What is a snowstorm good for?

This post originally appeared on DC Metro Moms on February 8, 2010

What is a snowstorm good for?

Just what all does one do during a snowed-in weekend like we’ve had here in the DC area? I got an email this morning telling me that DC Metro Moms was low on posts, so I imagine I’m not the only one who did not use the time to catch up on writing. (I hope that’s not for lack of electricity, but there are still some outages, I hear. We got lucky (knock on wood) and clocked in at only 18 inches, a low for the region!

Over these past three days, I have let the computer collect some dust. I took an unplanned two-day hiatus from even opening the email box for the nonprofit group chapter I run. (That’s going to have to end soon. Just as soon as I get up this post!) I was already behind from just general life and from last Wednesday’s thoroughly unnecessary snow day with no preschool.

Since the snow began to fall on Friday, I have avoided finishing a freelance assignment and replying to long overdue personal notes, taking the time only to delete emails from lists I should get off of and from yoga studios telling me they are closed. Oh, and I took photos of the snow and sent links to my family. That’s about it. It’s kind of revolutionary to see the lid of my laptop closed and my phone quiet.

The only real thing I’ve wanted to do is clean the house.

We moved in July, but I am honestly still trying to figure out what goes where in a way that makes sense. Since I can’t concentrate on much with the munchkin and the husband around, I’m actually psyched to unpack and organize, something I’m loathe to do when I have the house to myself. Of course, little boy finds random things from previous decades and repurposes them, along with baby toys I’d hoped to hide. But at least he’s seeing me clean for once.

I was feeling a little guilty for ignoring work – freelance stuff and volunteer stuff – but I was feeling decent about some cleaning progress inside and some outside fun sledding and building a fort in the post-blizzard sunshine. Feeling not bad, that is, until I got a gushing note from a friend that she’d been having potlucks and happy hours with neighbors and had organized every non-moving space in her entire house! Oh, and her kids were napping soundly after such fun outdoors! Let it snow!

There is something about hearing that other people are making more out of a limiting situation than you are to pop your bubble. Out comes Jealous Jessica again. I mean, I kind of liked the feeling that there wasn’t really anything we could do for a while, and I was content with my hike 10 doors down to a neighbor boy’s birthday party. But now I feel like I missed some fabulous chance to harken back to days of yore, bonding over the fire. And to become the perfect parent with napping children and a completely organized house.

Today is Monday. The Federal Government is closed, so we are again off of school, and my husband has only to check intermittently on work. Little boy has asked for “the loud song,” so he and his dad are rocking out to David Bowie circa 1971 and taking turns on the trampoline in the family room. We will probably try to venture out for some groceries later. I hope to put up a few pictures on the wall. Like it or not, I have got to open that other email box. I put some drops of Joy essential oil on some toilet paper and stuck it into the heating vent so it will flood my office with inspiration.

Bring on the warm fuzzies! As long as mine are just as warm and fuzzy as everyone else’s.