My dear, I'm so glad you arrived safe & sound - by sheer coincidence or convergence I discovered your page hits moments after you posted them, when I got up in the middle of the night in my usual sporadic wakefulness. Afterward it was so comforting to return to bed and fall back asleep (for the rest of the night) thinking of you, knowing that you'd arrived and had been thinking of me.

I've just stepped to the west-facing windows in the aerie to admire the approach of the gloaming. The sky is streaked with pale orange, and the immediate - yet miles distant - Catskill ridge is an inky wash, clearly visible now through bare-branched trees. Here and there in still suspension over the sinuous lilac line hang small clouds (like blimps covering a major event) of the same dusk hue. Why is that, I wonder? Why would vaporous clouds be the very shade of solid mountain? I don't really wish to know, but it does seem curious.

Walked at the conservation area this morning, but it wasn't much of a workout as it was very icy so I couldn't walk fast. Now & then overhead flew scattered formations of honking geese, which I really wanted to photograph but by the time I could pull camera from pocket, drop weights, tear off gloves, and turn on camera the geese were far away, out of sight, all in a span of seconds - but a moment is everything. Local ducks, on my second walk, around here, were far more obliging.

I have little to report today, have been feeling achy, tired, and a little flushed actually. What can I dig up? Prompted by an email from Kirsten Gillibrand, D and I both signed petitions in support of fillibuster reform, and chatted about the U.S. Senator who will no longer be so "local," having recently (as I read in the paper) sold her house so as to move to the Albany area to be closer to her family. It is weird to say, but I will miss her, I liked knowing that she was "local" - I think that Mr. North Fifth Street at the12534 may feel the same way. D and I are fans of the Senator, and as we circled about the aerie on respective rounds of morning coffee and ablutions, riffed on the idea of her running for the Presidency. D referred to KG as "movin' and groovin'" (with a nod to Saturday night KZE programming) and I laughed to think of an election campaign - Movin' and Groovin' for America! But seriously, with KG moving worlds away to the different planet of Albany environs, I'm unlikely to ever run into her again at the conservation area - that was a really fun moment & memory! Big hugs - I mean, respectful handshakes, Senator - and of course good luck tonight on Jon Stewart!

***
Quarter past five now and pitch dark outside. D's making dinner, I guess he doesn't like the way I throw together couscous because he specifically asked me this morning not to make it, that he has his own ideas about it. Okay, be that way! Might have baked blueberry muffins but was out of butter.

Thinking of you very much today, in all sorts of ways... I hope all is well with you.

Many hugs, and very many kisses. Sleep well, dearest.