5 things to do when snowed in at a hotel

You would think this is an uncommon occurrence.

No, this is the second time in 13 months that I have experienced being stuck inside one of these sprawling buildings without pantries, any rooms to call my own, and most of the "stuff" that normally inhabits my life.

Last time we were moving from Maryland to Ohio, and we knew we'd be in a hotel for a week, but we didn't know there would be a blizzard.

This time it's just my dad and me. We've been trying to get home from my uncle's wedding in Iowa for almost 48 hours now... 48 hours that have taken us through 3 hotels and 275 miles. And almost all of those miles were in the first 4 hours. We've been here a bit west of Chicago since noon yesterday, all of the roads in Indiana are closed, it's well below zero (Fahrenheit!) outside, and we're getting a bit antsy.

So, here: Things To Do When You're Snowed In At A Hotel.

1. Eat frozen custard. We did this. Twice. It's so good. It's warm enough inside that it's acceptable, while cold enough outside that it feels like an adventure.
2. Watch Sherlock. I introduced my dad to the show. We've watched two episodes so far; I think we'll watch the third one tonight.
3. Embroider. Good thing I brought my craft bag with me. My bed is a mess of thread and needles... hopefully I won't get poked during the night.
4. Do laps. When one has been sitting for 24 hours, it might be time to walk. When there's a windchill of -40, it might be time to stay inside. Thus: laps. Hallway, stairs, hallway, stairs, repeat.
5. ...while reading. Ever wanted to perfect your simultaneous-walking-and-reading skills? Now is the time. (And if you, like me, perfected this skill as an elementary school student walking home from the bus stop, it's just good fun.)

If you have any other ideas, please tell me. To the best of my ability, I will do all of them.