Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

Thunderstorms. In January.

I remember a lovely New Year's weekend not too many years ago when a blizzard trapped us at home for three days. It was great - board games and hot cocoa and playing with our dog. Today's the last day of our vacation, so I was looking forward to a homey kind of day, with beef stew in the crock pot, and bread baking, and maybe even making some cookies. The kind of stuff that feels right when the sounds of the outside world are muffled under a blanket of snow, and nothing could be more satisfying than being in a warm kitchen making comfort food for your family.

But this sucks. Don't get me wrong - I love a good thunderstorm. I can't get outside fast enough in a warm summer storm. Sometimes I throw my arms to the heavens, spinning until I'm dizzy, staring at the sky and feeling the wind whipping my hair. Sometimes I just sit in a lawn chair in silent contemplation of the wonders of nature.

But thunderstorms have their place, and I'm here to say it ain't on January freaking second!! I mean come on! Around here it's de rigeur to get a blizzard in March, and more or less expected to get one last bit of snow in the spring after the flowers have started blooming. Thunderstorms in January are end of times type stuff.

I hope the folks who don't believe in global warming are paying attention.