Digging Out... and Suiting Up

So, East Coasters, how's your dig-out comin'?

(Six weeks 'til pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater.... Six weeks -- 45 Days. And it can't come soon enough.)

Mega-storm aside, wherever you're at on this Fifth Day of Christmas, hope you're keeping safe and warm and, above all, getting to take it easy. In that spirit, as the happiest thing about the foot-plus of the white stuff that covered the coast over the weekend was its heralding of the best part of the season -- Advent preps now behind, beat slowed to a crawl, sunlight starting to hang around a bit longer by the day -- barring anything earth-shaking, don't expect too much to roll here until the Roman scene revs back to life in early January with the Pope's traditional "State of the World" speech to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See.

It's been a blessing of a year, folks, but just as much, a very full (more like wild) one, with little time to breathe amid the cycles. So amid the joy of these days -- the easy, peaceful, beautiful, actual Christmas, something we often seem to have all to ourselves -- here's hoping you'll get to soak up everything you've been looking for, above all the close comfort of the Bambino's choicest gifts: the people and moments that make life rich, joyful and good all the year 'round.

As ever, much more could be said, but as the syntax-meter's feeling a tad on the fritz after a long fall, best to let it wait. In the meanwhile, to one and all, blessings on your Octave... oh, and as the business of a certain Strut looms just ahead 'round these parts, well, it's never to early to start the march toward Broad:


For those who know, no explanation's needed... and for those who don't, none will ever suffice. And in that, it's much like faith itself.

God love you lot forever -- Merry Christmas and hope all's great on your end.

PHOTOS: Getty

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