let it snow

For as much as I loathe the cold in these parts of the Upper Midwest, I do love the snow. Since 9:00 this morning, a light but steady snow has been coming down. It's so beautiful, reconfirming why I chose to stay here year after year, because earlier this week when it was brutally cold, I nearly packed my bags for the Pacific Northwest.

Plowing hasn't happened yet so the streets are a mess and drivers are adjusting to slick roads. Even for the native Minnesotans, there's a learning curve to winter. Shoppers packed the stores this morning, stocking up for being snowbound, though no one ever is truly stuck inside. I can assure you that the snow doesn't seem to have stopped anyone yet. I spent over $200 for tomorrow night's dinner and snowstorm "provisions."

In a bit, we'll make our way to Minneapolis. My friend Suzanne and her husband Bill—a fellow cyclist and beer aficiando—are hosting their annual holiday benefit. It's always a fun time. She sells her publisher's samples for a dime on the dollar, then donates the money to a local shelter. After the party, John and I will start the coq au vin—browning the chicken and marinating it in red wine overnight—and bake the brownies. We have plans to sled with the Hamiltons and Warches tomorrow, and the Cohen-Murphys are coming over for Sunday dinner.

Until then, I'm going to park myself and watch the snow fall.