it certainly makes us Midwesterners a hardy bunch.
A fine point, Todd !

At least the ice is only about 1/4" thick, and now it is snowing, instead of more ice.

I had a friend in Medicine Hat AB a few years back (He has moved since, a couple of times). Anyway, in the winter, I could often get as accurate a three day outlook from talking to him on the phone as from the weather forecasters here. This winter has not been like that as much as usual. I think perhaps "climate change" might be a better term. But then, what is normal wether, anyway ? Pretty hard to say here in the midwest, which is how we started out.

Did you go to Columbia, Wally ?