For some reason we seem to be in a desirable location to throw a snow band that dumps a ton of snow right here. I have a theory about that.

Winter is bowling season and I imagine that the sky is the bowling alley. There seems to be a bunch of lanes going over the great lakes and the bowlers roll from the west edge of the lake towards the east.  What is unique about this bowling lane is that it can be rotated.

When a storm comes through, that is the ball being rolled down the lane. If you know anything about bowling, you can picture the ten pins set up in a triangular formation with the point of the triangle being the headpin facing the bowler. When a bowler rolls the ball, they know to aim for the spot just to the right of the headpin in what is called the pocket (see picture). When the ball hits the pocket is sets off the perfect chain reaction of bouncing pins so that all ten pins can be knocked down and the bowler earns a strike.

Our lane ends with pins being set up in the snow belt area. The headpin of our bowling lane is resting over a city to the north. That puts our city just to the right of the head pin. That’s correct, we are the “pocket” of a winter storm bowling lane. When we get hit by a storm that is someone bowling another strike. One year, I think the guy bowled about a 286. Not sure he missed the “pocket” at all. Seems like their average is about 180, meaning they get a few strikes each year, and a bunch of spares. This year’s bowler certainly had a strike in frame number 1 back in November. Hoping he is just a bad bowler and every bad bowler can find the “pocket” once. At Christmas, it was merely super cold and he only hit pins on either side.This week was about frame number 3 of the game in which I think he left the 10 pin standing. But this bowler may be just getting warmed up.

Here’s to a gutter ball, and a Happy Friday.