Snowed In

It’s snowing in Seattle. Big, fat flakes for the third day in a row even though, as the woman at the table next to me at the doughnut shop just mused as she gazed out the window, “It’s not cold enough to snow.” It’s not cold enough to snow, but the sky keeps dumping the white stuff, trapping people in their homes and neighborhoods because the city of Seattle owns one snowplow, one shovel, and one bucketful of salt, and the airport has dibs.

Yesterday the two-year-old and I experienced our first “school is cancelled!” snow day, and let me tell you, it was a big bummer. I was not at all in the mood to be housebound for another day, and she was in no mood to hang out with her cranky mother all day. We got bundled up and went outside and I exhorted her to “Go have fun!” while I shoveled. After 20 or so minutes I said, all fake-cheery, “Did you have fun?”

“No.”

I felt like such an ass.

But I just wanted to do some work. And have some alone time. And get some shit—other than shoveling—done.

I’m feeling increasingly panicked about being home mostly full-time (but for occasional writing and teaching breaks) with not one but two children, and being literally trapped at home wasn’t helping matters.

I don’t want a full-time job away from my precious cargo, but twenty hours a week sounds pretty good. Or maybe 25… Anyone know of an employer looking to hire an essayist 25 hours a week? They’d barely have to pay me—just enough to cover a babysitter and maybe a few pens. Anyone? Anywhere? Helloooooooooooooooooo?

In the meantime, we head to Mexico tomorrow. Unless, that is, we get snowed in by the 14'' expected tonight even though it's not cold enough to snow.

Photo courtesy Ladyheart, morgueFile