Snow Day

I've always loved a good snow day. For years, come the cold season, I anxiously watch the weather reports for 2 weeks out, hoping for the snowflake icon that indicates that it's coming. Whenever the much-desired snowflake is posted, I keep an even closer eye out for the hourly forecasts. I'd watched a few weeks back when it was posted that on a Monday, we were to get a dusting. I anxiously counted down every hour, and watched as the forecasts slowly changed. It got cooler, but no white stuff.

But as I watched for the week, I saw it again. The coveted snowflake. As always, I continued to keep an out for it. I checked in as frequently as I could, to make sure that it stayed on the websites. I sat back and watched how every hour, the weather shifted from warm to frigid, while also keeping an eye out for the needed precipitation as well. Nothing chaps my hyde like seeing super cold weather, while the air is dry and the sky is blue. It almost feels like the weather is taunting me, knowing that I'm like a junky, chasing the high that only that glorious snow could bring me.

When I saw that the forecast called for it on the upcoming Friday, I was elated. I'd already had a fridge full of food, but I stopped to grab a few snack for my larger than life son and a few fruits for myself. I worked through Thursday, occasionally stopping to look outside of my windows, to make sure the sky did what I needed it to do. Sure enough, the dark clouds rolled in, as I feverishly refreshed the weather website, to ensure that it was still coming. 

I woke up Friday, and I immediately looked outside. I smiled brightly as I saw the lush, green world I've known to flourish outside of my window, was suddenly blanketed by frozen perfection. I snacked only on fruits and salads, as my spirits gave me a good talking to about eating well. But suddenly, I was moved to do something I hadn't thought of in a while. I didn't want to risk wasting this anointed snow day. I decided then that I'd take an Adderall, to combat my ADHD brain and get to work.

And almost immediately, I began working on my bedroom. I'd been dragging my feet previously, but this time, the brain fog was clear and I was a woman on a mission. First, I tackled the clothes in my closet, dragging some items to the trash and clearing up valuable close real estate. Then I took out the floating shelves I'd purchased at Ross two days ago and placed them above my bed, with the color coordinated knickknacks I'd bought for just this reason. I straightened bookshelves and then went into my long-ignored office and began placing things in the right area. Just a few days ago, I purchased a bed frame, after my last one fell apart (last time I buy a cheap one), and I paid my son to put it together. I cleared my clutter, and even remembered to say a prayer, and light some sage at my alter.

I'm not a religious person, but I continue to feel like this snowy weekend was made just for me. My child and I trash-talked one another as I swept through my house like a tornado, cleaning everything in my path. I'm slightly annoyed by the pile of trash in my kitchen, but I know that it's all going right into the dumpster when I step outside again. I couldn't be more at peace right now. I'd been saying for the last few months that I intended to take a long-weekend for myself just to breathe and get some things together. And although I did leave work early on Friday, because my power went out for a few hours, it was a pretty easy day while I was there. I don't even feel the need for my long weekend anymore, even though I'll likely take one soon. I also decided that now is also the time to start planning another trip with some coworkers. We initially wanted to go to Europe this year, but because I'm trying to get up my savings to pay down my car and get ready to get Pumpkin into college in a year and a half. But once my little on is living on campus, it'll be time to do some big traveling again.

Speaking of long trips, before the fires in Cali started, I'd been considering taking a trip out there to float around for a few days. I'd already been so heartbroken by the fire in the Grapevine Mountains, outside of L.A., but seeing whole fires rip through Santa Monica is beyond devastating. I'll likely catch a plane out at some point and just rent a car and get a hotel for a few nights, just to take it all in. L.A. is still very much a second home to me, and even though I'm not as hyped about the Olympics there in a few years, I still wish nothing but healing for her. Who knows? Maybe in a few years, I'll still make my way out there anyway. I messaged all of my people in L.A. (the 3 or 4 of them) and thankfully, they're all good. 

I hadn't factored in purchasing a house a few years ago, when I made my plans to return to the West Coast. But this won't stop anything. It is quite possible to do and have it all. It's also possible to live the life you want and while you work toward following your dreams. 

Even if your dream is just as simple as a weekend snow day.