℘℘℘ By mid-November and we are solidly into my favorite time of year. After the clocks are turned back and it gets dark early, for a brief three months I invariably long for the halcyon days of my youth. Then all I had to worry about was doing my homework, practicing my piano music, and helping Mom with her holiday cookie-making marathon. Serendipitously, the darkest days included the two-week winter school holiday, Christmas Eve, Christmas, my birthday, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. If I was really lucky, we’d have a blizzard. No matter if we didn’t, as the icy temperatures gave Mom a reason to keep me indoors and offered me an opportunity to indulge in my favorite winter activity – reading!