On the Plus Side of Winter

Two Thursdays ago, my friend Sonya emailed me:
Hey! You guys around this weekend? We have the urge to make a big pot of stew and drink wine with someone. Please say yes!!!
I could not have replied fast enough. Yes! Yes! Yes! Is tomorrow too soon? Or how about now? Can I come over right now? It was another single-digit temperature week up here in New York…