Drove around Providence on a last minute errand before the snow, and the streets were eerily empty. Other than the middling streetlights, beaurocratically working as if it were a sunny Sunday, I could drive freely and without the usual traffic. It reminded me of the beginning of the COVID lockdown, only with an air of anticipation and expectation, not hesitation. During COVID, the people didn’t know what the air would bring; this morning, the only uncertainty was how much of a workout the shoveling would be.

Businesses are handling this in stride. My favorite tea shop decided to open for as long as they felt like it. But now I’m home, cooking a stew and doing some laundry, before I settle in for some tea and a good book.