If I don’t do a better job of making sure the weather forecast is the No. 1 Priority Of My Life At All Times, I’ll get thrown out of the Old Dude’s Club before I even get a good foothold.

I involuntarily joined the club on a recent birthday, and Rule No. 1 is, Old Guys Know Weather. They know and like to tell you that it’s supposed to rain two weeks from Wednesday, that you’ll need a jacket Tuesday, that Saturday will be perfect for golf as long as you bring a mock turtleneck.

Being a rookie, I fumbled Tuesday. I guess everyone in North Louisiana but me thought it was supposed to be just another North Louisiana October day — muggy, possibly teasing of fall.

Instead we woke to rain. “I’ll be,” was my thinking. “Looks like this will hang around a while.”

Put on rain gear. Went out to meet the day.

Should have put on flood gear.

In an hour drive Tuesday morning early, I saw three cars stuck in medians or off shoulders. Hydroplaned, I suspect, the worst of all the planes. Had to drive with emergency flashers on. Grueling.

I also didn’t know the temp would drop into the 40s. It is a sad thing when a person is unprepared for cold, wet and far from home. Being an old dude, I should have known better.

Tuesday was not close to the coldest I’ve ever been; that’s a story for another time. But it was attention-getting, and a reminder that winter — hated winter — is around the corner.

What’s the coldest you’ve ever been? While you think, I’m grabbing a jacket. She’s supposed to be low 50s all day.

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