11 January 2011 Slip sliding oi vei!

As of 1235, we have not been graced with snowfall today. Yet.

Today’s forecast calls for snow showers, ice pellets, freezing fog and freezing drizzle – 60% probability. Tomorrow’s outlook still calls for snow. We’ve learned that our microclimate seems to assure that we receive the snow outlook forecast for the “higher elevations” rather than that forecast for the lower valleys.

I’ve moved wood from the rapidly diminishing wood stack to the deck. I need to cut and stack more and/or order another load. Both plans of action require a few days of dry ground/roads. I’m not sure when they will present. Even the wood I am burning would be better off after an encounter with the chain saw. But I don’t care to cut wood in a snowstorm or standing in mud.

Today’s hike with Mike was uneventful. It was a long two miles spent mostly on packed snow and ice. The traffic was nearly non-existent – a good thing today. Footing was extremely treacherous with a layer of water on both sides of some ice patches. These were wont to break under weight and then slide beneath my boots. There’s enough snow to make XC skis potentially usefull in the mornings and enough ice to make me wish for crampons. I know that by the half-way point on the hike I’d be ready to swear off crampons again. They are not user friendly to the infrequent user.

The topic of disagreement centered on how the various media are treating the Tucson assassin vs. how they treated the Ft. Hood assassin. I see a role reversal where Mike does not. He recalls the enforced political correctness that he sees as favoritism toward Islam contrasting with his perceived rush to link the right wing demagogues to the Tucson shootings. I see more PC than I care to see applied to the Ft. Hood case. And unlike Mike, I see the teavangelists and other far right demagogues as complicit in raising the level of anger in the political arena.

I’m quite amused at watching Palin back-pedal and lie about her targeting web page. I expect her to lie about everything she can. I am particularly personally pleased to see her lying so badly about something so prominent.

I’ve been up since 0428 today. Simply woke up, couldn’t find a comfortable position to allow me to get back to sleep. Didn’t want to wake Gloria so I got up and dressed, fed the stove, and waited for sunrise.

I have no idea what dinner will be tonight.

1301, and it now snowing again.