Robert wrote:
>
> Much of Chicagoland received 65 inches this winter, although the
> official reading at O'Hare is only 51. The average is 38; the record
> is 90 (1979). We're not going to break the record.
>
> Highway departments in northern Illinois are running out of salt
> because we've had 30 'snow events' requiring road clearing, twice the
> usual number.
>
> Road clearing in Chicagoland is outstandingly good. Roads are clear
> two hours after snow stops falling. In 1979, roads were impassible
> for a week following a two foot snowfall. People got so mad about it,
> they voted the mayor, Michael Bilandic, out of office. (He went on to
> become chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.) Politicians
> learned to spare no expense clearing snow.
>
Lucky. My city owns not one single snowplow. 'Course it doesn't snow much
in
Houston, maybe 1/4 inch every five years (we're at the same latitude as
Cairo). But when it DOES snow, boy! Schools close, roadways close (mostly
due to multi-car collisions), people stock up on canned goods, shelters
open, everybody goes to church and prays for divine guidance. Kids make
foot-high snowmen. Cats get confused. Dogs don't notice.
On the other hand, at hurricane warning time, when our visiting northern
bretheren look down and say: "Make tracks, feet!," we stock up on beer and
have a party.
It's what you're used to.
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