I started a post about the cold weather we're having here, but given the kind of winter New England is experiencing right now I sounded like I was just whining, so never mind.

The school is getting all gussied up for the Chinese New Year celebration next week. We get a week off starting next Wednesday but the public schools get about a month off for the holiday. There's a lot of travel involved in the New Year since you're supposed to go back to visit your ancestral home, so families need time off.

You're also supposed to do a thorough cleaning of your home, car, work space, etc. Our cleaning lady, Rose, does an adequate job of cleaning the apartment so I don't need to worry about that and my work space is going to be torn down in a few months so that's not really worth cleaning. I think I may give my bike a scrub down so the bike gods can give me a good report back in heaven. Given the biking conditions around here I can use as much help as I can get.

Here's the foyer of our building,decorated by the students.

The New Year is the year of the sheep.