One of my dear friends from R. I. makes the best Shepherd's Pie - my DH always looks forward to it during our summers up on Cape Cod - and she has a similar recipe to yours, but even more spices! She also adds allspice besides the nutmeg - and ALWAYS real mashed potatoes! The instant are too soupy, I think.

Yes, I actually lived in Northfield, a little north of Greenfield. Actually, I haven't heard about your school play, so I'm now wondering about it!

Your speaking of Christmas in warmer climates makes me laugh - it is SO hard getting into the Christmas spirit here in FL - everyone decorates like crazy, I think just to force themselves to remember it's that time of year. I've mentioned here before, that it always took me that first look out the window, seeing the first snowflakes on one of those gray, cold November days to get in the mood to start the Christmas cookies, and I just can't get in the mood down here.

Naples, FL, just south of here, has a "snow making machine" on the streets that they use all during the Christmas shopping season. They're fake ones, of course, but it's funny to be walking there in sleeveless tops with snow flakes falling around you!

I guess it's just a trade-off - like you said, no place is perfect.

Thanks for the Shepherd's Pie recipe - it's very close to my friend's recipe.