Monday, January 14, 2013

Jumping in puddles.

The snow is gone in Broad Ripple. It was over sixty degrees on Saturday, and the evening brought rain.

And rain.

And more rain.

Almost four inches of rain between Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening.

I was chained to the keyboard for a deadline, but had to make a grocery run in the early afternoon. All the usual low-lying areas were awash, and I approached the first low spot in the road with the ingrained trepidation of a person who drives a car with steamroller tires and a pavement-scraping cow-catcher, which combine for an effect in deep puddles not unlike Col. Stapp's sled hitting the water brakes at the end of the run.

One of our local low spots, broadly rippling back in August of '11. The one on 54th yesterday wasn't quite this deep... at least, not if you straddled the double yellow, it wasn't.
Of course the Subie, on its tall, skinny tires, puttered right through with no real feedback through the controls to announce we had just motored through a body of water large enough to stock with game fish. If the two or three inches that had been under the tires weren't splashed up past the fenders, I'd've never known.

Because I'm a responsible adult, I did not start driving about, looking for more puddles in which to jump.

Now, on Monday morning, I couldn't jump in them anyway, as this morning's low was fifty degrees fondly Fahrenheit lower than Saturday afternoon's high, and the puddles that were splashy at 66°F are all skatey at 17°F.

25 comments:

Roberta X said...

I can't help it, I have to link to my own "Theme From Stapp"

(Totally wish they'd make that movie, BTW.)

Firehand said...

Aw, why not?
I have to admit, once I got the hang of how the VFR handles curves I started going out of my way to use highways, and find one with interesting curves.

Old NFO said...

Yeah, THAT is a temp drop... stay warm, and stay smart (but you always do)!

Anonymous said...

Temp drop? Pffft, that's just Monday in Indiana.

I would anticipate sunny and 72 next weekend for the gun show.

Shootin' Buddy

Jennifer said...

Brrr.
Glad the subie is treating you well.

Frank W. James said...

Yeah Well, Vegas isn't a damn bit warmer. Big surprise once I got off the plane...

All The Best,
Frank W. James

Joanna said...

"Because I'm a responsible adult, I did not start driving about, looking for more puddles in which to jump."

Pfft. Nuts to that.

Woodman said...

I really hope the weather is as miserable as possible for the gun show Saturday morning.

I managed to dragoon about ten people to go to this one with me a couple months ago, and in order for it to be anything but a reenactment of when I used to wait in lines for concert tickets the weather has to bring some really bad juju.

I like the 1500, but it's not Pink Floyd or anything.

Of course, even if they all bail on me because of the line I'm going, this is prime people watching time, besides, I'd like to think I might see my AR-15 I'm going to buy this summer sell for $3,000 this weekend. Then I can tell my wife I got it for 80% off when I pick it up in six months or so.

Being 6'4" and 320 means I'm not as worried about crowds as most of my family. I can at least see a clear area, even if I can't get there.

Maybe if this keeps up there can be a members only gun show. Or a secret handshake or something.

og said...

here's a bumpersticker you need.

http://www.zazzle.com/let_there_be_no_confusion_i_may_drive_a_subaru_bumper_sticker-128465702565973083

You need that to eliminate confusion. Drives a lesbaru? Check. Lives with another girl? Check. You're only a "Coexist" bumpersticker away from having the Broad Ripple welcoming committee show up with a nice fruit basket.

I keep thinking about getting an old subie for a "Fun" car, something I can thrash. And I am a lesbian, trapped in the body of a man.

OK, two. Two lesbians trapped in the body of a man.

And a dog. Two petite lesbians and a dog trapped in the body of a hairy old man. Dog's name is Frank.

BobG said...

Here in Salt Lake it is currently 2ºF; if we're lucky it will get up into the teens today. We've had weather like this for several days now, and the foot of snow in my yard is not melting.

Woodman said...

Og,

I was ok until you added the dog. That really tickled me.

And frankly, does sexuality matter enough that it's worth confirming or denying gender preference on a bumper sticker?

Anonymous said...

Wait until you get snow and "stuff" and other that exercising intelligent driving care you basically ignore it.

Brad K. said...

Tam,

"are all skatey at 17°F."

Just wait, this too shall pass (I read that some where).

"The sun'll come out, tomorrow!"

Kristophr said...

It -7 in Cheyenne, and was down to -14 last night.

Won't flood here until that white stuff melts.

Apparently they are working on beating Marco's NH low temp record.

I am very glad I am visiting my mother in Palm Desert this week.

CJM said...

Sorry about the weather, but the National Western Stock Show opened this weekend in Denver, and it is traditional to have the temps below zero for the opening. Must be that global warming that warmed things up a bit.

acmz said...

Needs more pictures of iced over streets and such.

Anonymous said...

80+ frickin' degrees here in teh fla, today and for days to come.

All the damn global warming is concentrated into our limp dick of a peninsula I guess.

I ain't asking for snow 'n ice, just maybe some forties 'n fifties. :(

PB

Drang said...

Fondly Fahrenheit! Huzzah for SF Geekery!

Anonymous said...

Hmm. The way I've been stocking my pantry, I don't have to make afternoon grocery runs, or weekly grocery runs. If we skipped shopping for a month we'd be in pretty good shape (so we'd be drinking non-fat milk instead of 2% - stuff like that). The point is, we can wait for better weather if necessary. I got that from listening to That Mormon Guy, and it seems to work well. -- Lyle

Tam said...

Lyle,

" The way I've been stocking my pantry, I don't have to make afternoon grocery runs..."

Neither do I.

I could have eaten what was in the house, but if I wanted my roommate's spaghetti with fresh Italian sausage and mushroom sauce, and a half-growler of IPA from the brewpub down the street, then I had to go out.

Or I could have stayed home and commented on other people's blogs about my impressive doomsday stock of Beanie-Weenies, canned corn, and pasta, whichever. Mmmm, Spam!;)

Anonymous said...

Careful Lyle, she's apparently knocked back her half-growler and roomie's too, and reverted once again to...Tamara K, Sensitive Blogger! ;)

Tam said...

You're hurting my feelings. My shriveled, black feelings. :D

JohninMd.(HELP ME GET RID OF O'MALLEY!!!) said...

Uhhh, Og? Waaaay too much information, dude.....

JohninMd.(HELP!!!) said...

What's wrong with Spam? Mmm, grilled Spam n' cheese sammiches!! €BD}

Justthisguy said...

I came up behind a Subaru Forester the other day while on my bicycle, and was favorably impressed. It seemed like nothing more nor less than a prudent person's small station wagon, with extra traction. There was no gaudy Japanese weird visual sculpture about it.

I would not mind having one, at all.

Say, Tam. does yours have the flat four, or the flat six?