Lemme Tell Ya How COLD It Is In Vegas!

If 2009 was one of the hottest years on record, they must've been reading a thermometer that was stuck between Al Gore's chafing thighs for most of the year. It seemed like a normal summer--not blazing hot--and even though it's not officially winter yet, it's been downright cold here in southern Nevada.

Oh, it's sunny outside, but that's just an illusion. It ain't warm. And the last couple of days have been cold, windy, and rainy. And remember--I turned on my heater last week for the first time in five years.

Anyhow, I got out of work early last night, but I was dyin' of thirst. Normally, when I finish my shift, I'll have a beer and sit around for a bit chatting with the floorman, a player or two, and the cocktail waitress. But once the game broke last night, everyone scattered. After I clocked out, there was no waitress in the vicinity to bring me a beer, and nobody to sit with anyways, so I hit the road.

It was below freezing when I left work, and even though I was thirsty, I didn't want to go to a convenience store where I'd have to brave the cold and get out of my truck. Oh, I had grape juice and green tea here at the Batch Pad, and plenty of booze, but I just wanted a fountain Coke. So I drove over to Del Taco because the drive-thru is open 24 hours. I ordered my Coke, and a Big Fat Steak Taco to go with it (so good!).

Anyhow, I set the Macho Coke in the drink holder in my center console and the bag with my taco went on the seat next to me. On the drive home, I had to take a sharp left-hand turn, and I did it a little faster than usual to beat a red light. Just my luck, my huge Coke flew out of the drink holder and hit the floor on the passenger's side. The lid came off and the entire drink flooded the carpet.

Yep, I was a little pissed about that, but there was nothing I could do. I got home a couple of minutes later and sopped up what I could with an old hand-towel I had behind my seat, but it wasn't nearly big enough to clean up the whole mess. I came in the house, resigned to the fact that I'd have to take my truck in and get the carpets shampooed sometime next week.

Anyhow, I washed down my taco with a bottle of green tea (feh...) and then just puttered around the house for awhile like I normally do each morning when I get out of work. After sleeping for a few hours, I got up and did my thing for awhile, and remembered that I had to go to the bank and make a deposit.

It was about noon when I left the house, and when I went back out to my truck, there were still several ice cubes sitting on the floor of the passenger's side! They hadn't melted. And remember--it was those fast-food ice cubes, the ones that are barely frozen when you get your drink. Well, they were all still completely intact. And I hadn't parked in the covered spot, either. My truck was sitting out in the direct sunlight all morning.

That's how cold it is in Vegas today.

Mikey