Eerie, observed and swept.

1. This morning it was a snow day -- and now it's not. The roads are clear, the pavements are clear. The sun is shining merrily (out of the biting wind it's almost pleasant) but town is eerily quiet -- lots of signs on doors about early closures 'due to the snow'.

2. A family of Chinese tourists waits at the other side of the crossing. The children (a teenage girl and preteen boy) are arguing -- she gesticulates with a phone. He gesticulates with what looks like a plastic teapot. It makes me smile -- and it also makes the lad standing in front of me smile. I walk behind him up the hill -- he seems to be observing everything, making quick glances all around him. I suppose that the snow has closed his school so he's out taking notice of the unusual conditions.

3. Nick says he is going to spend ten minutes sweeping the snow off the pavement before it freezes. He makes it down to the bottom of the street. I feel very proud to have a neighbourly husband.