The snow is falling in the south of Sweden, where I am. Well, not falling really, more like calmly positioning itself from the low sky to the ground, like leaves from a tree from a stylistic movie. The ground is speckled with white, it’s not below freezing and it will all be gone in an hour or so. Birds are walking the rooftops, oblivious to it all.

Two things struck me this morning. One, I miss my Chemex (it’s in Stockholm). Even though I think Nespresso capsule coffee is convenient and pretty good, the black gold I brew in my Chemex is of a different stock. And two, I really like having a dedicated writing desk. That’s where I’m sitting now, not in my office (which also has a desk, obviously) but looking out over the sea, getting ready to start today’s translation sitting.

Things could be worse.