There are pictures to be sorted, notes to file on hotels, sites, bar and eateries — all while hunkered down between rounds of shoveling.
But first, we have to make the snowbound weekend part of the travel nostalgia — starting with food and drink.
Getaway flavors
Photo memories
Faced with files and boxes of slides, prints and digital images that covered decades of getaways, the time had come.
We spent a lion's share of the weekend culling, scanning and digitally converting the photos. Then came the process of building slideshows and videos.
I learned the hard way that Windows 10 does not support the movie maker program that was included with previous operating systems. Time for a beer.
Paper clutter
If you have a paper pile containing hand-scrawled notes from every getaway destination you've ever seen, it's time put them in order or just trash 'em.
Many of us jot down paper notes or smartphone memos about favorite restaurants, hotels, bars and sites. They can make repeat visits a breeze and provide the narrative for those home videos, slideshows and journals — but only if they're easily accessible.
The money drawer
We brought home crinkly and jingly foreign currency from overseas getaways — and promptly tossed it in a drawer.
It's time to scrape out those loonies, pesos, euros and pounds. Organize them for the next trip or find friends who are heading to foreign destinations and sell them at market rate.
Friends get a break by beating cambios or bank exchange rates, and you clean up another loose end.
Amsterdam is one city that has a casino at the airport, fortunately, to help rid us of leftover euros. It usually does.
Research
Snowbound days are a good time to tuck in and do some serious research for the next big getaway.
At the top of my list is checking on my current cellphone plan for foreign travel. I also plan to look up rates if you take an unlocked phone and buy a local SIM card.
Don't forget to research cellphone browsing pitfalls while traveling abroad. If you typically pay online or local travel agencies for lodging in U.S. dollars, it might save money by researching accommodations and booking directly with hotels at foreign currency prices. You'll often get a better exchange rate.
Finally, always check current foreign and U.S. customs regulations to avoid costly surprises.
You'll be amazed at what can be done in a single weekend and the memories that are refreshed while doing it.