Big storm here, two feet of snow, no trains or planes, but the house was almost full tonight for the last performance of ...Kismet. 

This much-loved "Arabian Night" set in a mythical Baghdad, features a lush score adapted from the melodies of Alexander Borodin . . and produced such standards as "Stranger in Paradise", "And This is My Beloved", and "Baubles, Bangles and Beads".

The crowd was feeling proud of itself.  No mere blizzard is going to keep us from a night of kitsch-with-veils!  Lots of uneasy laughter prompted by all the mentions of Baghdad.  Scimitars, funny hats, purple sashes, and then we all sloshed out into the night again.  The puddles are getting very deep and mysterious at the corners of the streets out there.

On another wintry note:  Hemulens.  You may know some.  Here's a classic first glimpse:

The pale winter sun shone over a big Hemulen who came rushing down the nearest slope on his skis.  He was holding a shining brass horn to his snout, and seemed to be having a splendid time.

So the Hemulen arrives and refuses to stay in the house.  No, that would be stuffy and unhealthy.  He likes fresh air, and lots of it.  He insists on having an igloo built, saying "Let's start at once and not lose any time."  While the others obligingly build the igloo the Hemulen does gymnastics down by the river.

"Isn't the cold wonderful, " he said.  "I'm never in such good shape as in winter.  Won't you have a dip before breakfast?"

It gets worse.  He forces everyone to ski, even though they're scared to, and rushes fiercely up and down the hills of snow.  The rest of the people really enjoy sleeping late and lolling around, but the Hemulen interrupts all that.

He always began by telling them that the drawing-room was stuffy, and describing the fresh cold weather outside. 

Then he chatted about what could be done this fine new day.  He did his utmost to find some amusements for them all, and he was never hurt when they refused his proposals.  He only patted them on the back and said:  "Well, well.  You'll see for yourself by and by how right I am."

A Hemulen would not have enjoyed Kismet.

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Hemulens were the invention of Tove Jansson.