Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Baby It's Cold Outside: a guide.

The season of snow is upon us! I really do love snow and lately we haven't gotten much so when it snowed Sunday I made sure to enjoy it. Well I have been enjoying it since then. I had a morning class yesterday so as soon as I was finished I went home, all my classes were canceled today so I am enjoying a true snow day!

I love to stay inside when it snows but one needs to be prepared. There is nothing worse than being trapped inside without the essentials. So here is a mini preparedness guide. As a little disclaimer, I am not a survivalist, I am only listing things that are essential for a fantastic snow day in a fully equipped home. I am not outdoorsy and I would never dream of going camping (that's what hotels are for), so none of these activities will be ones that require stepping foot outside.


1)Make sure you have food. I'm not talking about the usual milk, bread and eggs unless you like french toast on a snow day. Snack foods and baking supplies are essentials for a snow day. Today I will be starting my Christmas baking.

2) Some sort of alcohol. I like wine, especially if you have a good block of cheese in the house. Tonight, Jeremy and I are going to have some munster and garlic and herb goat cheese. If wine isn't your bag then why not have a nice snifter of brandy? Nothing says winter quite like having a snifter of brandy by a roaring fire, or in my case a fireplace scented woodwick candle.


3)Movies or television shows on DVD or a streaming service! Before I subscribed to Netflix I would run to the movie store and stock up on some movies or television series on DVD to marathon watch while I was snowed in. Now, I don't have to do as much preparation. Here is a small list of my favorite movies and shows to watch on a snowy day. These aren't necessarily Christmas movies (I'm saving that list for another post) but they are movies and shows that my mind associates with snow.


-Pleasantville (1998)
          I guess I consider this a snow day movie since I got the VHS for Christmas when I was 8 years old and it snowed that day. I associate odd things together. I long to be beamed into a television show. My pick would be "The Munsters" or "The Golden Girls"


-The Simpsons (1989-?)
          For a snowy day may I recommend the episode "Homer the Heretic"? I hope you're all home making moon waffles today.

-The Ref (1994)
          Okay, so this is the one Christmas movie on the list but it is one of my favorites to watch when it snows.

-The Golden Girls (1985-1992)
          To be fair, I watch this in all weather but a snowy day is a great opportunity to watch the whole show.


-The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
         There's nothing like a good thriller!

-If A Man Answers (1962)
            A hilarious movie! You can drool over Sandra Dee's clothes and Bobby Darin at the same time!
       

4) A good book, or five. I used to run to the video store and book store/library with the same panic that people go to the grocery store with. I could not imagine being stuck in the house without something to read if the electric goes out, the worst possible thing in the world. Now, I have an overstock of books so I am well stocked if disaster happens.  Some good things to read while being stuck inside are biographies, humor books and social/cultural history books. Collections of true crime stories are fantastic too, just pick what you like. Here are some of my favorites, keep in mind that they're not all serious literature since a snow day doesn't have to be serious.

-Here We Go Again: My Life in Television- Betty White

                  If you don't know a lot about Betty White then get this book. Her others are good but this one has the most details about her life.



-Christmas After All: The Great Depression Diary of Minnie Swift Indianapolis, Indiana,1932 (Dear America series)

Alright, this is meant for pre-teen girls but in my defense, I read it when I was a pre-teen girl. I like to reread it every Christmas though.


-Ava Gardner: The Secret Conversations
I could not put this book down and when I absolutely had to it was painful! It was so good!



-What is Marriage For?: The Strange Social History Of Our Most Intimate Institution- E.J. Graff

A "serious" read about the not so nice history of marriage. A good history primer for the person that doesn't know the historical context of marriage. Also a good read for anyone that is married or thinking about it.




5) Some good games. Jeremy and I like to play some competitive games when were snowed in. If you're alone I can recommend some great solo games.

-Bioshock (Xbox 360)
      Rapture is the most beautiful game world I have ever explored. If you start this, don't make a lot of plans since you will be sucked in.


-Mario Party (multiple Nintendo consoles)
      There are about nine of these games now and they are all great.   



-Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo)
          You can play this game on a lot of different Nintendo consoles now but nothing beats the original. Be prepared to throw your controller or gameboy color in anger.


-God of War (Playstation 2, 3 & PSP)
           I personally have the Playstation 2 version and the PSP version. If you want to take out some anger, pop in God of War and start slashing away with Kratos' chain swords.


-Katamari (Playstation 2, 3, Xbox 360 and PSP)
       For the hoarder in all of us there is Katamari.
            

-Street Fighter (multiple consoles)
        This could potentially start some arguments.

         
-Pokemon (Nintendo handheld consoles)
         I personally recommend Gold and Silver or Heart Gold or Soul Silver. They are the best of the series.



5) Have a day of pampering. This is not just for ladies, men can treat themselves too. There are all kinds of things you can do at home. You and your partner can give each other massages. Give yourself a deep conditioning treatment for your hair, paint your nails and relax.

6) Enjoy the snow! Open the blinds and go outside and take some photos! I know I said I wasn't an outdoorsy type but I love to go outside and take pictures of the snow. Make sure you enjoy the beautiful weather.


I took these three quick shots in the back yard. Those deer are well behaved all year! It's been snowing steady since 9 am and the trees look absolutely gorgeous now. 





I hope this guide was helpful. I absolutely love to be home but sometimes staying indoors can be maddening! I know this is a vintage blog but I love my technology, I'm sorry. What are your favorite things to do on a snow day?



2 comments:

  1. Very Nice, Megan! I'm snowbound with Tommy, a super-active toddler, so I'm playing with Play-dough, building with blocks and outside a little bit, til we get cold and soggy. When I'm with adults if someone wants to play scrabble or pinochle, I'll play. I don't play any videos or internet games ever, though.
    . I especially like to bake cookies or do some crafts or painting. Lately, I've been watching the mushy Hallmark movies! And of course I'm busy blogging and postingor working on my Etsy store, and getting orders ready to ship in time for Christmas.
    The snow is pretty on the trees and shrubs! I've been gathering winterberry to decorate with, check it out on my blog. www.grandmalay.blogspot.com
    Happy Snow-Day! it's nice to have a day off isn't it? Linda

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  2. I like play-dough! My sister and I used to have tons of it and all the play sets that went along with it. I have two kittens and a two year old cat that acts like a kitten. Their newest fascination is the caramels in my candy dish. I usually wait for my sister to get home to play board games since it's more fun with three.
    Those Hallmark movies are traps haha, I've watched the beginning of some and said I was going to get up to do something but instead I was sucked into the whole movie. !
    I have all the drapes and blinds open so I can see the snow from wherever I am in the house, it's beautiful. I will check out your post, the winterberry sounds like a neat decoration!

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