totallytinab

I love the weather.  I know that sounds funny.  The weather is what it is and there is nothing we can do to change or affect it.  But I love the weather.   I watch the Weather Channel.  I check weather.com. several times each day.  I have the weather forecasts for other cities saved.  I check my hometown of Baltimore’s weather.  I check the weather at a friend of mine’s house in Minnesota. I check the weather at my brother-in law’s house in New Jersey.   The 10-day forecast is my favorite.  I like to see what’s going to happen with the weather even though we all know it is subject to change. It is sometimes not even that accurate.  I have called that friend in Minnesota and said “Wow, you are having some wild weather there”  She responds by saying “What do you mean?  It’s beautiful here!” (This doesn’t happen often.  We all know the weather in Minnesota leaves a little to be desired!)

I think about what it would be like to be Jim Cantore. He is the well-known Weather Channel anchor. He stands in the eye of the storm wearing his Weather Channel gear.  Sometimes he can barely stand up but he is out there and he is doing his job. I don’t have a great understanding of high pressure systems and why storms form and why it can be 100 degrees one day and 75 the next. People joke that it must be a great job because you get to be wrong 70% of the time.  I think it would be pretty cool to try to predict such an unpredictable thing.

I remember when I retired from the LPGA and wondering if I would still love the weather.  After all, when I played, my living depended on the weather.  I needed to know if the wind was going to  be 5-10 out of the west or 10-20 from the north.  I needed to know that we had 30% chance of thunderstorms or that fog was likely until noon.  I needed to know that .08 inches of rain had fallen the previous night. I wanted to know the high temperature for the day. This was all very important information to prepare me for my round.  I may not be able to reach that par 5 in two if the wind was out of the north. (I could never reach a par 5 in two, but still!)  I might be able to hold my 7-wood better if a little extra rain had fallen. Should I carry a rain suit, bring extra sweaters, or an umbrella? I remember sitting in many locker rooms during rain delays with the Weather Channel on the TV telling us if and when would get back out on the course. It was important back then.

So I do still love the weather.  I like to know what the day might bring.  I want to be prepared. I want to know of I need a jacket or if I should wear pants or shorts.  Plus, you never know when you might meet someone and have to start a conversation. What a better way than: “Can you believe the weather we’ve been having?”