Storm Splurge
Posted at 6:00 AM on December 9, 2009
by Dale Connelly
(31 Comments)
Radio Heartland has tickets to give away to a performance by Pieta Brown at the Cedar Cultural Center this Saturday, December 12th. We'll take names until 1pm Thursday afternoon.
Enter the drawing.
Obey the rules.
Good luck.
There was a frozen, snow-caked mackerel on my desk this morning, and inside, this note on a rolled-up parchment:
Ahoy landlubbers!It occurs to me an' th' boys that a winter storm is th' closest experience sissy people on land can have to th' challenges we faces as a regular part of our life at sea.
Bad weather gives you a real clear picture of yerself. In case you weren't aware, you is completely at th' mercy of th' elements, just like us.
Th' snow fallin' is like th' spray of th' ocean.
Th' snow underfoot is like th' slippery sea.
Th' drifts is th' deepest depths of Davey Jones' Locker, waitin' t' gobble you up.
Them big orange snowplows with their flashin blue lights is like th' craggy rocks of a foreboding land with a beacon perched atop - representin' both safety an' security an' a terrible, frightful risk of sudden, gruesome death at the very same time.
And th' wind is ... th' wind. A fella gets pushed this way an' th' other by a merciless gale that cares not one bit whether it blows you fair or ill.All you can do is hang on and try to ride it out.
So to them what is endurin' a winter storm, welcome t' th' feelin' me an me boys has every single day. Take it however it best suits ya. Go below an' cower in yer bunk if that's yer preference, or you could be like me an lash yerselves t' th' mast, open a bottle of grog, bear your teeth at th' elements an' howl into th' wind!
Yer Salty Pal,
Captain Billy
The Captain raises some interesting points in his note, but I still want to know how he got it here. This mackerel stinks!
Which sort of pirate are you when a storm hits?
Cowering in your bunk or Lashed to the mast?
Comments (31)
while i do love a snowy day all cozy and warm inside, i'm lashing myself to my 11 year-old RAV4 and heading out into it this morning. no grog until i get home this afternoon. my main concern will be the drivers wanting to get up and down Thompson Hill just as fast as they usually do, AIN'T THAT RIGHT BOYS??????
you be careful, Cynthia.
and the rest of you also.
Wow…I never thought I’d get on the blog this early! I couldn’t sleep so I thought I’d get up and make my way into work, the roads were barely plowed but there was no traffic (one advantage of the early commute) so I’m glad I got out early. I don’t cower in this weather….I LOVE it! Strapped to the mast I say.….that’s why we live in Minnesota.
aaarrrggg........
Godd Morning Folks,
I will not be going any place today. No use going out on the bad roads and I don't need to go any place any way. I will go out and do a little shoveling because like Captin Billy, I like to face the elements, but not for too long
Good luck to any Heartlanders who have to travel today or choose to do so, like Barb and Kate. I've been in the ditch a few times when the roads were bad in the winter and I don't want that to happen again. It is possible to travel in bad weather, but this usually should be avoided in my opinion.
I remember Jim Ed always telling listeners to be careful when the weather was bad during Morning Show broadcasts.
Kate - do you get to leave early this afternoon if you get in to work at 6 a.m.?? uffda.
well, i gotta go clock in with the Girls - early also, but the commute is a lot easier.
stay warm - as for the goats, the boys are the strapped to the mast types, but Steve says the Girls are Alpine Resort Goats - they need pampering. i've got the Girls' fleece jackets (that i sewed for them) ready. Dreamy and Alba like their jackets, but Dodger just chews hers open and when i come back to the barn, hers is hanging around her neck. but i'll try again today. the Boys don't need jackets - they make plenty of heat running around.
Dale, how on earth did you get the note out of the mackerel??
A shout out this morning to Lora, who I see via Care 11 online, doesn't have school today. Hope you're sleeping in kid.
Sioux Falls is on the edge of this system and has a one hour late start. We employees still report for duty at the regular time - or as reasonably close as possible depending on our individual circumstances. My goal is to get the heck out of here before the plow goes through and leaves its rock hard mounds at the end of my drive. I went out at 5:15 to scoop and had some pretty good drifts - I'd forgotten how much fun shoveling isn't.
Be careful out there, Heartlanders.
Way to come out of your shell Kate!
I went running 7.25 miles in the white stuff after work late yesterday afternoon and into the evening, so I guess that puts me in the lashed to the mast camp. There was plenty of wind into which I could have howled... but no grog.
Marching around in the snow this morning, clearing the minivan of snow, to get to work in time dramatically reduced the poetic value of the abundance of new snow, though.
And, Donna, how did he think to look IN a mackerel for a note? ;-)
Ahoy Mateys! I am writing this from the cozy confines of my warm kitchen. Lucked out and was not scheduled for today because I worked the weekend.
An effort is made every year to learn to love winter weather, but it slips-slides away each time. So today is going to be a baking day! Cookies and tarts for Christmas, and other things for the birthdays that we will celebrate this weekend. No mackeral on the list of baked goods from the galley - sorry Cap'n.
Saying a little prayer for all who must travel in the snow.
I'll lash myself to the mast to clear the driveway this morning but then return to the warm house to cower in my bunk with hot coffee (until the hour when it is proper to switch to grog) and a good book.
Greetings! I'm a little schizophrenic about winter weather. Part of me loves it and enjoys the physical challenge of shoveling (sometimes) and the beauty of new fallen snow.
The wienie part of me truly hates driving anytime of year, and especially so in bad weather. This is when I cower in my bunk. Although I did drive myself to Sparring last night. It helps that there aren't too many folks on road in evening, so I go r-e-a-l slow. Plus my 12-year old car ABS doesn't work either! Fun times ...
Official snow wimp here. Sent a note to work that due to my unplowed street I was staying home. Having grown up in DC where the threat of snow closes school it takes a little while for me to start acting like a Minnesotan.
I am torn between admiring those of you lashed to the mast and shaking my head at your foolishness.
Dale,
Do you by any chance have Tom Paxton's "How many Cookies Can Santa Claus Eat?"
Be careful out there!
Cowering in my bunk. Just ask any of my sailing buddies. I think my dogs feel the same, after the very short 'walk' we took outside this morning. The good news is that the coffee is hot in my Morning Show mug, the generator will kick in if the power goes out, I have yarn, milk, eggs, and I can listen to great music while I take pictures through the window.
Off subject, I discovered that the HD radio broadcast is delayed with respect to the streaming audio on the computer. I discovered that when I went from my study (streaming audio) to the kitchen (HD radio) and heard what I just heard over again. It seems like with regular radio it has been just the opposite. Maybe the snow is delaying the radio waves while the wires (warm in the ground) move the sound right along .
I shall lash myself to the mast (or, in my case - the warmth of heated seats in my VW)...but not until later than usual. I shall go slowly into this windy morning. No need to rush out in it. Glad I had the early a.m. dentist appointment yesterday - having to be up early in this would have been insult to injury (or teeth cleaning). Slowly, slowly into the fray.
Donna and elinor,
A frozen, ice-caked mackerel on your desk demands explanation, and since the fish doesn't talk, the only thing to do is look inside. That's what everybody does in this situation - or so I thought.
Doug,
Thanks for doing the investigation on web vs. HD delay times. Now you know what it feels like to be an alien, listening to radio in outer space. At least you don't have to wait light years to get the signal!
Thanks for tuning in, everybody!
I'm one of the "some of each" group -- I love being out in the elements once I GET there (well, for a while). But a morning like this makes me want to curl up with that cup of something hot, a warm sweater and a good book in front of the fake fireplace I finished putting up yesterday. Once I get to reading, I inadvertently start edging closer to the "fire", as I can see the glow of flashing orange mini lights out of the corner of my eye, and feel pretty silly when I realize there really is no heat coming from there!
Hello...yup, time to hunker down in winter clothes and face the barn chores...I have permission to work from home today, but will try to get to the dentist for check-up and decide then how it goes on the road.
Dale and Mike, is it too early/warm to hear Robert Service's Cremation of Sam McGee? Lordy, I forget, is it a song or just a poem?
Stay warm and safe, y"all!
I often lash myself to the mast and drag myself into work on days like this but am cowering today. Wisdom coming with age, perhaps?! Or just lack of enthusiasm for the 4-5 hours I would spend on the road to get there and back? I brought my computer home and am trying to work, so no grog yet. Hats off to elinor for running yesterday - now there is dedication!
We always have waffles for breakfast as a blizzard tradition. Once, when we lost power for two days and were unable to get out of the driveway, my husband fired up the charcoal grill and made oatmeal. It was sort of smokey flavored, but at least it was hot. We also had our daughter climb out of her window and struggle to the deck so she could clear space so we could open the door out to the deck.so the dog could get out. I always loved going outside in storms but only with skis on. I once skied to the store during a storm for cream for the coffee. have a horror of getting stuck in the street in a vehicle.
My policy for storms is to go out, but no further than I can go on foot. This insures that the day does not culminate in a call to Triple A.
Off topic - I missed last Saturday night's show with Vicky Emerson and the Steeles. I tried to listen on the archive, but the link appears to go to the wrong audio. What sort of bribe might I offer to get someone to investigate?
I forgo the lashing to the mast part. I tend to enjoy trying to hang on by myself. When I was living in my home town of Mankato I would go out skiing to friend's houses in the worst storms. They always knew that if the city was locked down by snow and wind the knock on their door was always me wanting to get them out to dig a snow cave. I will never forget skiing down Main Street hill at 11:00 PM in the snow, wind, thunder and lightning. Once when I was in Jr. High I got lost in a storm while in my own neighborhood. I dug down into a drift to get out of the weather and found a street sign that located me and allowed me to make it back to the house. That was deep snow!
AAAARRRRGGGHH!!! When ye grows up in a place likes Duluth, ye not only learns t'be respectsful o'the weather but also nots t'let it stops you as long as ye'r smart abouts it. Goin' ups and downs the hills there, if y'don't drives smart, y'll finds yerself at the body shops fer both kinds o'bodies...yer car's and -yours.- Har-HArrrrggghh...
Them Sherpa drivers may thinks that they can drives like it's was just another summer's day...until they's gets stuck. Then y'sees them standin' outside the cab o'their massively overpriced, uneconomicable land yacht blubberin' that it not only doesn't drive better in the snow or stop better on black ice, but that it's also too big fer anyone t'pushes them or lends them a hand.
Enjoying the blog, I was up long before dawn to watch the snow and to wait for the notice that my academic institution is closed!
Catching up on creating final exams, grades, planning, while watching the snow and wind outside my window.
Will put up some much needed Christmas lights inside (maybe outside) to remedy the long nights of winter.
I love snow days.....
Safe travels to those of you on the road.
Definitely a lash to the mast type, or even up the mast, as I am a sailboat racer and have been to the top of a 50 foot stick. Today, I am a wimp. Since school is out, this day is a huge gift for us teachers. (Funny how the kids think they are the only ones who love snow days).
By the way, Dale, we heard Neal and Leandra Sat. night in Mankato at the Bothy Folk Club, and LOVE the new version of 'Old Love'. We think in these times of recession, you need to write a version having to do with 'Gold Love' as well.
The snow is wonderful! I can't get to work even though I walk, trudging through this much snow is more than I can bare till I rest from all the shoveling I did in my driveway this morning. So why is that great? Down hear in Rochester, we don't get this show on digital radio, and I can't listen to it at work, so I am working from home with the music in the background reminding me of the years I listened to the morning show. I started listening the day Garrison left.
So is Don DeCoin steering this trial balloon, or has that been asked a billion times already?
Morning Heartlanders... sorry I missed you all this morning. I was out lashed to the mast. Over an hour shoveling - long, long driveway. And I live on a busy, often-plowed street, so there's always a good little pile at the bottom of the driveway. But the good news is that now I don't have to go work out over lunch!
catching up this morning on the week's blog topics--wow, i missed some good ones, especially the self-identity one! miss you all, and will make every attempt to join you all on Friday a.m.....which requires setting the alarm a couple hours earlier than usual....
Bill,
Believe it or not, I think you may be the first person to mention the heroic Don DuQuoin of Traffic Balloon fame here on Trial Balloon!
I would like to think he is still up there somewhere, observing the madness with his usual air of detachment.
Thanks for tuning in today!
Is Don Duquoin the guy on the west coast who went up in his LAWN CHAIR with all those balloons holding him up? (I guess I could google this to find out, couldn't I..) If so, I'd say there's a fairly good chance he's helping Dale steer it... you notice how we always stay ON TOPIC and things like that. I think it was once likened to herding goats.
Of course, I think this is right, Don Duquoin was one of those "experts" who made reports on the morning show, but he might also be the guy that went up in the lawn chair. I remember the reports from the weather bunker which some how I didn't hear in the later years of the morning show. I wonder if that guy is still out in the weather bunker and still trying to send in his rather unusual reports?
Hey Barbara,
You really should google Don. He has quite the interesting life online. I see he has a Facebook page and opinions about what to use instead of kale in a recipe.
And we thought he just did traffic.
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