We've just dug our way out of a 2 foot blizzard. It was nothing like 1978 when the roads were impassable for over a week. This one happened on a Saturday night and Sunday day so we were operational by this morning.

Everyone at work asks me if the boys are excited by the snow. "No, they're stuck in the house" I reply. Sunday afternoon the snow finally eased up and the boys bundled up to help me shovel. Hank took one step out the door, felt the cold blast of wind and snow, and headed right back inside. Skipper joined me for 15 minutes and was helpful.

Last night Sarah thought she heard on the TV that there would be no garbage pick up. At 7:15 this morning the truck rolled by leaving us with four full cans of garbage in the side yard. I threw on some clothes and raced out the door. Looking up the street, I noticed that they had not yet collected the adjacent block on our street. I proceeded to lug the four cans of garbage, one at a time, 100 yards up our street, across a main thoroughfare, placing them at the corner of the unserviced block.

On the way back from the first transfer, I jumped in Sarah's car to warm it up for the trip to Skipper's school. The car wouldn't start. I dragged another can up the street, tried the car, it wouldn't start. I dragged another can and then went to get my car which is parked on the next street over. It started right away, and I drove it in front of our house. I dragged the last 2 garbage cans and then tried Sarah's car again. It wouldn't start.

I went in the house. Skipper was ready for school. I told them the problems. "Skipper can't go to school", said Sarah. "How am I going to pick him up. He has a play date in the afternoon. I need a car." I went outside. I got in Sarah's car. I prayed as if I were in Church - I bowed my head, folded my hands together, and pleaded with the Lord not to consider this prayer as vain. I turned the ignition. The car started right away. I heard a growling noise up the street. The garbage truck was picking up our cans that I had placed on the corner.

I took Skipper to school and realized that I believed in God again for I had experienced a miracle.

I am reading two biographies at the same time. One is about Juan Carlos, the King of Spain, and the other about Thomas Watson, the founder of IBM. The Juan Carlos biographer tells us very matter of factly how Juan Carlos probably accidentally killed his younger brother. They were 9 or 10 and playing with a revolver at their estate in Portugal. I have been impressed about how shrewd Juan Carlos was in gaining Franco's favor so that he would be appointed to succeed Franco upon his death.

Over this long cold King weekend, I have been reading about Juan Carlos while the boys play computer games. Patriots football has become difficult to watch because Skipper has now learned how to use the remote. Animal Planet is his favorite channel. Unfortunately, the Patriots Colts game was in competition with a feature on crocodile wrestling Sunday evening. I lost. The crocodiles lost. The Patriots won.

The boys are funny eaters. Hank eats cheese but will rarely drink milk. Skipper eats every fruit but will rarely drink orange juice. Hank drinks orange juice all day long but will never touch a piece of fruit and is proud to announce "I don't eat fruit!" Skipper likes mayonnaise sandwiches but will no longer eat peanut butter. Neither one of them will eat eggs. Hank enjoys his food. He opens his mouth wide and eats with gusto. Skipper is indifferent unless it is fruit cocktail.