here we go

Driving in to work this morning under a BIG, FAT, FULL moon...casting great shadows in our yard in spite of "city lights" all around us. Pretty excellent stars, also. We had a tactful dusting of soft snow overnight... Number-One Son shovelled the walks in the wee small hours...
The faintest promise of daylight in the southeastern sky.
I think we're ready.
Field Marshal Viscount Slim ("Slim of Burma" if any WW2 aficionados are reading) used to say that all engagements with the enemy were fought uphill, in the rain, at the point where two or more maps joined. Christmas is a bit like that: uphill, in the snow and ice (at least in this hemisphere), and at the point where two CALENDARS join, just to remind us that life is real and life is earnest and we weren't put here to enjoy ourselves; or at least, not MERELY to enjoy ourselves.
May you all have the right calendar in hand when needed over the next two weeks!