A chilly start to the second part of Advent. Today the focus of the season shifts: we think not so much of Christ's second coming, but of preparing for the feast of His birth at Christmas. The spiritual preparations include daily sung Vespers with the ancient (and very beautiful) 'O antiphons' (in the Cathedral; Exposition and silent prayer at 5pm, sung Vespers at 5:30pm); meanwhile, preparations of a more practical nature are about to swing into action.