Sunday, January 31, 2010

Sunday Afternoon Ramblings


It must have warmed up a bit. Looking out the window I can see that the area within the concrete barriers that I call Streeterville Bay is still frozen. The lake beyond, however, has returned to a frigid, but unfrozen blue. Michigan, on the other side and out of eyesight (due to the curvature of the earth, but I suspect you knew that), is still inundated with copious amounts of snow. Gotta get really warm to melt all of that. The slanting rays of late afternoon, mid-winter sunlight give Navy Pier a pleasant and inviting appearance. It's 31 degrees at the Mini. No word on the wind chill.

Babs and I spent a sizable chunk of the afternoon looking at hotels and airfares for a spring vacation in Rome. Then we decided to go to Florida instead and to look for reasonable places to retire and buy homes in the warmth. Well, I still have pictures of the Roman art and a bottle of Chianti Classico in the little wine cellar. Wine cellar? OK it's a little bitty refrigerator that keeps the wine at a constant 55-65 degrees for aging purposes. Don't really know why I need it. Very little wine stays around here long enough to need the controlled temperature environment. True, I have one bottle of expensive stuff that I've had for several years. Just waiting for a special occasion. Nothing special enough has come along as yet.

Speaking of special occasions, Babs has a new blog. It's called Babsray's Blog, and can be found at mybarbararay.com. True, I'm married to her, but it appears to be well-written and a source of interest for one and all. Her latest post is "Corn, it's not what you think it is," or something like that. And you know, who would know more about corn than someone who grew up in Iowa? Anyway, check it out. Guaranteed edification.

The Illinois primary elections are coming up on Tuesday, as is Ground Hog Day. I'm not really certain if there is a viable connection between the primary and the ground hog making weather predictions. The Reverend R.D. tells me that when the primary falls on Ground Hog Day, it's a valid predictor of good or bad politics for the next 6 years. If the ground hog sees his shadow on that day, he retreats to his burrow and we'll have 6 more weeks of winter and bad weather. If the voters see their shadows, we'll have 6 more years of bad politics and further indictments for bribery and assorted political offenses. Frankly, I don't think we need special omens to tell us that. This being the City of Chicago, and the fine state of Illinois, we can expect that anyway.

As Ground Hog Day goes, in the past we at Views have held a predict off between Phil the Groundhog and Larry the Doorman. Turns out not to even be a contest. Larry the Doorman is the best weather predictor this side of the Mississippi. He's been tested against Punxutawney Phil, the groundhog. He's been tested against The Old Farmers' Almanack. He's been tested against the evening weather dudes on TV.

Turns out that we may be in need of a new weather predictor, though. Larry the Doorman may be retiring. Seems he's invented a device he calls "One for the Road." It's a device that allows guys who are driving long distances to relieve themselves while never leaving the comfort of their vehicles. I mean how many times have you been driving cross-country and needed to pee and just didn't really want to take the time and effort to find a gas station and a bathroom? Really? Me neither. But apparently there are those guys out there who would just as soon let 'er rip right there in the car. Well, good luck Larry. Just remember, if this doesn't work out, there's always a doorman's job and a chance at beating Punxutawney Phil year in and year out at weather predicting.

When I started this thing off today, I thought I had a valid point. Turns out I may not have or if there was one it was just that I can ramble on indefinitely about nothing. Well, this is January 31 and that makes it February Eve. It's an old tradition here on the 14th floor that I make "New Month Resolutions." My "New Month Resolution" for February of 2010 is to solemnly swear to have a point next time I grace these pages. And so I will. It is solemnly sworn. See you about election day. I'll probably have a point to make by then. In the meantime, it's just about Happy Hour.






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