Wan sunshine

Prithee why so pale . . .

High thin clouds, perhaps carbon dioxide crystals.  Temperature 10 F, after overnight low of -9.  I would like to get out on the skis, but think I'll wait a little.

In praise of literary agents

The Nice Agent Lady, in conjunction with affiliates, has managed to pry the "publication" payment out of our French publisher's cold, dead hands.

Actual cash money, on its way to our bank account.  If you are a writer or wannabee, and have questioned whether agents earn their keep, I point to this.  I'd probably never have made a foreign sale without her work, and would have stood even lower on the clout-level for extracting payment if I had.  Those sales more than cover her agency percentage for all my US and foreign sales.

Thanks, Lucienne!

In dispraise of the US Mail

I should note that the check was sent Priority Mail from New York City on January 6.  Today is January 12.  Mule train?

(Yeah, "priority mail" doesn't specify what priority.)

Skis!

With the 4"+/- of snow yesterday, I presumed that the City Forest trails would be open for business again.  I presumed right.  Did the whole loop again, since that didn't kill me last time.  Some kind person has cut up and removed two of those downed trees athwart the trail.

And somebody was dropping fir and hemlock cones on the trail.  I couldn't spot the furry nuisances.  Logical deduction would be red squirrels . . .

4 miles, 55 minutes.

Approximately zero again

Dead calm.  Smoke rising straight up in the moonlight. 

We went for a walk earlier, with the moon rising over the "village green" like a lopsided orange.