Thrilling! They've now painted the doors in the hallway. The color makes me think of pumpkin, not fresh pumpkin, but pumpkin pie filling that comes in a can, only darker. Because I'm not at all familiar with pumpkin pie filling that comes in a can, I suspect that it isn't actually anything like the color of the doors, but it's what I think of, so there you are. The important thing is that walking down the hall now makes me a bursting sort of happy. They haven't gotten to the second floor yet, but they will before I do.

While the sun was out my windowsill was lined with fat, chattering birds. It was the greatest thing that's ever happened on my windowsill. There were seven or eight of them, and are they starlings? I didn't think so then, but I do now. One stood facing in, and he'd occasionally tap his beak against the window. Yes, I decided that that one was a he based on just his face. I wish I'd taken a picture. I'm hoping they come back before this windowsill stops being mine.

So, I've been sick the past couple of days, sort of achy and feverish and groaningly slow, but things are looking up. I'm willing myself better for tomorrow. It's supposed to snow and snow and snow, and there'll be a ferry ride to Mary's birthday. A ferry ride in the snow! We'll be all fanced up and when we get to the other side it will be like landing on the moon. I am terribly excited. Except that now the weather man says, "Blizzard!" so we'll certainly be lost at sea. I'll miss you, world I'll leave behind. Don't forget me.