The mercury has retreated towards the bottom of the thermometer, and the moon smiles down from a bare, black sky. My thoughts turn towards our chimney, and how much money it will cost to get a chimney sweep to clean it out so that the next time we have a fire the house won't fill up with smoke. There's nothing much better than a nice fire on a cold, winter night. I guess we'll have to make do with candles in the meantime.

Only a few more days until we go to Texas. Only a few more hours until I have to be at work again. Goodnight.

cds I listened to while turning on the heater: Stone Angel "East of the Sun", Calexico "Travelall", Mari Boine "Remixed", and Low "Anthony, Are You Around? - Paris '99"