The winter storm  that always seemed to hit on  your birthday arrived a couple of days early this year.  It shut down the city for two days, and we're still digging out. 

 As it began, I went for a walk, enjoying the calmness of the city night, and the  huge snowflakes.  You used to wake me up on nights like that one,  shaking my shoulder, and saying "Come on, lets go for a walk. It's so pretty outside!"

 I remember how you told  stories of slinging a rope between your house and your neighbour's,  so that the kids there could find their way over for your birthday party during a blizzard. 

Before you got sick, you used to enjoy going out and shovelling snow with Dad. I laughed so hard when I  found that you had not only shovelled out  the driveway, and a path to the shed, but also tunnels in the back yard for the dog to play in one year. I couldn't help imagining the two of you  burrowing  through the snow, like little children building snow forts.