We've now used our snow shovel more this year than the past five combined

Happy Valentine's Day a.k.a. Snow Day #4.

Paul roused out of bed a little before 6 o'clock this morning and took a peek outside. Seeing that it was still snowing, he suggested I check the television for the status of the school day. At 6:15, it was reported that there was a two-hour delay. Not unexpected given the conditions and I happily shuffled back upstairs, turned off the alarm and snoozed for another hour or so, when the cat decided we should be up and he should be fed. The non-stop insistent meowing and knowing we'd probably need to shovel the driveway before leaving for work, I got up to start the day. However, another check of the news showed that school had, indeed, been cancelled. These unexpected days off are always nice until it comes time to make it up. Because the three extra days taken at the end of Winter Break have already used the scheduled snow make-up days and added an extra day to the calendar, this snow day means extended school days starting some time in April. And, more immediately, there are all the school things that were scheduled for today--Student Senate carnation sales, yearbook group pictues, basketball games, and other meetings--that the other sponsors and I will have to reschedule when school resumes tomorrow.

I did have a bit of work stuff that I would be able to do today had I brought my laptop home. But not realizing that that this was even predicted (or the meteorologts were actually going to be correct ), I don't have it with me. Eh, well. It wasn't anything that couldn't wait. Paul has decided that he needs to go in to work this afternoon for a bit and stop by to get a leaky tire checked out. I don't like that because it usually means he's out longer than I think he should be. He did offer to stop by Sonic to pick up a fountain drink for me. That's love.

Paul and I had no plans for this evening--we're not typically ones to do anything for Valentine's Day (or VD as Paul loves to call it). I usually make a fancy dessert of some type as a treat for the day. I haven't decided yet what I'm going to make--it's a toss up between a chocolate-almond torte, devil's food mini-bundt cake, or hot chocolate cake. I don't have marshmallows for the hot chocolate cake (and what good is hot chocolate without marshmallows?) so it might just between the first two. Or maybe something totally different because now, I have all day to think about it.

And after this last six inches, it is official that I will never voluntarily live some place where snow is a common winter occurrence. I'm pretty much done with snow this year. I'm ready to go back to the 15 degrees above average that we had last week. 65 and sunny--that's what winter should be about. I'll consent to the occasional overcast and rainy day because those are nice to have to mix it up. But this winter stuff is for the birds.