As Spooky just said, it's very wrong that people hear "Nemo" and think of that damned orange fish.

I haven't written in two days, which means the word bank – which had enough words to cover two days – is now empty. However, before I can go back to work on Red Delicious, I have to write something for Sirenia Digest #86.

And, by the way, I love my readers. Thanks to everyone who helped out on Amazon yesterday. Two stars to four in about two hours. I'm still pissed they yanked down blackholly's review (I wish I'd thought to copy it), because writers are banned from reviewing. Yep, it's true. Writers – an immensely broad range of people – are forbidden to comment, as themselves, on Amazon.com. Since 2012, I think, but I didn't know until yesterday. I'm wondering if they include people who self publish to Kindle. I'm wondering how they define "author." It's a load of bullshit. But bullshit is what I expect from Amazon. This is censorship, and there's no honest way to claim it's anything else.

So, yeah. Nemo came and left us...well, we're not sure, because it's been hard getting an accurate fix on the snowfall amounts here in Providence. We're estimating ~20". Today, the sun is peeping in and out, and I've never seen a world so white. I wish I were at Beavertail, looking down at our cove – at the place where we swim in the summer. There's a driving and parking ban in effect here. None of the secondary roads have been cleared. But we have power. It only flickered a few times last night. Once just long enough to shut off my iMac. The wind battered and buffeted the house. The wind howled. There are college kids downstairs, and they went out and built a snow cat before the storm reached its full fury. We waited until it was truly wild, so I could say I'd walked in Nemo. But we didn't walk far. The wind made the snow into needles, and I had to keep my back turned to it. But it was utterly, sublimely wonderful, even though the wind put my nerves on edge (still on edge today). The orange sky of a heavy snow is...well, I was going to say how much I love that light, but then I realized it's manufactured by city light pollution. Anyway, there are a few photos behind the cut. We'll venture out later today and get aftermath photos for tomorrow.





In the front parlour, Hubero watching the storm.



Very Dr. Seuss.



Looking towards the opposite side of the street.



People who make snow cats leave behind a lot of wet clothing.



Snow cat!



Looking west.



Looking east (into the wind). This photo makes the world look civilized again. You can't see the ugly, you can't see the "modern." You can't see the 21st Century.



We saw the first episode of Homeland last night, and it seems promising. I am somewhat leery of the way the series could go politically, and if it turns into a pro-DoHS, anti-Muslim, pro-war screed I'll stop watching. But, for now, yeah. I'm giving it a chance. Also, Morena Baccarin naked. Big plus.

If you haven't, please do look at the current eBay auctions. Thanks.

Okay...must make words, here in my white tomb.

White Out Conditions,
Aunt Beast