Snow Day!

There are few words that conjure up such delight in the middle of winter as these: Snow Day! The prospect of a "free" day to do whatever you want; a gift from God, if you will (at least that's how I choose to look at it). Because of the forecasted "Blizzard of 2011" on Groundhog Day, I knew last night that I could turn off the alarm and sleep in today. And we definitely got the snow that was predicted - eighteen inches according to the yardstick I propped up in my backyard. It was quite fun watching my dog, Tosca, as she ventured outside this morning to do her business. I don't think she's ever seen this much snow at once; she kept trying to go back in the house until I shoveled a little path down the steps and then she plowed her way through the backyard. She was pretty content to stay inside the rest of the day.

After a leisurely cup of coffee with "Regis and Kelly," it was decision time. How to spend this day? Should I work ahead on schoolwork and lesson plans? Work on my technology class assignment? Spend the day reading a book? Clean the house and catch up on laundry? Pamper myself with a paraffin treatment on my hands and feet? Snowblowing/shoveling the driveway would have to be included sometime.

One of my favorite comics used to be Calvin and Hobbes. There was a great sequence where Calvin (a mischievous little boy) forgot to do his math homework and prayed really hard for a snow day so he could get his homework done. The next morning he awoke to piles of fresh snow and a snow day was declared. But, instead of doing his homework, he spent the day playing in the snow. It wasn't until bedtime that he remembered his unfinished homework, but by then it was too late. He went to school the following day with his math work still undone.

I always think of that comic strip when we have a snow day. Should I be responsible and catch up on all the work I have or should I just enjoy the freedom of the day. Today I decided to do a little of both. Accomplished:

• did several loads of laundry
• finished the book A Secret Gift by Ted Gup and started Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish
• paid a few bills (although they won't be mailed until tomorrow)
• wrote a letter to my Compassion International sponsored child
• printed out my assignment for the technology class and thought about it
• shoveled out the driveway ... this actually took quite a bit of time and three different attempts to totally complete it - did I mention we have a LOT of snow
• checked out Facebook and played a few rounds of "Word Drop"
• shoveled off 3/4 of the back deck
• talked to my sister and parents on the phone
• made chicken enchiladas
• posted a blog
• paraffin wax treatment on hands and feet (actually I haven't done this yet; saving it for tonight)

O.K., now that I look at my list again, I really did no schoolwork (although I did catch up on a few school-related emails). Thankfully, my lesson plans are already set for tomorrow, but I didn't grade the stack of papers I brought home. And I didn't clean the house or sort through all the papers lying around. So, maybe I'm a little more like Calvin than I want to admit. Oh well, it was a great day!

Maybe we'll get one more tomorrow ... then I can work on school stuff... and clean the house ...