The First "Snow."

Today we had our first "snow." I say "snow" because none of the flakes stuck to the ground and it stopped just about as soon as it started, but still, it was snowing! See? What gives with this weather? We've had hurricanes, tsumanis, tornadoes, droughts, unseasonably cold temperatures, unseasonably warm temperatures, extreme wet weather, record-breaking snowfalls... if one were a weather buff one would be loving these past few years. I have the book A World Without Ice on my goodreads list, but I may have to request it from the library sooner rather than later. Could be a timely read.

So today we were supposed to go to Old Sturbridge Village with my sister's family but in light of the heavy rain (and the "snow") we stayed home. This worked out well, because not only was I able to get the down comforter out of the attic and get it into its duvet cover (which takes forever, it seems), but I was able to finish my summer-to-winter clothes swap and Doug and I now have two more bags of apparel to give to the Goodwill. I itemized everything for tax purposes and am amazed with how much we're giving away again. And with how much we still have. Even Doug, who doesn't have nearly as many clothes as I do, could wear one shirt every day and not repeat wearings for a month at least. What good consumers we have been! Doing our part to save the American retail industry. Of course, most of the clothes we have in our closet right now were purchased years ago, but still, can't say we weren't part of the great consumer boom of the last ten years. My sister will be pleased - she'll get another bag of clothes from me, and even a new purse. It's so funny... I always wished I could get hand-me-down clothes from my sister, but by the time I was old enough to be able to wear her clothes I couldn't fit into them. Most of my clothes are way too big for my sister (the pants and skirts definitely so), but she's gotten quite a few shirts and sweaters from me these past few years. Thank god the super-baggy look of the mid-'90s is no longer in (for many reasons) - but she'd be way out of luck if I were still wearing all my shirts in size extra large.

Thankfully it wasn't snowing yesterday when Doug and I joined Marieke and Curt for the final Revs home game of the regular season, but it sure was cold. I wore a long-sleeve t-shirt, a wool sweater, another wool sweater, a soft-shell fleece, and a gore-tex winter coat, two pair of gloves, a scarf, a winter hat, a hood, and sat in the stands with a couple of blankets on my lap and I still managed to leave the game chilled to the bone. Here are some photos from the game: We never manage to go to games in the warm weather somehow, but the games are still fun. They are quick, and the fans are very amusing. Notice the streamers on the field... Revs fans throw them onto the field near the opposing goalie as a distraction. Revs employees work to get them untangled from the goal net, but still, the Chicago Fire's goalie on a couple occasions would sort-of kick at the streamers and gesture to the Revs staff to get the streamers out of his way. These distractions didn't cause the goalie to be so distracted that he let in a goal, though. The game ended in a tie. Another reason to like soccer - no long overtime! The game is short, sweet, and to-the-point, something I strive to be, too.