driver turned out to be a rather dishy guy with a gorgeous tenor voice.

Until thrift do us part

The other day I was at a thrift store, browsing through the housewares aisles (sometimes you can find small Corning casserole dishes, which I seem to use at a rate of knots) and my eye was caught by the stemware. I don’t know how this happened, but—while I have an abundance of wine glasses—I’m down to only two Champagne flutes, so I looked a bit closer.

It was too much to hope for actual crystal in this setting, but what made me stop and wonder was this random glass:

It’s hard to see the actual words, but trust me on this:

Ryan & Lindsey

August 12, 2006

(And a seahorse. What do you suppose the seahorse signified?)

That’s nearly twelve years ago. I wonder if Ryan and Lindsey are still together?

  

Gratitude Monday: still here

A brave winter sun presides over the District They Call Columbia. Sixteen degrees with a wind chill taking the perceived temperature down to single digits.

Thus 2018 breaks here.

But I’m in a warm house; my car started without complaint earlier; I’m queuing things up for the workweek ahead; and I’m in good health. I have much to be grateful for, and that’s what I’m concentrating on for this first Gratitude Monday of the New Year.

Peace out.

Waving the old one out

I think this is as good a way as any to see out 2017.

Happy 2018.