Stormy weather

According to the news, England just experienced two horrible winter storms, the worst of the season. I'll admit the radar images looked impressive- mildly reminiscent of Caribbean hurricanes- and the damage and inconvenience of flooding and high winds were certainly present in some areas, but WINTER storm? The winter storms I know are the kind that are apologetically predicted by forecasters with hushed regret a day or two in advance. They sweep slowly across the Canadian plains or the American Midwest before picking up the water over Lake Michigan that will fall as snow on my hometown. A winter storm would cause closed schools and dangerous driving conditions and would certainly last a day, if not days, before 'clearing' to flat grey skies. Sledding and shoveling ensue, and, in my family, the perfect opportunity to ignore warnings and test out the tires by going out to eat.

So when Josh and I were woken up in the wee hours of the morning by the driving rain and high speed winds on our attic apartment, we were a little worried that it would ruin my sister's chances of flying out of London that morning and my parent's chances of climbing the Durham cathedral tower in anything but rain.

Oops. Forgot where we live. This winter storm rolled past in a couple of hours, bringing blue skies and sunshine for a time in the morning before it clouded up again at lunchtime (and then cleared up to a sunny afternoon before raining on my way home). The winds were powerful, but I definitely didn't get a chance to go sledding. Jennie made it out, and Mom and Dad got sunny photos.

The weather here is weird. But, honestly, I love it. I think it's a good leveler of emotions- no use rejoicing at your good fortune of a sunny day, but also no need to get depressed at the rain…. It'll all change in ten minutes anyway! How socialist.