Snow! Snow.

"How perfect," I thought. Freshly back to the east coast, Christmas around the corner, and snow in the offing.

Better yet, it was perfectly timed, scheduled to arrive late on a Saturday. How much better does it get than a early Saturday dinner at an old favorite restaurant (now managed by the son of the owner in whose company we spent so many nights in the past), followed by a snowed-in Sunday, fireplace ablaze, football on, family gathered?

When snow first appeared, but then sputtered and stopped yesterday afternoon, it seemed that my idyllic weekend might not come to pass.

But, somewhere between antipasto and the double espresso, the snow returned in earnest. Some hours later, I awoke to this scene, viewed from our bedroom window.

A foot or more of the stuff had fallen overnight, with a few flakes here and there still dancing earthward as the storm's parting gesture.

I think, "Great! Coffee, good book, rest of household awakes, watch the Sunday talking head shows, snow removal service clears driveway for son's arrival, football double header, dinner,conversation…

One problem though.

We learned, by their non-appearance, that the landscaping / snow removal service Ellie's parents had contracted had gone belly up sometime over the summer.

So, the hours between 10:00 and 2:45 were spent creating the minimalist work of art below:

A couple of Alleves and a few hours later, I'm now ready to enjoy the Sunday I had originally envisioned. Good night and god bless.