What day is it?

It's February 29th. A day in February that you only see once every 4 years. You probably already knew that.

Did you know that in the Gregorian calendar (the calendar used by most modern countries) there is a formula for determing in what year we'll add the 29th day?

Every year that is divisible evenly by four is a leap year EXCEPT if it can be divided by 100, it is NOT a leap year UNLESS the year is divisible by 400, then it IS a leap year.

Got that? Yeah, I know it kind of makes your head spin around, doesn't it?

Did you know there are 5 (FIVE!) Fridays this month? That should give you all something to be excited about because you know what comes after Friday: THE WEEKEND!

Things that make you go Bump Bump Bump

It's that season again. The frozen nights, the day time thaw. Do you know what that produces? No?

Then you don't live in Indianapolis.

We have a bumper crop of potholes already. (aka chuckholes, kettles) The street on the way to my job is a daily adventure. You have to shift positions ever so slightly every few feet to miss a little hole in the ground while constantly being aware of the sudden need to swerve sharply to miss a crater big enough to swallow a Hummer.

It's nerve-racking and exhilerating and it hones your driving skills for treks of I-465. You have to drive a fine line between not hitting the curb on your right and the on-coming traffic to your left while straddling and sideswiping chuck holes.

There's a turning lane over by the mall that looks like it was bombed in an air raid. You don't know whether to watch the road or the skies.

Enough with the snow already.

That big wind blew in snow, ice, and freezing weather. I'm sure my rear must be a size or two smaller because it was cold enough to freeze my butt off!

This morning we had the prettiest snow of the season. The large fluffy flakes were mesmerizing as it fell around me. I felt like I was in the middle of a giant snow globe. A large, expensive snow globe.

This afternoon we had lots of sunshine which melted the snow in the streets but left the snow covering the grass alone. The sunshine and snow made a nice combination, but I was so blech by the end of the work day that I didn't really take time to notice.

One should never let work get in the way of life.

There's a big wind coming, Martha. Better take cover.

It's the middle of February but it feels like March outside. The temperature this weekend has been in the 40's and 50's, we're alternating between bright sunshine and rainy clouds, and this afternoon, the wind is a little gusty. Actually, little is a lie.

It's gusting up to 50 miles an hour and is so noisy at times that I can't hear the TV. Occasionally there's a strange whistle like the wind is trying to summon a dog. I peeked out the window a while ago and dry leaves and twigs were twirling and tumbling down the sidewalks. I didn't see a dog, but that doesn't mean one didn't get caught in a gust and blown to the next block.

It doesn't help that I saw that movie last night about the people who chase tornadoes. I don't think you can have a tornado while the sun is shining, but this is Indiana and I know it will if it wants. Indiana has an unnatural affinity for tornadoes.

Did you know the national Storm Prediction Center, which apparently keeps track of the past as well as the future, says that we've had WAY MORE tornadoes reported this year than average? In January and Februray 2007, there were 116 reported tornadoes, but so far 291 tornadoes have been reported in the nation this year. (The actual count is slightly lower than the reported count.)

And did you know that The Disaster Center ranks Indiana as # 1 for tornado risks in the nation? Well, our score is 4.25 and Massachusetts is 4.25 so I call that a tie. (The smaller the score, the higher the risk.) I think it's odd that Massachusetts which is far from Indiana, not only in distance but in topography and snootiness, has the same propensity for big winds as Indiana, while Illinois and Ohio, which flank us to the west and east respectively, have scores greater than 8. (In case you're wondering, Alaska with a score of 49.75 is last.)

Anyway, it's windy and I keep singing the song "Let's go fly a kite."

By the way, The Disaster Center, has all kinds of information about torndoes and survival safety tips, which reminds me of a question I have. You know how you're advised to take cover in a ditch if you're out driving and can't find other shelter and you spot a tornado? My question is, "Aren't you likely to drown if you're in a ditch?" I know, I'd rather take my chances with the ditch, too. I'm just asking.

By the other way, if you didn't know that tip about the ditch and you're driving in, around, or through Indiana, you really should visit The Disaster Center or read the NOAA Tornado Guide.

Which reminds me that those silly storm chasers in the movie last night kept trying to take cover in rickety old farm buildings. That was just stupid. If you thought it was more exciting than stupid, visit a Storm Chase (and notice the warning that they aren't liable for any stupid actions you might take, like trying to chase a tornado.)

There are worse things than a wobbly wheel

I went shopping at Kroger's for groceries yesterday. I'm almost recovered today.

I used to enjoy grocery shopping. It was fun hunting for bargains and seeing what was new. But then.

But then they introduced the savings card. I resisted getting one as long as I could, but without it I'd spend about 25% more. Not because there is actual a "savings" with the card, but because they raised prices on many items to make up for the cards. The whole shopping experience took a nose dive with the introduction of those cards. I think it may be related to the emphasis on profit instead of customer service, because it's not only the cards that irk me, it's too many other things. (I know I'm easily irked, but there's only so much crap one person can tolerate in a lifetime and I met my limit several years ago.)

The Kroger carts are so deep that I practically have to crawl in them to get my groceries out, yet their plastic bags are so little that sometimes I pass up items (like frozen pizzas) because I know it will be awkward to carry them.

Which brings me to the 'bag boys'. Why don't they train these people, boys/girls/men/women, to bag groceries correctly? I don't want my bread squeezed into a bag with 2 boxes of cereal, frozen vegetables, and a couple packages of meat. I don't want squashed bread and I don't want cardboard boxes next to cold items that will get them damp. And why do they stuff one bag so full that the canned goods fall out before I get to the car? It's not to save money on bags because they might put only one item in another bag.

And don't get me started on the cart system they use when you're checking out. Let it suffice to note that I boycotted the store for over a month last year because they were especially annoying with the stupid carts during one visit. Why do they think it's efficient to block the check-out lane with an empty cart? Is it to make sure you pay before you leave?

This brings me to the matter of the staff. They aren't very friendly. It's not that they're actually rude, but I think if I went up to the counter stark naked with a colander on my head they wouldn't even notice. Yesterday, the young man bagging my groceries mumbled 'have a nice day' as if he were embarrassed at expressing a pleasantry.

And I didn't remember till I got home that I needed trash bags and yeast. But I'm not going back!

The March of Time is Running Over Me

My oldest great-niece turned 18 this month. She'll be going to college next year, majoring in music. For some reason, it's not hard to believe that she's a young lady now. Even though I can remember how she liked playing with my Hot Wheels, and how all her Barbies were always naked, and what an explorer she was when she learned to walk, the age progression seems natural.

But I'm having trouble grasping the timeline that would make her father, my first nephew, old enough to be somebody's grandfather. That makes me older than dirt.

Remember the song Short People?

Have you heard that Mississippi is considering passing a law to prevent restaurants from serving obese patrons?

Reportedly the politicians who proposed the law never expected it to be taking seriously. They're not trying to discriminate against the overweight, they just want to bring attention to the plight of fat people.

Give me a break! What's next? A law to prevent ugly people from going to beauty salons? Short people in Alaska can't buy long johns? Stupid people can't go to school? Smart people can't serve in the Mississippi legislature?

You Go Girl

My aunt had heart surgery this week for several occluded arteries and a leaky valve. The last report was that she was recovering well. I'm very happy to hear that, but not very surprised. She's an independent woman.

Her daughter told me that when the doctors were explaining the do's and don'ts of her post-operative care, my aunt met most of the don'ts with "Why not?" I also heard she's already planning what she's going to plant in this year's garden.

My aunt sees no sense in letting a "little thing" like a heart attack slow her down. She still has a life to live and she's going to live it her way.

So this is for you, Aunt. You go girl!