Where were you during the blizzard of 2016? Did your neck of the woods get any snow? Even though our area got a significant covering, we were fortunate to be high and dry at home. I have no idea how much snow we received. It was difficult to tell due to the snow drifts. Our Mini was almost completely covered except for the little "mini" ball on top of the antennae.

Taken during the snowstorm.  Our Mini had only the "Mini" ball sticking out from its antennae. — Taken during the snowstorm. Our Mini had only the "Mini" ball sticking out from its antennae.

Having to walk the dogs notwithstanding, the snow storm was a nice reprieve. All the obligations and commitments I had this week have been cancelled or postponed due to the poor driving conditions, poor visibility at the intersections and the state of unplowed parking lots. I feel like I have been given a secret stash of time. Without having those obligations, I can do what I need to do when what I want to do it.

It made me realize that I definitely need to put more unscripted time into my schedule. These last couple of days have been an oasis. I have had time to be productive: finished redoing my office (I'll give a tour next blog), made two batches of soup, did some writing and took care of some of those items on the bottom of the to-do list.

I also had time to "goof off": did some binge watching on Netflix (Noticed that Daphne's fashion in the beginning of the Frasier series- leggings, ballet slippers and long shirts- has come around again), went down many an internet rabbit hole of clicking onto pointless articles (Did I really need to know what Tom Cruise's kids look like?) and finished a great book- Julianna Baggott's Harriet Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders.

It made me realize that I definitely need to make time for a mini-blizzard; the feeling of sans obligations but without the white stuff. Try as I might to keep a calendar relatively clear or at least not back to back with appointments, obligations have a way of wiggling back onto my schedule.

Why is it that it takes a natural disaster to get my attention to slow down? Once again during my Bible reading did this idea resonate. I was reading in Exodus the story of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. The section of honoring a sabbath struck me; the idea of planning a routine of resting. Granted a blizzard and the stoppage of daily commitments is not a religious practice. Yet, this blizzard was a mini-sabbath from obligations for me.

It was a blessing.

What about you? If you were impacted by the storm, what did you do? Were you relieved of obligations or did new ones evolve e.g. caring for school aged children, staying over at work, doing storm-related work? If you couldn't experience the freedom of responsibilities during the storm, could you plan a mini-blizzard? What would that look like for you?

Everyone needs the blessing of a blizzard every once in a while.