Talking About the Weather (again)

Spring was apparently just teasing us. I mean, it's not January in Iowa cold, but... it is cold enough that I dug out some long johns to put on to go shopping. I think I just need to have warm happen now. The wind yesterday was so intense that the part of the roof that covers the porch came apart and blew off. There was a section of flashing and small chunks of shingles all over the side yard, in front of the garage, and slightly past the water plant next door. Not surprising I suppose, but I am pretty sure that Brayton Place would not have survived if the winds had gotten much higher. Here I am talking about the weather again... very midwest no? On the one hand I know that there are a lot of people here who farm, or are affected by farming in some way... That explains (partly) the fascination with conversations about the weather. There's that, but I wonder sometimes if talking about the weather is a way to stay with something that is common (between those conversing) yet firmly on the surface... there are a lot of people here who know a lot about their neighbors and fellow townies... my friend at the post office for example, she's the Postmaster of a really small town... which means, by virtue of doing her job she knows whose getting what mail and when. She hears things because the post office is somewhat central to this place... it's not a bar by any means, but I have walked in on hushed conversations and caught people emotionally relieving themselves at the counter. But does my postmaster friend really "know" the people that live here? I really have no idea. I am not sure that I would want that resposibility and information stomping about inside my head. I keep hoping that this whole thing, this whole Brayton experience, is a sindicated episode of "Northern Exposure" and we'll just wake up in Alaska or something. Nice carabou. It needs to get warm and stay warm now.....