Earlier this winter, there was an interesting thread over on the Bend Bulletin Board where some newcomer asked, "Does it snow in Bend?"

And up popped a bunch of 'knowledgeable' locals to say, Nay, not hardly. Heck, it hardly ever gets cold. Why, when I lived in the mid-west they wouldn't have put on sweaters for the weather here.

And I was thinking, heh.

So the answer is, from anyone who's lived here for a long time, is:

Yes, it snows in Bend.


Meanwhile, I had another newcomer checking out my store. I've taken to asking, "Have you bought a house recently?"

Sure enough, he bought one in the fall.

And the answer to why, he got a 'special' deal.

So that turns out to be the common denominator whenever I ask: a 'special' deal, unlike everyone else.

If I ask a person in the real estate market, they concede that there might be problems, but they have a 'special' situation.

I'll not even exclude myself from that: my store is 'special' and will weather the storm.

Just human nature, I guess. We're all so darned 'special.'