Storms

We have had three storms since I last posted. So we now have plenty of snow cover for the roses and other fragile perennials in the gardens. Wally has done a yeoman job of keeping our driveway clear, even if having a minor catastrophe last Saturday when the belt that drives the spiral rotor broke. The break may have been caused by catching a scarf lying in the windrow cast up by the street plow, but I did not press the issue. The evidence is a badly mangled scarf lying near the fire hydrant. The best part of this work Wally does for us is his promptness. The last two days he has been here early each morning to shovel the doorstep and blow away the snow from the driveway before going to work.

This latest pair of storms was somewhat unusual. They were separated by eight or nine hours of relatively cloudy weather when no snow fell. That was due to the storms having separate centres - one coming from Texas and the other from further to the southwest. They dragged a cold front across very warm moist air in Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky setting of a series of severe tornadoes that left more than 50 people dead and a still uncounted amount of damage. The same storms sped across the lower Greta Lakes leaving us two successive 15 cm snowfalls which we are still cleaning up. As yet our street has not been plowed, although the sidewalks have. I think I just heard a plow pass along the neighbouring street - Munns - so they should be along here soon. That will fill in our driveway for Wally to clear this evening.

The other storm this week has been in American politics. What the media defined as Super Tuesday came and went with very little change in the Democratic race, but a big change for the Republicans. Both Democractic candidates, Clinton and Obama scored with their favoured supporters. Obama secured more delegates in more primaries, mostly in smaller states. Clinton secured greater support in the larger states. Because they share of delegates is proportional to the number of votes cast in each state, both gained a significant number but Clinton received enough to pull ahead slightly less than 100 delegates in total. Both have to gain more than 1000 more of the +/- 2100 delegates in the remaining primaries to win the nomination. Both will probably win some more delegates in several primaries this weekend and next Tuesday, but not enough to make a significant difference. The question is whether Obama will succeed in overtaking Clinton's slight lead. Another question is whether or not his successes on Super Tuesday have given him enough momentum to make his the odds on favourite.

The Republican race to nominate their candidate is just about over. Senator McCain has won more than the other two combined, but not yet enough to claim total victory. OTOH, the resignation of former Gov. Pitt Romney from the race may well have sealed the deal for McCain. His only remaining competitor is Gov. Huckaby and he is so far behind that he has little or no hope of stopping McCain.

And so we move on slowly as the storm continues.