The first real snow of the year. We've had a few flakes fall from the sky, and even some that would collect in the corners of windows, but this is deep enough to last until it gets warn again.

It started snowing last night, about 8 or 9PM, and lasted for a few hours. There's probably about an inch thick layer on everything. It's cold enough and deep enough that the streets and sidewalks are still covered. Small chance they'll melt on their own as the day goes on, but I'll probably have to get out there to scrape away the thin layer before people walk on it and cause little icy footprints to last for weeks.

It's cold out there, about 20°F, so it isn't going to melt 'cause it's warm out. And it isn't going to get warmer for a while this week. Silver lining is that it's probably too cold to snow much more.

We're hunkered in with no real plans to go anywhere. The wife announced she has some groceries she didn't get yesterday that she might order for drive-up, but nothing more than that planned. The football game is on later, and we've got leftover pizza from yesterday, so we're set. I do expect the kids to go bonkers and want to get out around half-time, but they'll balk at jackets and boots and snow pants, so there's that to look forward to.

Our intern said that she feels like she's in the movies. She hasn't seen snow before, and it is still in that freshly fallen pretty stage. She was out last night while it was falling, so I'm glad she got all the movie magic to go with it. She thinks it's too cold now, and isn't looking forward to the bus stop in the morning, and can see how it might wear on people for a whole season. And this she gleaned on the first day...

I'm 50-some years into winters, and I'm pretty much over it now. It's pretty today. It'll be pretty periodically when new stuff falls. In the right doses, I don't mind shoveling. I'm prepared with care and discipline for winter driving (and the big-tired 4x4 doesn't hurt), and have jackets and gloves for warmth between buildings and cars. But I've been to the tropics in winter months, and that is so much more better that I can't begin to describe. Often, that's because when I do, I get even more SAD than from not having any sunlight during my waking hours.

Snow now. Football shortly. School tomorrow. It's cold out there.

Everyone's healthy.