LOUSY WEATHER

YESTERDAY WASN'T MUCH FUN

Thursday, 9:00 AM. 22 degrees F at the ferry dock, 21 on the back porch.  Wind SW, quite gusty, emphasizing the cold but also blowing low clouds out and making much of the sky blue. The humidity is much lower than yesterday, currently at 82%.  The barometer is entering a long rise after yesterday's bad weather.  The roads are hard packed and icy after having 4"-5" of snow and slush slathered on them.
   Yesterday's weather was the epitome of lousy.  First freezing rain and fog, then heavy, wet snow; all on top of hard-packed snowy roads and walks, with a temperature hovering around freezing all day.  Couple that with short, dark days and there you have it...winter at its almost-worst,
   We ran errands to Ashland in the afternoon, thinking the roads would be plowed, sanded and salted. They weren't.  The wind shield wipers clogged with freezing snow that slid off the roof and turned to ice.  The truck's tires are getting old and no longer bite through slush and snow the way they used to.  On-demand four-wheel drive is a godsend, but the best response to lousy winter weather is still to slow down and be patient.
   Tonight is Christmas Eve, and we have nowhere to go and nothing to do except stay warm and dry and listen to Christmas carols on the radio.  Good enough for us.