"Let it snow"--and it did!

The snow seemed to fall endlessly in Helena. The first snow since October, the snow all the hunters wish had come earlier to drive their prey down from the hills. Instead, the snow came and drove helpless drivers into something like 40 accidents, including rollovers on I-15 and an 11 car chain reaction in downtown.

All this on the night of our cookie decorating party. But we were undaunted and a number of people came and enjoyed great cookies, cider, and coffee at the Vanilla Bean.

I did hear from people, though, who were planning to come or even on their way and had to abandon their plans. The traffic reports were more appropriate for Seattle: pervasive gridlock, cars creeping along Montana Ave. at 5 miles per hour, cars sliding down hills, cars in the ditch, cars abandoned as people gave up and walked.

Even so, the cookies were tasty and the conversation was great. My younger daughter, Carolyn, found the perfect way to angle for more cookie action: she "helped" the younger children with their decorating efforts.