Local Weather Friends

    I miss the Weather Gang

I live in the Tampa Bay area.

I said "area" because nobody lives in Tampa Bay. It’s full of water and a few old mobsters from  Tampa’s past glory days.

But since one out of four homeowners owes more on their mortgage than their home is worth, some of us actually do live underwater. 

Segue Ahead

Meanwhile, I just saved 30 dollars a month. We switched cable companies. Here’s the problem:

I miss my old cable company, my weather friends. Back in the good old days, (7 days ago), I could get my fix of weather every ten minutes on the nines.

Two times every hour, at 29 and 59 minutes after, there would be a teasingly shorter weather report ... with no Weather Radar.

Yes, my kids are in the same school with the same address and the same friendly neighbors, (mostly). But I pine for my weather crew: Josh, Diane, Brian, Juli, Mike, and Alan. 

I also long for dapper Chuck, the traffic guy. Monday through Friday, a television director would superimpose Chuck's image over Tampa’s Interstate Four gridlock. His giant legs blocked traffic across two of the west-bound lanes.

 Hey Chuck.You wanna get outta my way?

100's of cars rammed into his crotch. He never broke a smile.

I can still watch their Weather Radar on my computer, but it’s not the same without the previous affable meteorologists.

It’s 9 minutes after the hour. I have to watch … oh wait … never mind. It stills hurts so bad.

Maybe one day I will see my weather buddies riding on a local parade float. I will yell, "Show us your warm fronts." 

01-02-2014 Update: My daughter and I spotted Chuck Henson in Dunedin, Florida, setting up for a roadside report. We waved and he waved back. Even from across 4 lanes of traffic, we could tell that his immaculately white shirt was crisp and wrinkle free.

A real professional.

02-28-2014 Update:  I just had a twinge of sadness like the feeling one gets after stopping smoking cigarettes for a year. I still miss my weather friends from Bay News Nine. 

The feeling has passed and I am feeling better. In fact, My daughter's orthodontist just called to remind me of her appointment next MONDAY.

Now I am dizzy with delight. While the daughter is getting her braces adjusted, I will ogling the waiting room's giant screen TV. Every ten minutes one of my weather buddies will comfort me with a weather update and a brief, but provocative, peek at the best weather radar in the world. 

Bob Simpson@yahoo.com