I know that, as a woman of a certain age, I’m supposed to despise snow days. It’s part of being a grown-up to give up any longing for days that are unexpected and inconvenient. Days where you need to alter from your routine. Maybe it says something about me, but I usually love a good snow day.

I start monitoring the television and internet as soon as I hear that there’s a potential storm brewing. I drive my family nuts with updates days ahead of time and Dan laughs when the look of disappointment comes over me if we ever lose the coveted “Storm Warning” status. And, if you see me when the “snow day” call comes in from the schools, you would wonder how this woman who has trouble making it to her one-day-a-week yoga class, can bounce across a room with boundless energy.

I love snow days because it’s an excuse to hunker down with my family without structure and rules. I like making french toast and vats of soup and working on a puzzle where my only responsibility is to go outside and shovel every couple of hours. We watch bad TV and lounge by the fire AND staying in pajamas all day is a bonus that makes the whole thing perfect.

Wednesday was one of those great snow days that was called the night before so we could go to bed without alarms set. We woke up to nothing but a little wet snow. I was crushed, but kept watch for the promised thunder-snow and 12 to 18 inches. It finally got going by mid morning. At last, we were trapped together as a family with a fire roaring in the fireplace. We all had some projects to do (me – taxes, Dan – paperwork, Anna – some sort of nerdy DNA project, JackO – a marathon of Impractical Jokers), but we would meet back periodically for relaxing breaks and fattening meals.

Day one was perfection.

When we got the call that there would be another snow day on Thursday, it didn’t come with as much cheering. I didn’t make french toast and we were out of firewood. Daylight revealed that this storm had been more destructive than pretty. We lost a huge branch that missed our house by an inch (we are soooo lucky). Trees were down all over town and many of our friends were without power. The snow was heavy to shovel and Dan’s back was killing him. Suddenly I was looking at the calendar wondering when I would catch up on all my must-dos and I’d already watched all of my Bravo shows. The dogs were antsy and driving me nuts and even ever-easy JackO looked like he was going stir crazy – his Impractical Jokers weren’t even keeping him entertained.

Day two was a little lame.

Last night when my phone alerted me that they had cancelled school again for JackO, I nearly cried. Dan got to escape to work and Anna seemed blissful as she left the house for school this morning. Jack and I, on the other hand, are still in our pajamas. No fire, no french toast, and the puzzle is finished.

Day three stinks. It better not snow on Monday.

Love, Jess