I confess I don’t mind being snowed in occasionally. It’s the perfect excuse to ease up on pressing deadlines and to put off errands and answering emails. Being held captive by a thick white snow blanket is a procrastinator’s dream and an escape from the manic pace of life. I like to spend such days lolling about in my pajamas and fuzzy slippers, curling up by the fireplace with a piping hot cup of masala chai and my dog, Popcorn, at my feet. I typically read the newspaper or a magazine while watching the news and weather reports. I secretly wish for more snow.
A quick outdoor walk with Popcorn, who enjoys playing catch with snow balls, earns me my second cup of chai. To accompany it, I make a spicy vegan omelette with chickpea batter, red onions, green chilies, salt and coriander (just mix half a cup of chickpea flour with the chopped onions, chilies, salt, and coriander with enough water to make a batter. Then grease a skillet and pour the batter into it, letting it cook for 2 to 3 minutes before folding over). It’s the perfect antidote for the freezing cold.
A couple more hours of relaxation and it is time to make lunch, which for me typically is a ramen noodle soup spiked with ginger, black pepper and a pinch of curry powder. I love watching the steam rise from the bowl as I sip the hot and satisfying concoction. Popcorn knows this is his chance to take a quick nap before the Netflix binge begins.
Evening hours on such days always make me nostalgic for my favorite foods and movies. First I feed Popcorn after his evening snow play. Then I rustle up a paneer (cottage cheese) and cauliflower rice scramble with peanuts and veggies, the perfect bite by which to watch one of my most favorite snow day movies: The Sound of Music. I recall my introduction to this classic as an excited young girl of 3 or 4 years sitting in a dark theatre in Victoria Terminus in Mumbai. My two friends and their parents were with us. Because it was a special family outing, my mother had a pretty polka-dot dress made for me. What a memorable night! I remember every song, every glance, every nuance. Yes, I’ll state the obvious: It is one of my favorite things to do! And to this day, on snow days, I watch one more time as the hills come alive with the sound of music 🎶 and I’m inspired again to follow every rainbow till I find my dream!!! I love snow days!
