December

It's been snowing recently -- all day on Sunday and Monday afternoon, and the temp is cold enough so the snow has stayed on the ground. This morning I woke to the scraping and beeping of snow plows at work. It's a good, old-time, reassuring sound. Civilization continues to exist. The government is doing its work. The roads will be clear.

Lying in bed, I began to think about cold mornings when I was a kid. Our house had electric heat, and some mornings -- after storms -- the power was out. Our parents would build a fire in the living room fireplace, and we'd get dressed by firelight. I can't remember for sure, but I think we had a gas stove, so our mother could make a hot breakfast.

The way I remember those winters is -- they were much colder than now, and there was lots of snow. Of course, I was shorter, so the snow drifts looked taller.

Hard winters make you appreciate the work that governments do. When there's a snow fall, and the plows come out, three of them in an angled row like half a flying v, clearing the freeway -- you think, maybe there is something to be said for the social compact.