Months ago, I stupidly left my umbrella sitting in the food court of the mall where my part-time job — the Fruit Stand™ — is. Since then, I got by without an umbrella of my own. That is, until about a couple of weeks ago.

My friend Mike from New York was in the D.C. area with his partner, and wanted to have lunch with me before he headed back. The forecast called for afternoon sprinkles and I was, of course, without a brolly. When the sky got heavy-looking enough to warrant an umbrella purchase, we ducked into the Dupont Circle CVS so I could break down and buy one.

Easier said than done, lemme tell ya!

The two of us scoured every aisle to no avail. Finally, Mike spotted them, tucked away in an obscure corner by the pharmacy counter. The only people who would have seen them otherwise would have been sitting in the prescription waiting area.

Fast-forward a couple of weeks to yesterday. Once again, rain threatened to fall and once again, I had no umbrella. The umbrella I purchased during Mike’s visit either went missing in the house or someone borrowed it because no others were available. No biggie, really; it was cheap and kinda small for my taste anyway.

On my lunch hour, I set out to CVS, this time on 17th Street, east of Dupont Circle. I had other things to purchase there anyway, and while I was at it I’d pick up yet another new umbrella, hopefully a bigger one. Once again, I scoured every aisle with no luck.

I swear, looking for an umbrella at CVS is like going on a lame-ass scavenger hunt with no hope for beer afterward.

Starving for lunch, I called off the search and proceeded to the cashier to pay for my other items. From the corner of my eye, I spotted the rack of umbrellas tucked away in a shadowy corner. Another spot most people probably wouldn’t venture to look. If I were so inclined, I could have easily just grabbed one and walked out without paying for it. I didn’t of course; I got back in line and paid for it, but a small part of me thought it would serve ‘em right for hiding them.

Now I want to start going to random CVS locations to find out if they hide their umbrellas, if for no other reason than to be able to find one in an emergency.

Thousands in the D.C. metro area are still without power after Wednesday’s storms aggressively blew through town.

A lack of power — read no fans or air conditioning — will make it difficult for many to get through this weekend’s heat wave; the D.C. area is expected to see temps in the mid-to-upper 90s until Tuesday. To help people cope through the weekend, D.C. will open cooling centers and extend public pool hours.

Hot weather — humid or not — and I don’t get along. I dunno, but I see nothing friendly about an environmental condition that gives me a case of pits when I’m standing still in the shade.

Mother Nature likes it rough today. A severe thunderstorm is blowing through D.C. with enough force to warrant a tornado watch throughout the area.

My plans for tonight to meet up with Brian and our in-from-out-of-town friend Shindo may be thwarted until tomorrow. Poor Shindo — he got caught in the rain while out on U Street. Not even his umbrella helped, according to his text message.

Photo: FredoAlvarez (flickr)

Dear Mother Nature,

Please stop being a tease. If you’re going to threaten us with winter weather, please make it worth our while.

Much love,
The citizens of Washington, DC

As far as Washington winters go, this has to be one of the mildest in recent memory. Forecasters gave us the “we’re gonna get hit hard” spiel, and all we had to show for it — at least in DC proper — is a thin veneer of ice with a pebbly texture.

Sure, I could have taken advantage of today’s unscheduled leave policy, but it’s just not worth it for me with the relatively tame conditions outside. I just want one legit snow day. Is that too much to ask for? Winter isn’t winter without one.

17th Street @ Rhode Island Avenue, NW.

I’ve been rather out of the loop the last few days. My current cold knocked me out for the most part.

Since I’m feeling well enough for it, I’m heading back to work tomorrow and I decided to check my weather widget to figure out what to wear tomorrow.

I don’t remember ever seeing that weather icon for Tuesday’s weather. I know we’re expecting a light wintry mix tomorrow, but that icon seems to indicate otherwise. It’s going to be 40˚ with a chance of mold spores?

Approximately 367 days ago, I noted the unusual spate of warm weather we were experiencing for the first week of January. I added an image of three Dashboard widgets to back up my claim.

So here we are just over a year later, and I’m about to repeat myself.

Note today’s high of 74°. I’m starting to think that this unusual weather pattern is becoming less and less unusual. I’d like my winter — and the resultant potential for a snow day — back please. Thanks!

In related news, local TV weather forecasters seem to be enjoying the warm temps because it affords them the opportunity to trot out footage from the Blizzard of ’96, which dumped so much snow on the metro DC area, it virtually shut down for well over a week. Channel 7’s Doug Hill seemed to be particularly happy to show the footage off last night; then again, whenever I see him present the weather he often seems to have this “IT’S COMING RIGHT FOR US!” mentality about it.

Update: And even more related news, the once-independent Capital Weather blog is now part of the Washington Post family. Congrats to them.

The Snowy Walk Home by FredoAlvarez/flickr)

As I got off the bus and walked home after work this evening, the snowfall grew heavier by the second. It left a fluffy layer of the white stuff on shrubs, lawns and trees, and a coating on sidewalks just thick enough to leave footprints. The streets in my neighborhood don’t have much snow.

Unscheduled leave is in effect for the federal government tomorrow.

I took a few photos throughout the day and uploaded them to flickr. Be sure to check out the complete set.

Today, my RSS reader pointed me to cumul.us, a weather site that allows its users to predict the weather wherever they are. (Seattle is used by default, but isn’t it always 60°F and rainy there?) The site also allows users to share how they are dressed to deal with the weather. Today, I selected short sleeve shirt, light jacket, jeans and a hat.

Color me amused, though, when I noticed that Utilikilts were also an option.

Cumul.us scores points with me for that one, but it looks like there are a couple of kinks to work out with the site. Clicking “home” or the logo, for example, usually takes me to the default home of Seattle, instead of Washington, D.C., my preferred location.

(link via kottke)

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