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Thursday, December 5, 2013

Winter Storm Warning - WTF?


I don't often check the weather reports - your Head Trucker is of the old school that prefers to look out the window and see if it's rainy or sunny. But it does seem that just a day or two ago I glanced at the forecast and it was all 40s to 60s and clear. Last night I had some reason to look again, and OMG a shitload of icy nastiness is bearing down upon my locality.

Your Head Trucker grew up further south, where snow just doesn't happen - a couple of flakes once every ten years or so, maybe, which sends everyone into a great panic. Otherwise, it might get cold but no ice, no sleet, no hail, no snow. Which is just the way I like it. Somehow though, the road of life led me to this place of exile out on the prairie, so I have to bear it. Just hope I have enough essential provisions to get by until the ice melts again.

And yeah, I know I sound like a total wuss to all you big, bad dudes who grew up in the frozen North - but then, you guys totally wimp out in the summer heat down here, so there.

Speaking of warmer climes, I ran across this charming compilation of home movies from about 1940 - some jolly tourists from up Nawth are vacationing at a resort on the Atlantic coast of Florida.  They must be pretty well fixed because they traveled on the all-Pullman, extra-fare Florida Special. No sound, thank God - I hate cutesy, anachronistic soundtracks added to silent films - but it's quite intriguing to me.  Who are these people, where are they from, and what are they talking about, thinking about?

It's also pretty amazing to see people on vacation lounging about and walking the beach in suits, ties, and smart frocks. Nowadays, not even the super-rich do that; but with all the comfort we've gained by relaxing the dress codes, what have we lost, I wonder?



P.S. - Even in Miami, further south from where these people stayed, it's much too damn cold to go swimming in the wintertime - the air temp is okay, but the water temp will turn your balls blue in a hurry. And then when you get out of the water, you really start to shiver as the ocean breeze evaporates the water on your skin. Your Head Trucker knows because he tried it on Christmas Day in Miami Beach one time, back when he was young and stupid.  But the Yankees in this film seem to be having a big time - they must think it's warm.


10 comments:

Stan said...

Great old movie. People had something call class back then. I'd love to travel by train today but with the conditions of the rails today I don't know. Plus you have tired engineers texting and talking on their cell phones.
BTW it was in the 60's here in NJ today. So far so good this winter. (fingers crossed)

Russ Manley said...

As I kid I was lucky enough to ride on some of the great streamliners pre-Amtrak. It was wonderful. Enjoy your nice weather, there's 4 inches of snow on the ground here and it's going down to *8* degrees tonight! Brrr . . . .

Davis said...

Stan had better get ready - we're in for an ice storm this weekend here in the East.

Tim said...

I think it's the Casa Marina resort in Key West, very famous, more here: http://casamarinaresort.com/About-Casa-Marina/Resort-History

Russ Manley said...

It does seem to be that kind of swanky resort - but the folks in this film can't be arriving in Key West by train, since the Overseas Railroad was destroyed by hurricane in 1935. See
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_railroad

Tim said...

True, but the images of the hotels match, that arched colonnade with the 'shell' motif above the doors. I think they must have disembarked further up the keys and made the rest of the journey by car. They sure didn't travel light, I lost count of the suitcases!

Russ Manley said...

Yes, well, they were obviously rahther well-heeled. The film's own summary on YT doesn't give a location, so I can't swear to the location of each scene; but early in the film there's a shot of the depot sign at Fort Pierce, which is on the Atlantic and on the Florida East Coast Railway. I believe that's where they were all staying, but I don't know for sure.

Russ Manley said...

PS - Those are beautiful fanlight doors in the classic style. I must remember to have some similar ones installed when I build my next island villa.

Frank said...

We northerners are no wimps when it comes to swimming in the balmy Atlantic or Gulf in the winter. Beats Cape Cod at this time of year.

Russ Manley said...

Everything's relative, I suppose. But nobody down here with a lick of sense even thinks about going swimming in the Gulf before the first of June!

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