Friday, February 12, 2010

Where I go looking for a snowflake with a flashlight...




We have been having a snow event in Austin. It was "expected" to snow on Wednesday, then Thursday and then Friday. So far, nary a snowflake to be found.

Now I know that 90% of my readers are experiencing worst stuff. So I am not expecting any sympathy or pity points. I simply want to make fun of describe what happens in Austin when we have weather like this.... And say woe is me!

So here is what is going on:

At work, we have a few folks come in from out of town. They were warned that weather was going to be bad in Austin. We were going to have rainsleeticesnow

The conversation went thus:

Them: "How much snow?"
Us: "Maybe 1/5th inch of snow."
Them: Doubling over laughing.
Us: "You should take this seriously."
Them:  "Seriously? 1/5th an inch? We are macho people and stuff like that does not make news unless at least it is 2 feet of snow."
Us: Le Sigh! "You don't understand. No one here knows what to do when white stuff falls from the sky."


But did they listen? Nope. So they came. And realized that no one in Austin or even Texas knows what to do when white stuff falls from the sky. And they certainly don't understand the ramifications of an anticipated rainsleeticesnow in Texas.


Yesterday on my way to work, I saw not 1 not 2 but 7 accidents. Most of them were fender benders. But there were at least 3-4 cars involved in it. And it is ironic that not even one snow flake befell. Sure it rained. But the anticipation of rainsleeticesnow simply made everything worse. 


The nontexans quickly realized what we meant when we warned them. No one in Austin-Texas knows what to do when white stuff falls from the sky.


The weathermen were hyperventilating. Traffic was horrific. What would take you 30 minutes to commute was taking hour and a half. The grocery stores were jam packed. 10 minutes to pick up milk and hour and a half of standing in line to pay for it.


Since the weathermen had been advising me to keep my camera handy, I stayed up late. And waited and waited. The last time we had flurries in Austin, I had my camera handy. And I took photos. But... the snow flakes were so microscopic that they never showed up on the photo.


For you my lovely readers, I tried and tried. At midnight, I went with a flashlight to look for a lone snowflake. But none was found. Sorry to disappoint you.


I am off to work now. Please send positive thoughts my way so I can deal with the traffic and weather. Austin, Texas has survived yet another snowless snow event.


And if you find a snowflake, send it my way will you please?




7 comments:

Scriber's Web said...

So here is another example...


So a tree in my backyard is on fire due to the weight of the snow on the trees on the electrical lines. The fire dept can't/won't do anything. They said to go to sleep. THERES A FIRE IN MY BACKYARD THAT COULD SET MY HOUSE ON FIRE IN MINUTES and they want me to go to sleep. like thats gonna happen.

mythopolis said...

I don't think I could sleep well either with a tree on fire. But, on another subject. I hope you will buy yourself a hardhat because I would hate to think of you getting clobbered by a big ol' snowflake!!!

BLOGitse said...

What a rough life you have over there right now!
This winter the snow has been the biggest issue for bloggers...
not for me though... :)

Unknown said...

Sounds like the town where I worked for 8 years.
I come out of a region where snow is normal, but them,...oh boy ;)
I'll hardly find a snow flake, but I hope you'll have a good start into the week :)

Unknown said...

A tree on fire in your backyard and they don't do shite?
That sounds like you are in Egypt....
Hope all's well?!

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

Seriously? A tree on fire in your backyard? Not the possibility of a tree on fire should the weight of snow on the electrical lines cause the lines to touch the tree and start a fire? No, I wouldn't sleep either!

Your description of the anticipated snow and panic buying (!) is so funny. No-one on Isle of Wight knows how to cope with snow either but at least here we actually have the snow before we start to fall apart at the seams!

As for the snowflakes, please keep looking, keep the camera handy, and let us know immediately you find anything. better still, send it to Vancouver.

Sumit said...

Didja find the snowflake yet? The only place that has ice/snow here is the canteen guy's freezer. Send some my way, please. :)