Snow on Boxing Day

Our Christmas was mellow with both of us writing, watching "House" reruns and just enjoying being on the water. When you wake up in the morning on a boat; often, your first thought is to remember yesterday's walk. In my case this morning, it was a memory of walking the day before under blue skies. A slanting sun stretched its arms like a tot on tiptoe, trying to melt the last of the soggy snow with rays already tired from its work in South America. Over Haro and Georgia Straits -- home of the cleanest saltwater you can find -- over where Vancouver must be, low-hung clouds waited over the mainland like someone else's dream, just waiting for the sun to surrender its last-gasp attempt. Sure enough, this morning we're back to sleet and snow.