I heard on the news today that there was a possibility of 70mph winds. My reaction was "yeah right"! I've kinda grown skeptical of weathermen over my life time because, it seems they are wrong more than they are right. Why can't they just tell the truth? I remember in the past planning vacation days based on what the weatherman says and being disappointed when they are wrong. When it's supposed to snow 2 feet we get an inch, when it's supposed to be a skiff it dumps. How does sunshine with no chance of rain turn into torrential downpours? It seems like the only time they get it right is when I second guess them.

One time my friends and I had planned a backpacking trip to the Wind Rivers in Wyoming. It was mid September, and there was a strong possibility of cool weather and rain. We decided to bring an extra pair of socks and bet the weatherman was wrong. After all, it had been nice weather for weeks, and we had already made all of the arrangements. We weren't going to let a little rain stop us. We were wrong. The weatherman was right to an extent. He got the rainy and cold part correct, but what he failed to do,(as a person in his kind of position should do in this type of situation) is tell us all how miserable it can be to try and sleep in ice water. I won't forget that trip, and I was one of the warmer guys.

So you can see how today when I hear it's going to be windy I think twice about what to do. I decided to trust that the luv-shaq would protect Shaq from the wind, and see what would happen. I really didn't have the time to hover over the plant all day to protect it. I did decide to take these two pictures in case the weatherman was right, and the wind destroyed all signs of SHAQ before I could come back. Later when I returned home, I heard news of a strong hailstorm that pounded the yard. A hailstorm strong enough to end a pumpkin growing season before it even really started. Sure, I could go the rest of the season with an inferior pumpkin knowing I had no chance at the championship, but this is SHAQ we're talking about, not the UTAH JAZZ! The luv-shaq held up well, and SHAQ slept through the hailstorm. Luckily the weatherman was wrong. No high wind here.