Snow Day

Like many parts of the country this week, we’ve had snow.

You must know that The Studly Muffin ADORES snow. The first year we were married he took great delight in wheeling around a snow covered parking lot while I clutched the door handle for dear life.

I don’t know what I was expecting to do. Maybe jump out if things got too hairy?

The part of the country that I grew up in doesn’t get as much snow as my new home in Indiana.

We got even less snow when we lived outside of Memphis, Tennessee.

My friends.

They use to cancel school if there was even a hint of snow.

My own growing up years were spent in the hollers and hills of North Central Arkansas. If we had a snow day, it meant that the buses couldn’t climb those hollers and hills in the snow. AND more than likely, other than the tracks made by emergency personnel, hearty out-of-towners and my Dad (who will drive in anything), the roads were virtually untouched.

Our snow days were spent stomping about the woods, making scrawny snowmen and trying to find a good spot to dig up snow for snow ice cream. We lived on farm, ya’ll. You understand.

Other snow day activities included curling up with a good book, watching marathons of western movies that were playing on our local PBS station (them were the days) and drinking gallons of homemade hot chocolate.

I’ve noticed that those of us who grew up with those kinds of snow days kind of lost our way as adults.

Of course, we’ve had obligations.

Work, children and Wal-mart.

This week, I decided to return to some of the snow day pleasures I experienced growing up. Or at least adapted them.

Because my work is virtual and mostly involves writing words on a computer, I simply added a fuzzy blanket to the couch. I put a sprinkle of cinnamon and a spray of whipping cream in my coffee.

Oh, yes I did.

Josiah lit every candle we had in the house and we settled down to read Greek Mythology (we are doing a semester), early Bible history and a couple chapters in Psalms.

I let the rest of the world run to Wal-mart and made do with what I had in the house.

I made my family warm and comforting meals. And I once again curled up with good books and good music.  The Muffin and I spent the evenings enjoying our annual marathon of Downton Abbey. 

Is Mr. Bates the Edwardians answer to John Wayne? 

Hmm.

I can’t tell you how much I needed my Snow Days.

So, my friends. My advice to you is to embrace your Snow Day. Curl up with a book. Make a pot of soup. Go stomp out in the snow with your kids. Snuggle with your spouse. 

Enjoy.