The weather: As dull a topic as it has ever been, with snow

It has snowed in the north, in Ras Al Khaimah, this week. This is a very big deal. This is such a rare occurrence the local dialect doesn't even seem to have a word for snow. Jebel Jais (Jebel means mountain) is blanketed... the three dudes on the front of our paper today have built a snowman in what is one of my favourite photos since coming here.  It is only the second snowfall in recorded history – a word Bourque.com has failed to include today, also attributing the UAE's snowfall to global warming, which I am not sure is the case – but remember, there wasn't much here even 30 years ago. Not much recording going on. Perhaps no pens even. There is snow story and photo gallery here, and as good as it is, I caution that it will probably prove exceedingly dull for Canadian readers.

There is snow on stuff, basically.

A friend wrote to me the other day from Canada and mentioned that I hadn't complained about the weather lately. The truth is, it's pretty gorgeous out now in the UAE. The days have a hint of cool in the air, mostly with bright sunshine. You can still sit out at night, and lots of places have heaters, which strikes me as pretty hilarious. In Canada, the heaters are pulled out in October. 

It poured rain on Friday night for about 10 minutes; a friend and I enjoyed it from the balcony.

You appreciate these things, knowing that the toaster is on the way. When it's the humidity, not the heat.