I’ve always liked Dan Hartung’s Lake Effect from Chicago. Having just driven into Chicago for Christmas with family, I now understand the reference. Travelling west across Michigan Thursday night (after being treated to an awe-inspiring display of the aurora borealis in the crisp clear dark sky of the longest night of the year) we suddenly ran into whiteout conditions and had to pull off the highway. Rounding the bottom of Lake Michigan into Chicago, there had not even been any fresh snow.

By the way, I’m borrowing someone’s computer for a moment to post this, because my laptop’s hard disk has crashed since yesterday — probably unrelated to the lake effect. So, contrary to expectations, I don’t think I’ll be posting anything more until I’m back on my home machine in Boston next Wednesday night or Thursday. A very happy holiday to you all, and may the warmth and joy of the season be yours for all the year to come.