By Phyllis Galowitz

February has certainly been indoor weather. The snow’s been falling day and night and I’m lucky to be able to enjoy the outdoor scene from the comfort of my living room. I have plenty of fun things to keep me occupied, such as a jigsaw puzzle that was last done 10 years ago. Raphael’s Draught of the Fishes, with 561 pieces that all look the same, was quite a challenge when my family came to visit last week. It kept us all busy, each working on different areas. I finished it myself when everyone went home. I have to admire it for a few days and then take it apart and put the pieces back in their box for another 10 years, when it will be like new again.

Catching up on reading is another snowy day luxury, when you can’t get out of the driveway. I’m reading John Verdon’s Wolf Lake, a thriller, written by our own local writer, whose previous books have kept me at the edge of my seat from beginning to end. John lives in Walton, with his wife, Naomi Fisch, an actress. Although the book is fiction, I see them both in the characters and visualize the driveway to their home and the landscapes mentioned, which brings the story so much closer. You can find this book in our own library.

I watched a DVD, borrowed from the library, Testament of Youth, based on the First World War memoir by Vera Brittain, a classic testimony of the war from a woman’s point of view. I highly recommend it.

Then, of course, what better way to wile away the hours, than listening to music; all kinds of music! I recently heard the CD from Hamilton, the spectacular Broadway show that is impossible to get tickets for, even at $300 each! The lyrics are wonderful. After just having read the biography, Hamilton, with our book group, LitWits, it was particularly enjoyable.

Cooking soup warms both you and the house and using everything left in the pantry is both satisfying and delicious. That’s exactly what I’ll do right now.

I hope you’ll all enjoy being snowbound as much as I do.~