A snow day literally and figuratively falls from the sky, unbidden, and seems like a thing of wonder.
Susan Orlean
We head out early to pick up a few things. It’s starting to snow lightly and by the time we’re on the highway toward town there’s some pretty serious snow coming down. I send a quick text to Gerry’s sister who, with her husband, is driving this way from the coast. I’m afraid it might be a hairy trip for them with all this snow.
We head up the hill toward Costco. The traffic is heavy and Costco is, predictably, a zoo. We survive and make our way, in the falling snow, to better things at my favourite place—Chapters.
My handsome date suggests a coffee—who am I to argue with that? There isn’t a lineup and in no time flat I have a Pumpkin Spice Latte in my hand and am losing myself in bookshelves. Talk about simple happy!
Later, as we’re leaving, I mention how much I enjoyed our time there and my wise husband suggests we do it more often: a date at Chapters followed by a short walk and lunch at our favourite sushi restaurant afterward. I like how he thinks.
The snow falls heavier and we decide to postpone a stop at the grocery store in favour of the sanctuary of home. There, we have a round of dueling snow shovels before heading inside to enjoy lunch and a game of Qwirkle (the house favourite).
The afternoon passes gently: a haircut and bath for Maya, a bit of light housework, mixing together another batch of those dang Nuts and Bolts, a bit of light housework, and another round of dueling snow shovels. Finally Gerry, who is still dealing with a cold, heads for a nap.
As the afternoon grows darker on this the shortest day of the year, I sit in the light of the non-traditional tree: a pile of books on the table beside me, a Yorkie in the chair to me, and I am content. One of the sweetest gifts of the season is turning out to be simple happy dates with my husband. These are the kinds of days I dreamed about when I was over stressed and much too busy in the corporate world.
It’s a good life we’ve been blessed with.
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Today, looking forward to an overnight visit from our son as he heads home for the holidays.
