No one can possibly know what is about to happen: it is happening, each time, for the first time, for the only time.

-- James Baldwin

Would you believe we might have a White Christmas?

I know it's unlikely. In fact, there has never been one in Augusta's recorded weather history, but the latest edition of The Old Farmer's Almanac -- out this month -- has this prediction for our region Dec. 25-27: "Rain and snow, then sunny and cold."

At least we're in the neighborhood. I'm more interested in what the weather will be for a certain week in early April.

If the almanac is to be believed, "Thunder storms then sunny and warm" for April 5-15, which should promote the sale of Masters Tournament umbrellas.

Other than the weather predictions -- and the almanac swears its long-range forecasts are about 90 percent accurate -- the traditional publication is also a predictor of products and trends.

Among them:

- Toilets with foot pedals that pop up the seat like trash cans.

- Entrepreneurs who sell unidentified antique photographs to you can claim them as images of your ancestors.

- Ramps, wheelchairs and vision devices for aging family pets.

- And my favorite -- biodegradeable coffins made from recycled newspapers. (Who says our industry is dying?)

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MORE MAIL: April sends a card from Bryson City, N.C., where she is "up here with the Senior Citizens of Grovetown to take the Great Smoky Mountain Ride. Having a great time."

The Coles from Beech Island were in Louisville, Ky., for the Gospel Quartet Convention, and sent me a nice card from baseball's Louisville Slugger Museum. "You would love it," they say, and they are right.

And Roxanne and Andy Davis , of Evans, and nephew Gus Gerard , of Cleveland, send a note from "absolutely beautiful" Cozumel, Mexico.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?

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TODAY'S JOKE: Here's one shared by Everette Fernandez .

A guy walks into a post office one day to see a middle-age, balding man standing at the counter methodically placing "Love" stamps on bright pink envelopes with hearts all over them.

He then takes out a perfume bottle and starts spraying scent all over them. His curiosity getting the better of him, he goes up to the balding man and asks him what he is doing.

The man says "I'm sending out 1,000 Valentine cards signed, 'Guess who?' "

"But why?" asks the man.

"Well," the balding man says, "I'm a divorce lawyer."