It’s official: the first snow began falling two minutes ago. I couldn’t be happier. In fact, I woke up early this morning just in case it came early and I’ve been sitting with the kitchen blinds open so I couldn’t miss the instant the snow began to fall.

My husband says I have a weird fascination with dramatic weather changes. I’m one of those people who tunes in to tornado watches, severe thunderstorm warnings and snow advisories on the TV, listening to them non-stop even when the meteorologist has nothing new to say. I figure, if they’re going to be there talking, I can at least be kind enough to listen. Or, at least, that’s what I say when the entire household begins pleading to change the channel to anything but the weather report.

The truth is, I love the way bad weather triggers everyone’s homebody mode. I’m almost always a homebody — getting me to leave the house is actually one of my husband’s greatest challenges. When bad weather comes, my family hunkers down, too. That’s when I get a chance to shine with a homemade soup simmering on the stove, freshly-cleaned cozy blankets laid out on the sofa, cocoa for the kids and mulled wine for the spouse… all capped off with an evening of board and card games.

Better yet: knowing that tomorrow the snow will have melted, the skies will clear and the temps will be warm enough to draw my family members back out of the house and off of my nerves. Just in time.

What’s not to like?