When given the opportunity, there is no better part to play than the hero, no matter how big or small. CK was having a helluvaday, so I secretly changed my trip to Flag from Friday morning to Thursday afternoon. I had worried that I might run into trouble on the road, like I was driving ahead of myself and therefor meet a fate not detined for me, but the decision turned out to be a push from Fate her self. I arrived at Riley and called him up. He was in his room, watching Friends. Asked him if his day had improved anymore, and then had him open the door to a cream soda and my self. The face was priceless. I treated him to dinner and then took a delightfully hot, spacious, and clean shower (sad that I prefer these community showers to the one in my dorm) while he was in drumline. The rest of the night we kicked off our hats and shoes and toasted to better days. And some dizzying hours later, submitted to dreams (and what bizarre dreams they were). I must have drowned myself last night because I woke up in Heaven. Beside me the Bear gently breathed in oblivion until a sudden and tremendous roll of thunder got us both to our feet. Outside the window it was raining, which quickly turned to snow. Bear returned to hibernation while I stared out the window, as mesmerized as a small child. I suppose that's my desert heritage staring; not accustomed to while stuff falling. I watched as it all tumbled out of the sky, slow and light, swirling a little here and there. Below, it disappeared--perhaps "disipated" is more correct--but it fell so surely and then amounted to nothing. I looked up, realizing at once that snow is far less magical from that view. It's busy and frightening, watching specks of gray that look like ash swirling all above, making your eyes go dizzy and afraid that something with fall in their way. By now it's letting up. All its efforts have left but little patches of thin white on the grass, most likely doomed to mud puddles by the afternoon. The roofs are lightly painted, the trees gently adorned. I hope it keeps up all day. In any case, I'm glad it happened now, this morning, with me here, not only for my saftey of not having been on the road, but also for being a witness to the first snowfall in winter. Carrie