I spent most of Sunday evening watching the weather radar in vain hope that some of the ‘interesting’ weather Ginger has promised might arrive.  Instead all I saw was that Springfield seems to be sandwiched in a nice forty mile wide precipitation free corridor bounded to the north and south by ice and snow.

Once tucked up warm in bed I briefly heard the rattle of ice pellets hitting the insect screens before drifting off to sleep.

I awoke Monday to discover that about an inch of ice had fallen over night, and that made driving the school run fun.  Going down the hill on E. Battlefield towards the junction with Lone Pine we saw a mini van (people carrier) on its side on the verge of the opposite carriageway.  I made a note to take a picture on the way back, but by the time I’d dropped Alek off, the police had closed the road, which wasn’t very helpful as another car had left the road on the diversionary route they set up. I managed to get back  just in time to take Lanie to school, it had taken me over an hour to go about seven miles.

Mid morning I made coffee for Ginger and myself, and liking the light, decided to take pictures. All went well until I added whipped cream to my mocha. The container was nearly empty and decided to splutter all over the kitchen counter and my camera. Cleaning the camera took considerably longer than spraying it with cream.

Temperatures remained about -10C  all day and I nearly slipped base over apex on the ice while collecting Lanie from School. Later I watched from the safety of a side road as one car balletically slid to a halt, catching the rear end of another in the process, the impact sliding the second car sideways. It was very graceful, and produced a satisfying  ‘crump’ noise. I should add the  impact was minor, and no one appeared to be hurt.

Monday evening once more promised interesting weather that failed to materialise. Yet again Springfield was the empty sandwich filling between snowy bread, though it looked like the weather to the north might come down to visit us. Ginger has introduced me to the National Weather Service web site, which not only gives radar images, but also lets you ‘listen in’ on the meteorologists expounding on how they arrive at their forecasts, and what margins for error there may be. Being a nerd in training I find this fascinating, and I’ve included a small bit of Monday night’s report below.

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
524 PM CST MON DEC 15 2008

...UPDATE TO AVIATION...

.DISCUSSION...

A VERY COMPLEX FORECAST FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS WITH LITTLE IN
THE WAY OF MODEL CONTINUITY OR AGREEMENT. SEVERAL PERIODS OF
PRECIPITATION ARE LIKELY WITH A MIX OF SEVERAL PRECIPITATION TYPES
THROUGH THE PERIOD AS WELL.

SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT)...

MORNING MODEL RUNS CAME IN WITH ACCUMULATING PRECIPITATION ACROSS
MUCH OF THE SPRINGFIELD CWA BEGINNING LATE THIS EVENING. THIS
BEING A MAJOR CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS RUNS...IT NECESSITATED
SCRUTINY...AND GOT PLENTY OF IT. HOWEVER...AFTER MUCH
EXAMINATION...THE FORECAST SOLUTION IS QUITE REASONABLE. MID LEVEL
FRONTOGENESIS HAS BEEN ONGOING THROUGHOUT THE DAY ACROSS A FAIRLY
WIDE BAND RUNNING SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS THE CWA AS EVIDENT
BY MID LEVEL RADAR RETURNS AND SATELLITE IMAGES. PRECIPITATION HAS
NOT BEEN FALLING UNDER THIS FEATURE...BUT CEILINGS HAVE COME DOWN
A BIT AS SOME DOWNWARD SATURATION HAS BEGUN. THE FORECAST IS FOR
ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE TO ENSUE THIS EVENING AND MOISTEN THE LOWER
LEVELS. THIS WILL COUPLE WITH THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL LIFT TO
PRODUCE A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR A BROAD AREA OF
PRECIPITATION...WITH SOME BANDING TAKING PLACE...MOST LIKELY ALONG
THE INTERSTATE 44 CORRIDOR. SOUNDINGS INDICATE SNOW AS THE PRIMARY
PRECIPITATION TYPE WITH SOME SLEET POSSIBLE ALONG THE SOUTHERN
BORDER OF THE CWA. AS THE SNOW TAPERS OFF ON TUESDAY...SOME
FREEZING DRIZZLE AND PERHAPS LIGHT SLEET WILL BE POSSIBLE. IT
CURRENTLY APPEARS THAT ANY ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LIGHT.

IN TERMS OF SNOWFALL AMOUNTS...THE COBB METHOD AND ISENTROPIC
UPGLIDE METHOD BOTH INDICATE 2 TO 4 INCHES ACROSS A BROAD AREA.
THIS WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY SNOW TO WATER RATIOS OF AROUND 15:1
COUPLED WITH MODEL QPF. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT PERSISTENT BANDING
OF SNOWFALL UNDER SOME OF THE STRONGER FRONTOGENESIS MAY PRODUCE
SLIGHTLY HIGHER TOTALS IN A FEW AREAS.

Today’s key task once all the regular chores were out of the way was to get the Christmas tree set up and decorated. This relatively simple task took around four or five hours to complete, and if I hadn’t stepped in towards the end and gone crazy hanging baubles, the job would still only be part done.

Despite our best combined efforts, the tree did not pass inspection. There was much tut-tutting regarding low hanging balls, and their irresistible lure to the fur-shedding felines, and some necessary re-alignment of baubles for an enhanced artistic effect. Anyone knowing Ginger will not be surprised to hear that only blue lights made it on to the tree. Alek managed to  purloin some traditional colourful lights for his ‘Nerd Cave’ from the huge pile of fairy lights which at one point threatened to engulf the living room. I suspect we have enough lights to go at least once around the garden.

With the tree complete we set off on an unsuccessful trip to collect computer games for Alek, followed by a visit to Walgreens to pick up a prescription. Wandering aimlessly among the aisles in Walgreens I stumbled upon Sponge Bob Square Pant’s friend Patrick. I could not miss the photo opportunity, and took a quick  self portrait, much to the amusement of Ginger who was queuing to collect the prescription and other early evening  shoppers.

Back at home the quiet of the evening was punctuated by several bangs which we presumed were  fireworks. Fireworks, I should add,  are not allowed within the city limits.

A while later there was a knock on the door, and I had my first meeting with an American Policeman, I’m not sure if he picked our house a random, or if he was checking all the houses, but he enquired if we had heard or seen anything. This morning our neighbour asked if we had heard the shooting… Fireworks or firearms, I have no idea. I guess I ought to go online and check for the police report.

Ginger’s blue Christmas tree lights

I received an e-mail today confirming that my shipped stuff arrived in the US a week ago and has now cleared customs. It was supposed to land at Chicago, but for some reason arrived  in Texas. Oh well, as long as I get it I’m not complaining.

With luck it will all be with us before Christmas. Gosh I need to get bookcases built, and quick.

Dear Customers:

Allied International is handling the customs clearance and delivery of your shipments.  I will be your main contact should you have any questions or concerns.

As per our port broker, the vessel into Houston, TX on December 2^nd, cleared customs on Dec 10^th and demurrage has been paid to get the container released.

The container is now at our agent’s warehouse in Houston, TX and the deconsolidating process should take within 3 to 5 business days starting today.

For local moves within 0 up to 150 miles radius of Houston Jim Pinney from AI – Houston will be contacting you to schedule your moves when your shipments are ready.

For any other moves, I will be emailing each of you individually with our agent’s contact details once your shipment gets ready to be picked up from our Houston’s warehouse (please allow three to four days as your HHG might need to be loaded into lift vans/wooden crates).  After receiving my next email please estimate another five to seven days (depending of the location of your residences) to be contacted by the agent performing your moves.

In the mean time, could you please confirm the addresses where you will be receiving your shipments??

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me by email or by dialing the number in my signature.

Thanks for using Allied and good luck with your moves.

We had some chores to do down near City Hall this afternoon. After our first unsuccessful attempt at getting things done we took a stroll up N. Robberson Avenue, and I took advantage of the brilliant sunshine and clear blue skies to take a few pictures.

Ginger managed to organise a further meeting while we were out, we were then able to get things sorted. Once our business was done we only had time to grab a bite and a drink on our way to pick up Alek and Katie from school.

So for a change I had someone to talk to and take pictures of while I waited.

There are signs that some of my little foibles may be starting to tell on Ginger:

(just kidding)

Today I was unable to get into a building because I was carrying a weapon! How ironic is that? I couldn’t get through security because of my Swiss Navy pocket knife. It was simple to deal with, I just went back to the car and dropped it off. In a country where people are able to carry concealed weapons, such checks are bound to be in place to ensure that weapons are not taken into state and city  run buildings where they are considered a potential threat to staff. I’ll have to get used to it.

Having disposed of my pocket knife, I managed to get my compact camera confiscated (”What are you intending to take pictures of  in here today?”). I was laughing my socks off – well I would have if I had been wearing any – because my Nikon DSLR was in my rucksack and showing up clearly on the x-ray machine. The security guard just ignored it. Go figure.

Alek spotted this in the Parking lot at Katie’s School. I only hope it doesn’t belong to a teacher.

I found some history on both the Darwin Fish, and this sticker on Wikipedia.

The human mind is a strange thing. Mine probably stranger than most. Ever since arriving in the US I’ve been having huge difficulties telling my left from my right when I’m driving.

Reactions to my impaired navigational inability have varied from extreme amusement to utter disbelief. Ginger will say “Turn left here,” and I’ll promptly turn right. I’m slowly beginning to get the hang of it, and I’m not above taking the mickey out of myself by saying: “Do you mean left, left” (pointing left) “or right left.” (points right).

Things got even more confusing when I was told to “Follow the white van…”. What white van? They don’t seem to have vans here. I now have the official translation for this, which is: “Follow the white people carrier”.

“Turn left at the Mexican” didn’t prove to be too helpful either, (a) I’ve not seen anyone wearing a sombrero, and (b) all the shops / food outlets etc. look the same to me, and they are positioned so far back from the the road I’d need binoculars to work out which was a Mexican anyway. Alek fairs no better at giving directions. Not being a driver he tends to leave instructions until we actually go past the junction. And his “Turn left, right here” was a classic that left him wondering why we went off in the wrong direction. I must have got it at least half right, or should that be half correct?

Returning to my sudden transposition of left and right, I have come to the conclusion that while in the car my brain has become conditioned to expect that turning left means turning toward the kerb side, and turning right means crossing the on-coming traffic. All relative to my position in the car that is. So when someone says turn right, I automatically turn left, crossing the on on-coming traffic. Well that is my excuse and I’m going to stick with it.

I’ve discovered that Ginger’s filter coffee combined with two heaped tablespoons of chocolate, topped off with a squirt of whipped cream, and served up in an Edward Hopper mug makes an excellent mocha. Just right to see me through a morning’s work at the computer.

This afternoon I discovered why you need a four wheel drive, high ground clearance, Sport Utility Vehicle for the school run.

I was late leaving for the school run to pick up Alek and Katie this afternoon. Getzger was a contributory factor, as he idled his way to the car and then I managed to get caught by seven of the nine sets of lights between home and Alek’s school (yes I’ve counted the lights, in the vain hope that one day I’ll get a clean sweep).

As a consequence I arrived a little later than usual and was confronted with traffic three abreast on the school drive. The driver of the SUV in front of me was not going to let a minor traffic jam stand between them and an early shower. With hardly a pause to engage cross country, low gear, the SUV took off over the curb and across the lawn, rejoining the road somewhere in the middle of the car park. Had our car got that sort of ground clearance, I might have been temped to follow, but then again I’m far too law abiding to really consider doing that.

Tonight Ginger, Lanie and I went to see Katie play in the school orchestra winter concert. Not an event to be attended by anyone with a fear of rickety structures or claustrophobia. I’m sure the banked seating is very safe, but it shook a lot, and it is obviously designed with kids in mind. The spacing was very tight even for a smallish UK adult like me, let alone a typical American adult.

The concert was good; I was surprised at how many students took part, and watched amused as siblings exchanged shared instruments between performances.