A Snowy Pre-Christmas Saturday in the Grand Duchy. . .

 Stollen Central on Saturday, December 14, 2013.  This peaceful scene belies flurry of painting activity happening in Zum Stollenkeller.

We've had about seven inches of snow during the night here in the Grand Duchy of Stollen, and there are still some intermittent flurries this morning.  After digging out our own house and the elderly neighbor's up the street, yours truly is taking a break with a glass of ice-water.  What??!!  Not the usual mug of coffee?  No.  Not when I'm this thirsty.  Whew! 

The Grand Duchess has gone in search of some new winter boots for the Young Master, who is in his room at the moment playing some age-appropriate game on his mother's I-pod.  Just slightly over four years old, and he's a wiz at it already.  Amazing how fast really young children pick up digital technology.  Anyway, I think, given our lovely snowfall, that there will be a trip to a nearby park for some tobogganing later today after lunch.  And naturally, some hot chocolate will follow.  

In the meantime, I've pulled my copy of Soldiers of the Revolutionary War by Stuart Reid and Marko Zlatich from the bookshelves to double-check some details of Pennsylvania regiments in preparation for painting that vignette of Fife&Drum infantry figures and the drummer boy.  The oils applied to the general officers yesterday are dry this morning, and that wonderful faint aroma of oil paints is redolent in the air down here today.  I think the cats must like it, because they've been hanging around with me all morning.  Of course, that could simply be because they know who it is who feeds them most days.  

 Here's a photo taken this afternoon at a local park where there is good tobogganing and sledding (I had my cross-country skis along naturally).  About 150 families were out today, and the area was abuzz with happy activity.  It seems we have a budding winter sports enthusiast on our hands too.  Once the Young Master finally decided to sit on and ride the new toboggan with the Grand Duchess, there was no getting him off.  He loved it!

I've saved the best news for last.  The Grand Duchess was promoted to full professor officially yesterday with the arrival of "the letter" on university letterhead in her mailbox at school.  She got wind of it from the head of the tenure and promotion committee earlier in the week, but she refused to allow herself to believe it until she had something in writing.   Needless to say, Sonja has had an extra spring to her step ever since, and the Christmas party we attended yesterday evening was especially joyous and festive for her as a result.  Just the kind of news to help her relax as we ski into the final ten days before Christmas.  With the new snow on the ground, decorating the trees on Sunday evening, and general gaiety of the occasion, it promises to be a fun-filled day and, indeed, weekend here in the Grand Duchy of Stollen.