I hear they’re calling my hometown “Chiberia,” since the temperature here in Chicagoland is lower than that in Siberia. It’s so cold my dog went out to do his duty and came right back in the house, duty only half done. We have heat in our home, which I am glad of, but the windchill, something like -40°F, makes it a really bad idea for kids to stand outside waiting for buses. I am not glad of this. My children—whom I love very much—are on extended leave from school. They go back on Wednesday; having them home is making me nuts.

As a crazy good parent, I know my limits. This week, I’ll post on Thursday and skip tomorrow’s post. I’ll be writing about what we, both ourselves and our society, call mental illnesses and people who have them. I’ll be writing from the perspective of an American; viewpoints from other points on the globe are welcome!

In the meantime, stay warm and, if you are in a warm place, stay there.

Janice, publisher