What's a snow day without salsa?

Ever notice that on a snow day you realize how much food you don't have in your cupboard? Sure I have hot chocolate, marshmallows, lots of soups, frozen meats, popcorn, chips and (of course) milk and bread; but, I don't have salsa. Somehow I let a snow day sneak up on me without a single jar of salsa in the house. Do you know what I have thought about all day? Salsa. I even tried eating a few chips without salsa, but decided I'd rather gnaw on the telephone book cover instead.

Have you ever realized how pissed off people get when they expect it to be a snow day and it isn't? Oh, that was me on Monday. Everyone in Virginia had snow Monday morning except the 10 mile radius around my house. I had been up all night (literally) working on a paper. I must have looked out my window a dozen times--just praying for a few flakes. A snow day on Monday would have been like a gift from God. Folks on the radio were talking about snow, folks on the television were pointing to snow, but all I got was "cold" and no snow. And everyone at school was in a foul mood--much like me--because they had built up their hopes for a snow day only to be robbed.

And, when it snows, there are two types of people in the world. There are those who must drive in it and those who refuse to do so. I lean toward the latter category and have noticed that most men lean toward the first category. For example, my late husband was quite the lazy man and rarely rolled out of bed before noon. But, if it was a snow day, he was up at the crack of dawn, layering up in clothing, warming up the car, clearing the driveway, and heading into work. Why he made such effort to do so was beyond me, especially since he ran a retail book store and he was unlikely to have three customers the entire day. And, on snow days, he loved to drive me to work. Any other day if I said, "Honey, my car's broke down?" He'd pillow mumble, "Can't you catch a ride with someone?" But, let some snow fall, and he's my Prince Charming, whisking me off to work, where I don't have to be anyway because it's a snow day! Why, oh why, couldn't I be like everyone else, staying at home, in the warmth of my four walls, rummaging through the kitchen, and working on a grocery list of all the snow day items I didn't have handy.

(By the way, by "late" husband, I don't mean that he's deceased...he was just always late....except on snow days.)

We have had a steady stream of sleet and ice for the past twenty-four hours (unfortunately it didn't arrive before my Monday deadline). Ice is especially treacherous. I definitely am not going to be driving in icy conditions. I don't even like to walk the dog when it's this icy. Tree limbs are weighted down, and the grass is crunchy. And all I need to do is hit one slick spot on the sidewalk and it gets real ugly from there. I am a big girl, and big girls fall fast and ugly.

I have spent the entire morning obsessing about my lack of salsa. I was so disappointed in my lack of preparedness for this snow/ice event--that is until I discovered that--in spite of the salsa shortage--I had all the ingredients for a big pot of homemade chili. While the chili doesn't replace the salsa, it is a valid substitution. So, my chili is simmering on the stove right now. I've also made some rice, chopped up some celery sticks, and made a gallon of sweet tea. Now, if I only had some sour cream....