Snow Day

When I was young, I remember praying for a snow day. I remember sitting in Mrs. Fink's 1st grade class at Ratcliffe Elementary and being so upset at seeing the 1st snowflakes fall thru a translucent school window, versus being at home watching it out of my own bedroom window. Then I was upset because the snow started while I was at school, and then it started after LUNCH! So we couldn't even get the chance of leaving early. We didn't have many snow days when I was a kid. There were a few here and there. I remember hitting a patch of ice in the car with my Step-dad & getting stuck in my mom's car right outside our town home complex, but those were few & far between. There were plenty of days when we had freezing temperatures that made you think your fingers and toes were going to fall off. I remember coming home from school a couple of times and rushing to the sink to run warm water over my hands because, even with gloves on, I was scared I was getting frostbite. But not many snow days. I didn't even own a pair of snow boots until I graduated from college, and still didn't need them for about 6 yrs! The last major snow I remember hitting my area was during my junior year. Schools were shut down for more than a week and I had the rare luxury of being at home, which I loved. I had a little brother who hadn't seen a major snowfall like that before. I had TV to watch, books to read, games to play, music to listen to and, thanks to my parents, light housework to do. My mom didn't believe in being in the house for a whole day & not doing ANY housework. I say all of this because now, my city is experiencing more snow, back-to-back, than it has in years. Children and adults have been confined to their homes for 1-3 days at a time or longer and the chief complaint that I have seen & heard is that they are BORED!!! Seriously?! Being bored in your own company is something I just don't understand. Who knows you better than you? Who better to entertain you & keep you busy than yourself? Why is that, of all things, we are rarely prepared to keep ourselves company or occupied? I guess a better question is why are we not prepared to be alone? Maybe I'm crazy, or I'm just used to myself and being by myself, but after being in the house for 2 days straight I crocheted 3 hats, caught up on missed episodes of Dollhouse, Private Practice, Ghost Whisperer & Oprah. Watched Kung Fu Panda, which I'd had from Netflix since 2 weeks before Christmas. Washed clothes, played video games, read some of Marked (which is becoming hard to finish), and of course, watched cartoons & a little news. I took the Buffinator our to play in the snow and talked to my mom on the phone. I had PLENTY to do,without the thought or feeling of boredom. Is that so abnormal? Maybe its because I'm not home for long periods on a regular basis that I love being able to sit at home & spend my time, my way. Snow days make my house sing to me that I can make myself at home cuz I'm welcome. Today is a snow day. Tomorrow will be too. I'm excited at the prospect. Not many of my friends are.