Have I Ever Mentioned How Much I Hate Winter?

A snowstorm came through the Denver area Wednesday night and lingered on through the day Thursday. The snow totals ranged from 6 inches in central Denver to 12 inches in locations near the foothills.  The City of Boulder seemed to be in total meltdown (no pun intended) yesterday, with schools, government offices, and many businesses closed for the day.  As for me, it was business as usual, except for having to drive both to and from work over icy, snow-packed roads (see my standard, highly overused "drive to work in the snow" photo on the left).  But as usual, it was not the snow so much as the cold temperatures that made things so miserable.  In fact, last night the temperature dipped to 9 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (and God knows what Celsius. I do know that 32 degrees Fahrenheit is 0 degrees Celsius, but after that you're on your own).

In any case, when I got to work yesterday morning (the entrance to the store is seen in the photo on the right), the coffee urn was empty.  I returned 4 times during the day to get a cup, and wound up getting a total of one half cup for the day.  Was this because the staff was gobbling it down as fast as it was made, or because the coffee bar was understaffed due to the weather?  I suppose I could have broke down and actually bought a cup like a regular customer, but when you have a reputation as a notorious cheapskate, it is important to maintain your image. The really surprising thing was what I heard over the radio on the drive home.  The DJ was reading a list of states with the best and worst winters. Surprisingly enough, the survey said that Colorado has the 4th best winter in the US, followed by Florida at number 5.  I was so shocked, I had to search the internet to find this report for myself (it is on the web site of St. Louis radio station Y98: http://y98.cbslocal.com/2017/01/05/states-with-the-best-and-worst-winters/).  I understand the reasoning for the choices, but I still say they are nuts.  Try putting together that report at 9 below zero and see what the results are.