Birnam Wood

It has warmed up again. Today was sunny and at least 12°C downtown, some trees appear to be leafing out! The weather is beyond absurd and becoming worrying. This is the warmest winter in 1300 years, according to a report on the radio (based on geologists' analysis of ice samples from glaciers). As far as I can tell, there hasn't yet been a night of frost down here in the valley.

Last year at this time there was so much snow that roofs were collapsing under its weight.

Nonetheless, Christmas approaches. The city is full of those odd temporary forests that spring up at this time of year, every vaguely public piece of open land in the city has acquired a stand of pine trees. I like the look and the smell of them, even as I can't help but deplore the waste of those young lives cut off in their prime.

In other news There's a party happening somewhere across the street, and they are playing That Special Party Song. You know the one, it's the song you hear every time the neighbours let their hair down:

thumpa thumpa thumpa thumpa
thumpa thumpa thumpa dang

The funny thing is that you never hear it being played when you're at a party; but every party across every street puts it on "repeat" the whole damned night long. It's a mystery.