Snow white

I’m sitting by the window with a fuzzy blanket on my lap and a cup of coffee steaming on the sill. The sun has just come out and is shining on a fresh coat of unexpected snow. The light on the white porch rail is dazzling. Fresh snow sparkles in the herb bed.

I slept until 8am this morning. I’m usually up at 5:50. I’m taking a flex day today since I’ll be working on Sunday. The kids are at school, my husband is at work, and I’m here in our quiet house, listening to the swish of the dishwasher and the shwoomp of wind across the chimney. I did the grocery shopping yesterday, so I have the day to myself.

I’m especially excited because I have a date with my writer friend Lesley tonight. I’ve hardly seen her or anyone from my writing group since I started working full time two years ago. I owe my job in large part to my writing group, who kept me on top of the craft, who kept me writing and blogging. I’m eager to reconnect with Les and see what she’s been up to. And also drink caipirinhas.

I’ve been reading America again. I finished Maine last week and am two books into Maryland. I just turned the final page on my current Maryland book. In an effort to keep myself away from work today, I plan to spend part of the day finding my next Maryland read. I heard Terry Gross interview Omar from HBO’s The Wire yesterday, and since that was possibly the best television show I’ve ever watched, and it takes place in Baltimore, Maryland, I’ve got my fingers crossed that there’s maybe a book that spawned the show. If so, I want to read it.

The dishwasher has drained its last drop. The kitchen is silent now. The only sounds are the creaking of the house in the wind and my fingers tapping the keyboard. Occasionally, I hear cat paws batting a toy mouse. In the short time it took to write this post, most of the snow has melted. The wind lifts the pristine flakes from the porch rail and swirls them outside my window. They glitter in the sun.