My general line is that there are three kinds of bad weather: wet, cold and windy. Any one isn't bad; any two are unpleasant, but all three together are miserable. However, there's one more that's in a special class of miserable all by itself: freezing fog. It doesn't have to be below 32 F; mid-thirties and down, the fog just cuts through you. It's more painful than having your tongue frozen to icy metal and harder to get away from. I have been more miserably cold in fog in the upper twenties than I have been in sub-zero temperatures in northern Ohio and Ontario.All this means I'll probably stay indoors until it's burnt off tomorrow. Interzone will be closing early, 3:00, and closed all day on January 1. I've been getting no signal at home over the last few days, so I may not be posting much until Sunday. If I don't end up posting anything tomorrow, have a great New Year's eve, celebrate, and drive sober or not at all.
I must agree. Many years ago, I was deer hunting in north Florida in just such weather. By mid- afternoon I was ready to die - low 30's and foggy since the night before - I had been on stand since daylight and hadn't seen anyone or any deer or heard the dogs running and was shivering. My grandfather walked up out of the fog with his nose dripping and said we might as well head back to camp. On the way we crossed a forest service timber bridge across a very small creek and grandpa noticed a quart sized tin can at the edge of the water. He had me get the can and rinse it out in the tannin-dark water. He built a small fire and from the recess of a coat pocket came a wax paper-wrapped package of coffee which he proceeded to boil in that tin can near full of creek water.
ReplyDeleteWe took turns sipping from that can - the most wonderful smelling and tasting coffee - it was wonderful. I remember that coffee every single foggy winter day since.