But I don’t need to repeat it. Ever.

Hey there happy reader,

This is the winter that will go down in the record books as the most annoying of all time. Just when my lawn was starting to peek through the dense layer of ice that’s been there for almost a month, BOOM! A blizzard hit us, and it hit us hard!

We had two feet of snow drop on us over the course of twenty-four hours. 

The wind was incredible – at the far east end of Long Island, it was clocked at seventy-five mph! It was whistling around my house on Sunday night, and I feel so lucky that we didn’t lose any trees as some of my neighbors did.

And the worst isn’t over – it’s predicted that we get another round of snowfall today and tomorrow. Will it ever end?

The snow is beautiful if you don’t need to deal with it, but unfortunately, I do. 

I’m now watching every step I take when I’m walking outside, careful to look for black ice before moving from place to place. Parking lots are a mess! If you’re not cautious, you might find yourself upended on the asphalt!

There was one positive aspect of this natural disaster. 

I know I’ve mentioned before that I live behind an actual castle. During the storm, it looked like it was trapped in a snow globe, and even now, the setting is picturesque!

Speaking of castles, since I was stuck inside, I caught up on my latest obsession, “The Traitors.”

It takes place in a Scottish castle, and the incomparable Alan Cummings is the host. The aim is to not be “murdered” by one of the designated “traitors,” whose identities are kept secret from the other contestants. It’s an over-the-top experiment in trust… I can’t get enough of it (or of Alan’s fantastic clothing!) If you’re in the mood for high drama, I highly recommend this addicting and bingeable show!

Luckily, my husband was at home with me during this storm and I did a lot of cooking for us. 

It was nice to have the time to prepare a meal without rushing through it. Thankfully, I have a full set of Ina Garten’s cookbooks, so the sky was the limit. I made her yummy coq au vin, which was perfect for a cold, snowy night.

But now that we’re shoveled out, it’s time to get back to work. I’m days away from sending “From Below the Horizon” to my editor. That means it inches closer to being in your hands…