Rainy Day Activities

Friends, we on the East Coast are caught in a rainy rut. Can you remember the last time you saw the sun? When you look out onto your back yard, does it resemble a jungle? Are you surprised when you remember it's June and not March?

Well, take heart. Here are some activities to get you through the gloom:

1. Bake. Do you have nothing but a Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix from your Super Bowl chili party two years ago? Suspicious-looking instant scones from the holiday goodie basket your in-laws gave you? Bake 'em, baby. Assembling and mixing ingredients kills time, and when it's in the oven, your house will be filled with the smell of sweet, sweet comfort. And if what comes out of the oven isn't exactly to your liking, just put a scoop of vanilla Haagen Dazs on it.  Instant deliciousness.

2. Nap. There is NOTHING better than taking a nap with windows slightly open, allowing the sound of rainfall to lull you to sleep. If you're lucky, you'll dream of sunshine. 

3. Paint. Certainly, there must be one room in your house that needs (re)painting. And you don't even need to be particular about the color you choose, because it's just going to keep raining here, people.  You can always paint it again.

4. Read old magazines. You know you have at least a year's worth of back issues of at least one magazine stacked precariously somewhere. It's the perfect opportunity to read all those articles you dog-eared. And then it's time to make a decision: recycle or sell on eBay, where you will no doubt make a mint on your canon of Domino issues. 

5. Organize. Does the medicine stored in your linen closet look like it was tossed by meth-heads on a pseudoephedrine raid? Time to pull everything out and make some sense of it all. Finding order amidst the chaos is a perfect rainy-day task. And you never know — you just might realize that the reason your migraine meds aren't working is because the bottle expired in 2003.

6. Call your mother. You've got nothing better to do, and it's not like you're going anywhere. Better get on it, or she's going to call you first. And then you are going somewhere: on a guilt trip.

7. Invent a new cocktail. Admit it: lemonade and iced tea just don't taste the same indoors. Add some sparkle with a slug of rum or tequila — or, what the heck, both. Or ditch the summertime bevvies and shake up some limoncello and the aforementioned Haagen Dazs.  Have you forgotten it's raining yet?

8. Take a bath. It's like going in the pool in your house! No need to worry about lightning storms, or bathing suits.

9. Do laundry. At last, a family activity. Engage the kiddies in a new game called Match the Socks. And for the husbands, a quick round of Why Can't You Remember to Take Your Clothes Out of the Dryer? 

10. Blog About Something Totally Random. Great for multi-taskers who need a little something else to do while drinking limoncello cocktails in the tub after a long day of organizing, laundry, painting, and baking. Best when followed by #2.

That's it from me. Care to add to the list?