Edmund and I were very, very quiet. After a duck dinner, we watched a movie -- Monsters Inc., not bad but no earth-moving experience, either -- and then I went to bed at 10 over Edmund's protests. He stayed up till midnight (on general principles) and then retired himself, accompanied by Bill the cat.

We were sincerely sorry to miss the Mainiacs' New Year's Eve party, but if you were having weather misery it's just as well we stayed at home. Today I feel refreshed and rested for the first time in weeks, if not months.

It's been snowing here off and on since Wednesday, not heavily but quite persistently; yesterday's driving was downright treacherous. Edmund is out clearing the mouth of the driveway so we can go out to see the new Sherlock Holmes. The family feast -- usually the last blow-out of the holiday seas -- is tomorrow, and then we have to buckle down to get ready for the return to work. Bleah.