Fred and I just walked down to Talbot's. Fred went down to the water's edge, I didn't want to slide down that steep hill and have to climb back up!  There is water on the ice but no sign of the loon at all.  He looked for any signs of a struggle or tracks that would indicate a coyote or fox might have found the bird, but there was nothing like that, so we are concluding it warmed up enough yesterday that there was enough water for a takeoff. The top picture is looking up the pond; the second one is the view down the pond.  You can see there is slush and water on top of ice, or perhaps there's some open water, it is difficult to tell. 

Today has been very mild - in the 30's, perhaps even hit 40; there was only a glimpse of sunshine sometime around noon and then it clouded over again and now, at 4:30, is still above freezing.  The road is slushy with some pretty well-frozen snow pack in spots that could be a little slippery, but the town has kept the roads well sanded and they are actually very good - except it's probably not a good idea to get too far out of the wheel tracks as the shoulders are plain soupy mud.  Above - West Shore Road as we were walking back home.

Everyone have a good Thanksgiving Weekend?  I hope so - and that you got some shopping in, if that's your pleasure.  Christmas is coming up fast, and we'll be into the New Year before we know it.  I'm always fooled by how quickly the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas slip by.  Such a busy time of the year!