Winter-weather boffins murmur that this winter ahead may be our coldest and snowiest in years - which, to be honest, isn't saying much. I'm no real fan of frigid dark, but some proper seasonal cold would be welcome. These past few years have been mild, as would be expected from a warming globe, and when we don't have a good flinty measure of winter it sometimes feels like the year has no spine. So far the days and nights are still on the mild side of cold, but we'll see.

Our Alice in Wonderland show is taking shape. We'll break soon for the Thanksgiving holiday, so it's a charge now to get to a reasonable point where we can stop for a few days of family and fooding and then come back in without losing too much steam. Costumes and props are starting to come together, so that helps.

This is an old key, newly revealed, and should work like new. If you have trouble with it, please let me know.