The calm...

Yeah, the one before the storm.  Well, "storm" is a perspective kinda thing.

I knew if I could get out on my bike this morning, it may be a few days before Mother Nature allows that again.  It was 72º and nearly calm when I got out.  It was a good ride: no dogs came after me and no one tried to back their vehicle over me.

When I got back from my ride, Joan had a fruit plate ready, followed up with breakfast.  Afterwards, I went to the music room and played guitar for a bit.  I decided some recording was in order.  Joan and Rufus joined me in their until I started recording.  I got a scratch track, bass and drums done.  Joan brought in a soda for me and said, "The front has arrived - it is blowing like stink out there."  The wind is coming from the other side of the house - I couldn't hear it in the music room.

I recorded a couple more tracks then went out on the deck to check on the boat.  The wind is blowing a constant 28mph, gusting to 40.  That 72º from early this morning is now down to 56º.  The spitty rain is blowing sideways.

When my belly said it was getting close to lunch time, Joan offered to warm up some goulash that she had frozen a while back - knowing that there would be days ahead where comfort food would be needed.  I opted for something on the island that is chicken-fried.  That would be the outing for the day.

Coming back, I noticed the gas tank was on 1/4; I decided to head to Wally World to fill up.  Yesterday, the price was $2.11; when I pulled up to the pump today, it is now $2.25.  Didn't matter, because their power was out.  I went up the street towards HEB - yep, their power is out, too.  Across the street, the Stripes Convenience Store had power.  I gassed up.  For some reason, when the wind howls here, power often goes out.  The lady at the counter at the convenience store said a transformer had blown - "It sounded like a cannon going off."  Fun.

When we got home, Rufus does not understand, "The weather is crappy out there."  It is protected from the wind on the south side of our house, so he got to go outside for a few minutes.  Apparently not long enough, because he "raised a paw" to me when I escorted him back inside.  I'm not the only one who felt a bit cooped up... probably not going to get better for a couple days.

Yes, I know: it could be worse... there are people up north having to shovel the evil white crap.  It is supposed to get down to 53º tonight.  One of the local weather weasels just called this "a wintery cold front."  That's perspective, too.