Snow Days

What do people who don't go to church do on Sundays? We woke up this morning to our first measurable snow of the season. Church services were cancelled. The roads are treacherous so I won't be going to my nephew's second birthday party today. My friend's aunt passed away and her visitation is this afternoon. Freezing rain is predicted on top of the three inches of snow so I doubt I'll make it to the service either.

What to do with an unexpected day with nothing to do! After a little surfing on the web, sweeping off the front and back porches and a path to the car, a lunch of garlic shrimp and pasta, and a nap, I'm bored. So that brings me back to my question, what do people do when they don't go to church?

Remember those snow days from school when we were kids? Here in Ohio, the school board allows five. If the district uses more than the allotted five, they have to be made up somewhere else throughout the year. The first thing to go is President's Day in February. Then Easter break. If the school still hasn't made up the days by the end of the term, school is extended into June. Not fun, but didn't we enjoy those unexpected mornings in the dead of winter?

Back then, I reacted to Snow Days the same way I did this morning. Exciting at first but within an hour or two, my sisters and I were bugging our poor mother to death. As a writer though, I can always find inspiration in the winter wonderland outside my window. Writing is undoubtably more fun, not to mention productive in Winter. First and foremost, there are few chores beckoning us outdoors. As I tap away at my keyboard, I don't feel guilty about the weeds growing merrily in my flowerbeds or the yard that needs mowing or the car that needs washed.

Then there's the romantic notion of a snowbound writer creating a masterpiece while the snow whirls outside her window. Unfortunately the notion is basically that. But I do seem to get more done this time of year.

I need to get my current ms to my publisher by the end of the month. They are expecting a romance novella out of me by April so I need to get hustling on that too. If all goes well, we'll have plenty more snowdays to boost my creativity.

See you soon.
Teresa