Snow Day Preparation

WGAL News 8 Storm Team via Facebook

The winter storm forecast being shouted from the rooftops in my area has left me with an eerie sense of calm. If the forecasts are right, the snow should start in plenty of time to make class cancellations a no-brainer, leaving me with the magic of a snow day.

Having spent most of my life in public education, I truly appreciate that magic. No alarm clocks. No lesson plans. A day to be spent in whatever pursuits appeal to me, guilt-free. (Clearly, I'm not the snow removal expert at my house).

These days, snow days are even better. Since my career in public education has been replaced by a teaching job at a private college, I'm no longer at the mercy of a school board schedule that makes me trade in my Easter vacation for my safety. If my classes are canceled tomorrow, I need to ramp up my teaching, but no one takes away those two prized days in April I've been looking forward to since President's Day.

But I digress...sort of.

Even before I was a semi-retired empty nester, a snow day was a writing day. I vividly remember sitting in my office, finishing edits for Diverse Divorce while my husband (the outdoor parent, in my sister's parlance) entertained my daughter. Those snow days (yes, plural) were perfectly timed, allowing me to meet a writing deadline while still working full time.

Diane's Little Free Library via Facebook

These days, snow days are one of the times that I know I made the right choice. Retiring was one of the most difficult decisions I ever made, one that came with financial, social and emotional ramifications that continue to resonate. Despite all of that, I love where I ended up, and snow days remind me of that.

So tomorrow, I plan to live the dream. My husband and I plan to follow the recommendation to stay home (although I can't speak for my daughter, currently spending spring break in Washington DC). We'll work from home, at our own pace, enjoying what all reports seem to agree will be a marshmallow world.

As long as the electricity stays on.