Madison, WI

Started at 7:10 a.m.

Because it's Sunday, I try to sleep in an extra hour. Unfortunately, my dog Chance doesn't recognize that Sunday should be treated any differently than the other six days of the week. So, I pretend to be sound asleep and try not to move a muscle. Sometimes it works and other times all I buy is an extra hour of anxious tension.

This Sunday morning the sun technically rose at 7:26 a.m. but the overcast sky blocked the rays from reaching our portion of the planet until late morning. Nonetheless, the brisk weather on this first day of winter was perfect for a walk. The mud from previous thaws was frozen and made for excellent footing.

And, because of the recent freeze, Chance was able to be off-leash for about 15 minutes back in the tundra -- an area that is like a swamp and mostly inaccessible in the summer.

Good coffee -- Costa Rican. Cranberry muffin was too good today and I ate more than my alloted share. Consequently, I was compelled by guilt to purchase an day old bakery good and give it all to Chance.