Here's something you won't see very often. At least, I certainly hope not. It's my back garden, under two inches of snow.

One January morning, I woke up and there it was. I couldn't believe it. I thought I was dreaming, or hallucinating. I mean, snow in Tucson? This definitely wasn't one of the attractions featured in my brochure!

I haven't been up close and personal with snow for 40 years. And Bao had never experienced it at all. I wondered what he'd make of it.

He was curious. All that white stuff on the pavement. He put one little paw down, yanked it back and gave me a wondering, reproachful look that said, What have you done now?

Then he went back inside. No way was he going out.

You have to go out, I told him. Just for a couple of minutes. Just to lift your leg.

He just sat there, being a Shih Tzu. Finally, I filled a pot with hot water and poured it on the path to melt the snow. Then I dried it with newspapers. (He won't get his feet wet, either) Finally, I managed to coax him to the end of the path, where he did what had to be done and scurried back into the house.

It took two days for the snow to melt.

I think next year we'll spend January in Acapulco.