May 20, 2009 – The Weather

I don't complain about the weather. After traveling extensively in the States and abroad, there really isn't any point. This missive isn't a complaint; it's merely an observation. I've been jogging about one week in Paris and, now, about four days in Glasgow. There really isn't much difference. I have five VISTA weather widgets on my computer home screen; one for East Northport, Toledo, DC, Paris, and Glasgow. There's really nothing unusual about the widgets except that I see them every time I go back to my home screen. And what I've noticed is that Paris and Glasgow have the same temperature, more or less. They even seem to have the same precipitation. So why do I notice the weather here in Glasgow more than Paris?

I did some research. Paris and Glasgow have about the same amount of rain and days of sunshine. They have the same temperature....so far. So why am I more cold running in Glasgow than Paris?

I noticed the kerbs in Glasgow [aka, in the States, sidewalks]. They're made of macadam...an asphalt invented by the Scot James McAdam. The funny thing about the kerbs in Glasgow is that as soon as the Council decides to resurface them, within 24 hours, some utility company or phone company or cable company decides they need to dig a new trench in the new macadam. And the telecommunication companies are the worst. Their cables run the length of the kerb, for blocks and blocks. One, two, and sometimes three cable canals running parallel to each other for miles.

Interestingly, the mosaic of patch work macadam makes for a fun run.....who dug this hole?....who routed out this cable channel? But it's more interesting when it rains because all these patches cause myriad puddles....something that runners try to avoid. So now I'm thinking, it's the same temp as Paris yet I feel colder. Why?

Well Paris has the same macadam for some of their kerbs. Except that when it rains in Paris, it pours and then it stops. It dries out and the patch work disappears or at least the puddles do. And so, apparently does the humidity. Now, in Glasgow, when it rains, it's like a moderate spring rain. Small, fine, droplets that cover everything and everyone. You do need a brolly. But when it stops raining, well, that's a bit harder to discern.

Often, not raining means, I can't see the rain. In fact, I like it when it's 'not raining'. It's like a very fine mist. You can hardly see the rain but in the myriad puddles on the kerbs you can see the indelible ripples from the rain drops in the puddles. And that's the answer.

In Paris, it actually dries out between the rains. The puddles disappear and the humidity goes away. In Glasgow, the puddles rarely go away and the humidity never goes away. Sixty degrees, light wind, no humidity almost seems balmy. The same in Glasgow with 100 percent humidity seems downright cold.

But this is not a complaint about the weather. What's the point? It's six o'clock now and I think it's not raining. But who cares? It's six o'clock and the pubs are open. Cheers.