All is bright.

I am now officially on vacation from this evening through the end of next week. Earlier today, I shot some photos of the snow.

I worked today from home, like many Seattleites, bedazzled by the beauty of the snow and the sunshine in 25 degree temperatures.

What amazed me most last night was the absolute silence of the street, with no cars moving. That silence followed hours of neighborhood kids sledding down this hill yesterday, and again today. I was tempted to join them. I remember well how it felt to be cold but exhilarated, going fast on a sled down the hill on a sunny day when there was no school....how it felt when it got dark, and I resisted my mother's voice calling us in for dinner, to get just one more ride in.

Tonight, the first celebration of my vacation: Lauren, home from UNC at Chapel Hill, came to dinner. She is the most appreciative eater that Leroy ever cooks for, so he made her salmon with strawberries, his special little red potatoes in a creamy sauce, and a tofu-cabbage-mushroom-celery-sauerkraut side vegetable dish. Lauren has bandwidth in so many areas of interest, born probably in part out of her time as a reporter. Her work seems to be going well, as she juggles a full load of courses with being a teaching assistant. We hope to see her again several times at least while she is home. And next spring, when I take my train rides around the country with my camera, I have already checked to be sure that I can stop in Chapel Hill and spend some time with her. She is a person I know that I will care about all my life.