April 13, 2006
Hail!
Scariest hailstorm I've ever witnessed, here in Madison tonight. Big ice marbles bouncing everywhere for about 5 minutes. I've heard of golf-ball-sized hail and even grapefruit-sized-hail. I can't imagine what that must be like.
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golf-ball-sized hail and even grapefruit-sized-hail. I can't imagine what that must be like.
Come to West Texas in the spring and you'll get a chance to find out!
I've been through some bad ones in Texas, including one that totaled my car. Hopefully it did not damage your roof, I had to replace one before I could sell it.
it sounded like the ending of
Magnolia out there for a few minutes.
neat weather.
I went outside before the hail to bring in some tiny seedlings -- I didn't want them drenched in a rain (that didn't happen anyway). And I heard the hail falling south of my house. A very odd sound that I couldn't place, as I've not heard it before. Not quite the freight train of a tornado, but more than a rush of wind. Then the bam bam bam of the hail on the roof (Is the car in the garage? Yes, good!). I'm wondering what'll happen to the skylights in the house (unscathed). The hail was pretty soft, and of course I went and plucked some golf-ball sized agglomerations off the ground and put them in a ziplock and then in my freezer. I've heard there's damage on the SW side of Madison -- dented cars, tree limbs down. Very exciting!
Hmm. What does one do with hail stones in a freezer?
Madison Man -- Hailstones last very long in the freezer and are always fun to show out of town guests.
Ann -- The enjoyment of a hailstorm depends on two things: (1) a little bit of experience with hail, so you realize the world is probably not coming to an end yet and (2) having your cars in the garage.
Well, I don't keep my car in the garage, so that was a factor. Also, for the first few seconds, I wasn't sure what was going on. I heard it on the roof before I saw it on the deck.
Pancho: Come to West Texas in the spring and you'll get a chance to find out!
Or South Texas. Heck, just about anywhere in Texas. Sometimes you get hail blowing in a strong windstorm, and then the ice balls start hitting your living room windows dead on and you just pray they don't break and your house gets flooded.
In fact, hail in the springtime is almost commonplace down here. So much so that local car dealerships are experienced enough to offer "hail sales" pretty much as soon as the storm stops. Good deals on cars, if you don't mind the little dents.
What does one do with hail stones in a freezer?
put them in a glass and cover them with scotch I think.
Did I neglect to mention they're covered with dirt and pine needles? I suppose that's just on the surface, though.
I'd prefer gin, by they way.
Ann: Not to be a fearmonger, but check the roof early. That is call your agent early and arrange an inspection if you have any reason to suspect damage. (If cars are dented roofs may be too.) If you have damage, that means almost everybody in the area does, and in my painful experience the first ones to put in a claim with the soon-to-be-overwhelmed insurance companies strike better deals.
Here in S Mpls about 8 years ago, literally everyone got new roofs after a hail storm. Then everyone's rates went up.
"Those who live in houses are fools."
Perhaps to you. Of course there are maintenance expenses, yard work, and other responsibilities. Then again, I can't believe my mortgage payment ($600, with the interest portion being tax deductible)is less than your rent, and in 6 years I've built up over $125,000 in equity through paydown and value apreciation. Roof damage? Homeowners coverage is a wonderful thing. What's the direct ROI on rent payments?
That being said, to each his own.
Word verification: odyqeak. Nice, but tough typing a q without the u immediately following.
Um.....did I mean MORE than your rent? Dang.
More coffee, please.......
Covered in dirt and pine needles, eh? Cover them in Grey Goose then, and sell the new drink as "The Madison" and bill it as an "earthy and natural cocktail." It will be a smash hit in upscale watering holes.
What's the difference between an apartment that you own and a condo?
"What's the difference between an apartment that you own and a condo?"
If you live in a house that you rent, you still call it a house. There's no different word depending on whether you rent or own. It makes sense to me to call your condo an apartment: it's just the way to avoid forefronting your form of ownership. Actually, I think condo connotes age and apartment, youth. Anyway, in NY it's usually a co-op, isn't it. A "cooperative apartment." Why not emphasize the noun and not the adjective when you're shortening the term?
An interesting subculture of hail chasers exists that do roof repairs, usually honest but almost gypsy like, drive around to areas where damage has occurred. A good size storm can overwhelm the local roofers so its a good thing, but you have to be careful using them.
Dave: I stand corrected, and properly chastened. I wrongly assumed 'apartment' meant rented; I've always heard the term 'condo' when referring to owned units. Thanks for the heads up - I learn something new every day. I hope.
How about blocks of ice as big as a microwave oven crashing through your roof? Link.
Dave said, "I don't think any place else in the US has co-ops."
We have some co-ops in San Francisco. But they're considered bad investments relative to condos, TIC's and regular houses.
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