As I write this, we are in the midst of a cold snap. Temperatures hover between the low-teens and mid-twenties each day. Most days, gale force winds create wind chills that give one pause before leaving home. It isn’t bone chilling cold, let’s just call it “activity discouraging.” It exceeds our gear’s ability to keep us functioning as long as normal.
We are, as the beloved old Christmas song says, “In the bleak midwinter.”
Low angle sun on the beach rocks (Photo: Mark A. Zeiger).
We maintain a strict non-smoking household. Michelle has reacted so badly to cigarette smoke throughout her life, that we just say, for the sake of simplicity, that she’s allergic to it. Psychologically, she could well be. This has never been an issue here. We have very few local friends who smoke. I don’t think any of them smoke in their own homes, let alone anyone else’s.
Ironically, while we forbid tobacco smoke, we welcome incense into our home, particularly at Christmas time.
Santa Claus enjoys his pipe (Photo: Mark A. Zeiger).
