Let it snow

Yesterday we came across the name Peter Beagle, in reference to some literature anthology or other. Michael asked me, ‘What does the name Peter S. Beagle mean to you?’ Instantly I quoted, ‘“Long before ‘Frodo Lives!’…”’ and Michael chimed in, ‘“…began appearing on subway walls…”’ Peter Beagle wrote the introduction to the Ballantine edition of The Lord of the Rings, which it turns out we both have read (many times) cover to cover. ‘Amazing,’ I told Michael. ‘Who would have guessed that in addition to everything else, each of us would have found someone so absolutely compatible in every way, right down to the passion for Tolkien?’ I mean, if you start quoting an obscure line from an introduction to a specific printing of a specific book, what are the odds that someone else will recognise it to the extent of being able to finish the quote with you??

Warnings of wintry weather swirled around us as we hurried home Friday night. It was time to return the rental car, and my ‘new’ car wasn’t ready for pick-up yet, so Michael met me at the rental place and we drove home together. On the way I happened to spot a Ledo’s Pizza, as of the days of yore. Many the happy mealtime I spent at the Ledo’s in Leesburg. We pulled over and went in. It had just opened, and the food was as delicious as I remembered. What a happy blast from the past!

Ice covered the roads the next morning. All our plans for a busy Saturday were thus rendered moot, but it turned out to be a lovely weekend after all. We had a cosy time taking down Christmas decorations, cleaning the house, and baking. We did brave the roads and dash out to Target long enough to set up our baby registry. (Now that’s an adventure!) Then we curled up for a long winter afternoon. Toward evening the lights went out, and we spent three hours by the flickering glow of candlelight. I had ambitiously decided to make cinnamon rolls, and had the bread already kneaded by the time the lights went out, so I rolled out the dough and made up the rolls by candlelight. Church was canceled in the morning, so we baked the cinnamon rolls and had a leisurely morning. Ron and Catherine came over for dinner and two episodes of Bertie and Jeeves, and then we tried sight-singing some Psalms. We must try this again around a piano.

I told Michael, ‘There is no one in the world with whom I’d rather be snowed in than you!’