We seemed to have escaped winter with just a mild slap. Or is it simply that we're being deceived by March coming in like a lamb? Is there 4 feet of snow waiting for us come March 30? Oh who cares. My theory — and I've only lived in Boston for 6 years, so I can't say it's been fully tested — is that we live under an "every other year" system.

Let me explain. In winter 02-03, we got blasted with snow. I remember digging the car out of Inman Street in December 2002 (it was the day after my husband had a vasectomy, so he couldn't help), driving in near white-out conditions from parking garage to parking garage and finding them all full. Finally, I put it in Genzyme's underground carpark then realized I had to walk home, about a mile and 1/2 in freezing cold and wet snow. Arrived with snot and snow frozen to my face.

The next winter (03-04), we had some snow, but not the 2-foot dumpings of the previous winter. Then came the deluge in 04-05. Stuck in Boston for Christmas because our flight to visit family in Cleveland was canceled and there wasn't a car to be rented — though in hindsight, what a nightmare it would have been to drive in that snow.

And wha-la: this winter, another mild one. I guess this means I shouldn't make plans to see the family at Christmas!