Very quiet here-- no sounds of traffic from the street outside, no sounds of people calling to each other and laughing as they traverse the sidewalks. No music. All I can hear is the sound of the salt trucks and plows, now and then. (And the sound of our upstairs neighbors, juggling anvils, or whatever they do in the morning.)

The animals are on my bed, resting in the bright white light from the window. I put Hazel's coat on her a little while ago, and took her out. My neighbor who uses a crutch was trying to get in. Stairs are a problem for her. She often scoots down the inside stairs on her butt. She is young and pretty, and she and Hazel get along well. I let her in to the building.

Outside was still clean and white-- so bright it makes you dizzy. The stairs are not shoveled. Someone will do it eventually.

Last night son's gf came by. She said that a few years ago she had made money shoveling snow. Everyone needs their cars dug out. Many people don't or cannot do it themselves. Like my pretty neighbor, like many in Borough Park who cannot shovel snow on Saturday. A strapping young lady with her own shovel and a big smile is just the thing!

Daughter was out sledding at midnight, as the wind roared and the snow was still coming down. We guessed correctly that there would be no school today. It is dangerous to drive, and too cold to let little ones wait for busses and subways.

This storm will be the first test for the new mayor. Here is link if you feel like it.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/how-snow-sacks-mayors-again-and-again-20140103

In reality there is not a lot of control that the mayor has over snow, or even how to respond to it. But they get slammed with blame for all kinds of things. I remember when there was a flu outbreak several years ago, Bloomberg got on tv and talked about hand-washing. He demonstrated how he washed his own hands, and reminded everyone to do it after they used the bathroom or blew noses. I admit, I laughed a bit. This billionaire mayor of NYC, probably never thought he would be doing that. Talk about micro-managing.But he was right. Everyone should wash hands. And it made me imagine his long ago mother, unfolding the little hands of a long ago little boy, teaching him...

It is inevitable that somebody somewhere will not get their street plowed as timely as they would have liked.

So that is it here. Stay warm, all you.