The Great Texas Blizzard

I stole this from the book of faces.  It pretty much sums up the attitude about cold weather in the Southern part of the State among the natives.

No we didn't get any snow, and not even any precipitation in my neck of the woods.  But evidently we just missed some ice.  There were 4 major intersections that have elevated bridges near us that had to be shut down due to ice.  It is an annual occurrence (almost), having to shut down highways since we don't know how to drive on ice.  Some might say we don't know how do drive on anything.  The local authorities over plan and overreact to icy conditions here.  I know this from first hand experience having been a road hand for over 30 years.  It's funny and exasperating to see them at work at the HQ they set up for these 'disaster' events.  Each year they reinvent the wheel and everyone wants things 'their way' as if they know more than the others. The jockeying for influence is a trip.

They get criticized mercilessly for whatever actions they take and get blamed for shutting down roads for not much at all.  They have also been drug over the coals for not reacting fast enough.  A fatal accident on icy roads brings out the trolls.  No one seems to understand that your safety is no one's responsibility but your own.  I could go on and on but I'm sure you get the picture.  The public has no idea how much time and resources are put into just planning for an event like this.  It will never be perfect.  

We have some vegetation damage again.  It was below freezing far to long for our measures to save everything.  But 'we will rebuild.'  It will give us a chance to make some changes to the landscape and clean up overgrown areas.  There will be some good come of this IMO.

This week they are predicting near Spring like temps.  So that will allow us outside to start the clean up of the dead vegetation.  Today, though, I will start on a cover for my new Kindle Fire.  I don't really have the right leather for this, but I do have a really expensive piece I had been saving.  It is much thicker than what I usually use, by as much as 3 times.  I plan on tooling it a bit and hopefully it will turn out OK.  Pics when I'm done.

Happy Trails.