A close inspection of this photo will reveal a very lumpy reflection of the sunrise in the waters of the Sudbury River. Temperatures for the last week have dipped well below freezing for much of the day and all of the night. The surface of the river has been freezing and thawing in patches, resulting in large plates of textured ice.

This evening, we hosted a gathering of friends who are the parents of Maya’s high school soccer teammates. We are fortunate to have found such lasting relationships and enjoyed hearing updates on all the girls.

Earlier in the day, I visited an urgent care center. After using a Q-tip to clean my ear, I noticed that the tip had become separated from the stick. I attempted to remove the cotton swab with tweezers and then with a tool I fashioned from double sticky tape. I decided to seek professional attention after several unsuccessful attempts. When I arrived for treatment, I became irritated when a nurse came in to measure my blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, pulse rate, and temperature. I could not see how this had any bearing on a bit of cotton stuck in my ear. A half-hour later, I saw the doctor. He used an otoscope to look in my ear, only to discover that it was clear. I have yet to figure out this mystery but will no doubt be reminded of my irritation when I see the bill.