It started snowing here in Western Washington last night and when I woke up this morning, there were several inches of soft, dry white powder on the ground.

It was also eerily silent.

Strangely, last night was not quite a silent night as I could hear people trying to get up the hill in front of my house in their cars. Which was a bit weird since I’d already been out visiting cats while their people are on holiday and making a last minute trip to the grocery story for birthday cupcakes.

Why? Because Rhys turned one-year old on Christmas Eve!

I’z being very patient here waiting for birthday cupcake!

I wrote something hugely sappy, but heartfelt, on Facebook about him, that I’m not going to repeat here. No alcohol was involved, unless half of a spiced winter hard cider counts.

This morning’s silence resulted from not a single living soul, at least of the human kind, being out and about in the cold and snow early this morning. Holidays are generally quiet where I live, but this morning was complete and total silence. I guess they were in their houses gulping coffee while the kids frantically tore at their presents or nursing hangovers from too much eggnog and rum. Or maybe the smart people were simply still in bed.

The silence was broken when Camm uttered a small woof.

“Snow! Where all this snow come from??!! Magical! Cammi love snow! Cammi play in snow! Cammi take lot of snow baths!

However, playing in the snow had to wait while I ventured out on my rounds of cat visits.

The beauty of snow, Christmas morning and no other people being about is that you can simply stop in the middle of the road and snap a picture with no fear of being rear ended.

Once my rounds were accomplished,  and a triple Blonde Hawaiian latte consumed from my favorite coffee shop, I headed back home to play with the dogs.

First, let me clarify that I’m pretty sure almost everyday around here is like Christmas for my dogs. I’m sure there are times that they don’t think that, but I know for a fact from observing the everyday doings of many other dogs, that this is true.

So, on Christmas Day this year, as I have another round of cat visits to make later today, we simply stayed home and played in the snow in the yard. With Balls (which makes anytime feel like a sparkly Christmas morning). And then, after we’d done a pretty thorough job of messing up the pure whiteness of the freshly fallen snow, we came inside and I gave them their only Christmas present, some lovely meaty marrow bones.

Now there is silence in my house.

Please throw Ball more.

Merry Ball Day.

Big Dog now! Can play Ball please?

Snow!!!!

Merry Christmas!