You've heard that November is supposed to be a record-breaker for rain in the Northwest US. We've had flooding this month, but people just work around mere liquid water. There are other driving routes, and life goes on.

The snow that hit in recent days (as recently as overnight) is not an enormous amount, but when there's slush on the road and then it refreezes and melts and refreezes, (rinse and repeat), the roads become treacherous here and life is a choice of staying home or potentially becoming a victim of personal disaster.

If you drive slow enough to think you're absolutely safe, you will never get to your destination and home again in less that 4-8 times as long as it might normally take. When you get home again, you may not have your car outside, instead, you may have to deal with it by calling a tow truck.

There have been cars sliding into ditches all over. Even when roads look like they are dry and passable, they may simply be a sheet of black ice. Very dangerous for anyone in the vicinity, but a sure cause of hundreds or thousands of dollars in repair costs, (or medical bills or attorney fees).

No, thanks! I have learned to be prepared in the Northwest to be able to stay put, in my home, for a few days at a time, since the cold comes and goes all winter here. Most often it is merely wet, not freezing.

So, after enjoying a four-day-weekend for Thanksgiving, I now have had one additional day yesterday, and quite likely a second additional day off today.

The weather station keeps telling us we will have a warming trend on Wednesday to Friday, which is real good, as I must go to the airport on Friday (December 1st) to catch a flight to England, for three weeks of work there.

To recap, we're warm, we've only lost power once, (for a couple hours), and we have food in the cupboard. If it gets worse and you don't hear from us in a week or two, THEN send in the cavalry!

I hope you are all faring well this winter. Take care!