My office in New York has a window that gets marvelous sunlight from about noon until 2:00 during the months of January and February. It gets warm and feels like I am on the beach. At least that happens the days that the sun actually shines, which were few and far between since the beginning of the year. I get energized by this bright light and thus soooo welcome it. In its absence I have been reading my way through the winter to give me an extra boost.

I hope your new year is off to a wonderful start --- and that you're doing a lot less shoveling than we are! It seems every week brings a new storm to the Northeast and lots of snow, slick roads and school cancellations. I don't mind it as much during the weekends, when I'm home with a stack of books and a crackling fire in the fireplace, but the weather has made for some tough driving. As I write this, ANOTHER big storm is due in the New York/New Jersey area by midweek. Old Man Winter just won't quit!

Everywhere we look, people are talking about the weather; last week, 49 states all had snow, and most people are seeing temperatures that are a lot lower than usual across the country. We here in New York just got hit with 16 inches of snow, and the novelty is wearing off. My son has missed four days of school, and I confess that when the phone rings at 5AM, I wonder WHO in our town is getting up that early for school. Around our house, a 6:30 call would be just fine! Spring isn't that far off, though --- only 50 more days to go (but who's counting?).