I had enough of snow, of shoveling, of gray skies, of scouring through my front hall closet and coat pockets to make sure I had a pair of matching gloves for the day.  I was tired of worrying about whether my car would be able to navigate through icy streets or alleys narrowed by the sooty remains of last week’s blizzard.

I also was not occupied with a work assignment, and I always find it hard to take a break when I have not been making money.  It seems that I either have the money or the time.

Having friends in different places helps in the decision-making process, as does having soon to elapse airline miles. After experiencing far too much winter these past few months, I made a short notice decision to visit my friend in sunny Sonoma.

After clearing my plans with her and discussing if she could take a few days off from work during my visit, I felt compelled to check out the 10-day weather forecast for her area. I saw that a lot of rain was predicted for the duration of my trip.

Of course, this did not stop me. I desperately needed sun, but California desperately needed rain.  In some ways, I was disappointed, but I was also amused by the irony.  Up until my arrival, the area had received less than half of its normal rainfall for the season.  I think over five inches fell between my arrival and my departure.

During the week, I had to pick my spots to enjoy being outside. I took a few walks and sat on a few terraces and saw the sun caressing the beautiful vine ribbed hills of Sonoma County and surrounding areas. But even under gray clouds, there were still so many things to enjoy.

On my second day, I sipped champagne overlooking a beautiful garden and watched the antics of a hummingbird. It was about 68 degrees. I spent most of my third day in my pajamas reading in bed. The gray skies and constant drizzle made this the perfect choice. On Thursday, Lin and I drove to town and trekked to the Bartholomew Park Winery, not an especially challenging hike, the round trip was still probably over seven miles.

We spent most of the afternoon swapping stories with the tasting room host and the former mayor of Sonoma. It rained again Friday, and we braved driving the back roads, raw and beautiful with stones and fallen branches from the week’s heavy rainfalls, to visit the Hess Collection, one of the world’s largest private collections of contemporary art. It happened to be on the grounds of one of Napa’s finest wineries.

The euphemism “Good for nothing” ran through my mind although I felt I was getting the opposite lesson. Whatever IS – is always good for something.

If it’s sunny, it’s good for picnics, hiking, bicycling, or looking for ladybugs. If it’s rainy or cloudy, it’s good for movies, museums, reading, catching up on phone calls or dancing to old Al Green songs.  (Yes, my bestie and I performed a little dance therapy as we slid around her living room to the soulful organ and horn licks of “Love and Happiness.”)

Remembering your mood is not dependent on the weather or a particular circumstance and that whatever IS — is good for something — is no small thing.