The Twin Cities are currently cleaning up after the…fourth or fifth? I forget…big storm of the season.
Somewhere between a foot and a half and two feet of snow fell from Sunday afternoon to Monday evening, on top of the more-than-a-normal-winter’s-worth that we’d already had by the end of January. The snow mountains at the end of my driveway are nearly as high as the roof of my car, which makes me very glad I live on a quiet street and mostly don’t need to worry about backing out into traffic that I can’t see.
The side streets are getting narrower and narrower. Walking down sidewalks is like walking through a tunnel. Most of the parking lots have lost an entire row to the snow-mountains. Snow plows have gotten stuck trying to clear particularly heavy drifts. I shoveled through a smaller one by my back door this morning – it was only about thigh-deep, not enough to stop a plow, could one have reached it, and really not so bad compared to the waist-deep one that I dug out back in December (I got smart this time, and went out halfway through the storm to shovel.
In short, it’s great weather to stay home in.
Of course, I stay home most of the time anyway. That’s the thing about being a full-time writer; you don’t get to call in to work because your driveway is drifted shut and the plows haven’t gotten to your street yet. The work is always right there with you.
This seems particularly important to notice this year, when we’ve already had so much snow (according to the National Weather Service, even if we do not get even one more inch of snow this season, it will be the 2nd snowiest winter on record…and we’re not even to March yet, and March is historically our snowiest month).
There’s something about being trapped in your house by foot on foot of white stuff. It’s quieter than usual, even on a quiet street (at least until the neighbors rev up their snowblowers). Even with the undone housework, the piles of unread books, the TV, the Internet, and oh, yes, that book that’s due pretty soon now, there’s a peculiar feeling that one ought to be able to take the day off. The thought of relaxing with a cup of hot tea or cocoa in front of the fire all day is tempting. Seductive.
But the thing about writing is, it can still happen under these circumstances. Heck, it can still happen under far worse conditions – as long as one has pencils and paper, it doesn’t even matter if the power goes out. And just because other people couldn’t get in to work until well after noon, it doesn’t mean I got to take the morning off.
This is where I pay for not having that commute every morning and evening that normal people complain about. (Well, OK, it helps a lot that I don’t feel any obligation to get out and go slipping and sliding around on the half-plowed streets the very minute the snow stops, just to convince my boss that I really tried.)
1200 words Monday, while watching the snow pile up. It really is pretty when you don’t have to go out in it. Even if you still have to work.
My mother and I have conversations about this phenomenon all the time. Even if you are already working from home, sheltered from any travel issues caused by the weather, it can be difficult to get myself in a work frame of mind when everyone else had the day off. We thought it was just due to our Southern roots; glad to see we’re not the only ones who suffer this “snow daze.”
On a side note, that book you’re working on wouldn’t happen to be Across the Great Barrier, would it? Having just finished Thirteenth Child I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.
We live in the woods and all we can see out the window right now is trees snow squirrels and blue jays –the blue jays are really busy, they sure inspire us. And we love to hibernate in the winter, we go out less, read and create more…
thank you for the FOCUS…
As a freelance copyeditor I have the same problem. I can’t complain about it, though, because all my friends would hate me.
Michelle – No, the book I’m working on at the moment is the sequel to Across the Great Barrier. My part in AtGB is finished; it’s in production now.
The Mom – Around here, it’s the cardinals, and it’s as much hearing them as seeing them.
Independentclause – Most of my friends are writers or freelance in other areas, so I can complain all I want…as long as I give them equal time for their complaints!
No snow in Florida – but torrential rain storms have the same effect. “Hurricane Days” is an equally tempting excuse to snuggle up and stare out the window.
I live in Oregon and in twenty four hours we received over a half a foot of snow. Not bad in our three mile radius valley within a high mountain range. We are stuck for traveling, though, if we don’t want to chance putting on chains. So, we stay home.
I’ve gotten more editing done, as I sip on my cup of carob “cocoa”. I love this weather.
Given the tiny size of my apartment and two of us living in it, I never get any work done on days when it rains too much here to want to go out. Fortunately I plan for a few days like this and don’t feel guilty not writing occasionally.
But since my writing is only a part-time thing right now that makes sense. I can afford to do that as I am one of those going out into the icky weather to get to my day job.
Snow days are great, in my opinion. I like to write then, because the cozy feeling of being inside just helps me. I don’t feel the urge not to– I have enough trouble finding time for it on a regular day! 🙂 Yay for snow!
(I once heard someone say that they pitied northerners– snow-wise –after one day of snow in their Texas town. I laughed and laughed. I pity *them*!) 🙂
eh, I’d say snow is even more a reason to write! Maybe even compose! 🙂