Hey, it's the 30/30 club today!

That would be 30 degrees with 30 mph winds! In case you were wondering that is a chill factor (ya know - what it 'feels' like) of about 10 degrees! I was kind of scanning some of my prior posts and the weather seems to be a recurring topic of late. I guess anything extreme gets attention.

In case your not in the upper Midwest or north east - that's a very good thing today. This monster storm is tracking north (thank GOD) of me here in St. Louis. All we got was more rain yesterday and cold and windy today. Beats the monster snow Des Moines got.

ding, ding, ding, ding - CRASH! That would be my neighbors wind chimes getting blown off their porch. We have wind gusts up to 40 mph here -- BRRRRRRRRR! I have not been outside yet and don't plan on it. Turn the heat up, finish my book, take a nap, surf the net, download a movie, catch-up on my TIVO'd programs, take a nap - all options for today. Three guesses what I'm doing this afternoon. The first two don't count.

But I have had a great week already, actually! I scored a load Friday that took me to Texarkana - on the TX/AR border. That was a double bonus because it not only paid well but allowed me to go thru Pine Bluff, AR where my youngest son lives. I got in there Sunday, spent the night and then went on to Texarkana Monday morning. So, even if I do nothing else this week it will still be okay. But it would be better to get another trip or even two - but not today.

Yesterday I spent the day shopping for new tires for my truck. This is one of those very rare times I regret having a 'dually' - six tires! Plus they are ten-ply versus the 4 or 6-ply more common on cars - I carry more weight! The good news is that these tires I now have gave me more than 100K miles! Proof positive (in my head) rotating tires pays dividends! What I paid $850 for at Sams in May '08 is now just over $1,000! OUCH! But I HAVE to have them. I have been procrastinating for more than a month.

A friend of mine came up with something that will work for a bit less money (50 bucks is 50 bucks) but he had to order them. Should be done tomorrow.

I will be going back down to Paradise (FL) late next week unless something else comes up. It won't be soon enuf for me.

One final thought, Friday night is the beginning of Chanukah - the Jewish Festival of Lights. About 2000 years ago, a small army of Jews (Maccabees) liberated the Temple of Jerusalem from the occupying Greek-Syrian army. When they went to light the Menorah (a multi-branched candelabra) there was only enough pure olive oil to last one day. The Menorah miraculously burned for eight days while they produced more.

Some things never change, it seems. Today, Israel is still under attack. If you take the weapon out of a Jew's hand, the Jew will die. If you take the weapon out of __________ (insert almost ANY of Israel's enemies) and there will be peace. Think about it.