The weather outside is frightful

but we're managing to stay warm and dry at St. Mary's, an island of comfort and good cheer surrounded by snow which keeps falling and falling and falling. Sister Snow got a new look and a wider skirt last night. The lights went out today, but our generator kicked in immediately - and within an hour, the lights came back on.

You get to St. Mary's by driving down a steep hill from the street. It's something you wouldn't register on most days, but now it's treacherous. Witness my car, under the snow mound.

Because the priest who was saying Mass couldn't get to St. Mary's, I led a Word and Communion service - very strange for us not to have Mass on the 4th Sunday in Advent! - and gave a brief homily about the Annunciation, today's Gospel. God has a way of rearranging our plans, I said, and that message seemed to tie together Mary's surprise at Gabriel's announcement and our surprise at having all our plans for Christmas week so firmly upended. We're not in control.

This is an especially uncomfortable lesson for someone who hopes to flee to the tropics in six short days.