Thumper Thinks Out Loud

I’m Sorry, So Sorry…

Everywhere we go, something happens. As high schoolers in Northern California, there was drought. Water was rationed, lawns went brown, and Folsom Lake began to shrink. The few odd rainy days were quite the treat, though never quite enough to make up for the dry days.

Then we went to Utah. They got enough snow that come spring, the runoff was so strong that the Jordan river overflowed and went right down the middle of State Street in Salt Lake City. That wasn’t too bad; the city sand bagged and kept the damage to a minimum.

In San Antonio flash floods whipped through the area, including one sorrowful incidence of a school bus caught in the path of the Guadalupe River as it swelled suddenly, sweeping several kids away.

Back in CA, we were there when San Francisco was hit with a huge earthquake. The damage was severe; a double decker freeway system collapsed, crushing the cars on the second level. I don’t remember how many people died, but it was far too many.

We took floods back to San Antonio with us, and then up to Saint Louis. Twice flood waters lapped up the steps leading to the Arch while we were there.

In 1996 we headed for Grand Forks, North Dakota. That winter they got 100+ inches of snow, several blizzards, including one that knocked the power out for a week (life is kinda chilly when ice is floating in your toilet.) That was a late season blizzard; just a couple weeks later it all melted, flooding the city to the point it had to be evacuated. Entire houses were under water. People lost everything.

You see the pattern here, right?

When we got orders to Wright-Patterson AFB, people told us the winters wouldn’t be bad; they get an inch here and there, but it melts after a day or so. Nothing major. Our neighbors all assured us the last few winters had been pretty mild; one said that if they got an inch of snow all totaled last year, he’d be surprised.

Well, we’ve had snow a couple times already, and some ice. Today it’s been raining, and as the temperature drops, that rain should turn to sleet, then snow. Anywhere from 2-6 inches. Lots of snow on top of ice. Should make driving fun in the morning.

Daytonians… this is our fault. If we had stayed in CA you’d be having a nice, mild winter, like last year. Since we’re here, tonight’s snow will probably hit the 6 inch mark, and it’ll be like this all winter.

We bring bad things.
If it’s not snow, it will be floods or fire, quite possible some famine and pestilence.
We’re sorry. Really.
It should only be 2-3 years. We’ll probably leave after that.

Unless we like it here, then we’ll retire and Dayton will just have to suck it up.