Winter has officially arrived in the People's Republic of Maryland. Yep, the temperature is much lower than my age, therefore, in my book it's winter.

Tonight, there's a forecast for rain changing to snow by late night and into the early morning, and that's for Baltimore, which is much farther south. Here, maybe a half-inch or so, but that's too much as far as I'm concerned.

I have a policy, which is also clearly spelled out on the contract that I send to every person and facility where I perform. "If there is snow or freezing rain at either the venue or the route to the venue, the performance will be cancelled for that day and rescheduled." Over the past decade, I've had to reschedule at least a half-dozen jobs each year, on average. Some years more, some less.

The way I look at this is it's not worth wrecking your car, possibly getting injured, or worse, for $125 an hour. It just doesn't make good sense. The customers all feel the same way. If's it snowing or freezing rain, there's a good chance that no one will show up for a private party, definitely no show for a restaurant or nite-club job, and while there will be people at the Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities and Retirement Communities, they fully understand the situation and are more than happy to see me when I eventually do get there.

So, as the commercial says "What's in your wallet?" What policy to you utilize when the weather gets nasty? Inquiring minds would like to know!

Gary