Five Things You Need to Know Today: Rain Forecasts, Softball Registrations and Good Books for Bad Weather

1. We’d quote the old Ann Peebles song “Can’t Stand the Rain,” but at least it’s not snow… right? If you’re not still skiing in Aspen or sunning in San Diego, prepare for a weekend of microwave popcorn, movie-watching and board games. According to the National Weather Service, this afternoon will bring showers and a possible thunderstorm, with highs near 48 and rainfall accumulating to between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. Expect a wet weekend with intermittent showers and a slight chance of snow both Saturday and Sunday evenings. And when all fails, just keep chanting the following mantra: “Only three weeks ‘till spring.”

2. Time’s running out to enter your daughter into the Village’s Youth Softball League. The registration deadline is on Monday, Feb. 28, and a late fee will be instated for all who enroll in the program between March 1 and March 20. For recreation forms and flyers, visit the Village website.

3. This weekend’s the perfect time to curl up with a good book, poem or short story before the spring semester’s unofficial onslaught begins next week. We recommend a couple of titles by local authors, including Jacob M. Appel’s bittersweet ode to Scandinavian stoicism, “The Frying Finn,” “I Am an Emotional Creature” by Eve Ensler and John Updike’s poem “Sleepless in Scarsdale,” which recounts a night of insomnia in your beloved Village. Sure, Updike’s not actually from the 10583 zip code, but the subject - insomnia in Scarsdale - is pretty relatable, right?

4.  If you’ve got a case of cabin fever and books and board games won’t cut it, check out our handy “” and “,” published weekly in order to give you a heads-up on the area’s most happening weekend activities. Just remember to bring an umbrella, drive slowly to avoid hydroplaning and wear those Hunter rainboots.

5. The Borders in Vernon Shopping Center is . The store is offering a 20 to 40 percent liquidation sale, so stock up on stationary, CDs, books and miscellaneous writing tools to make the best of an unfortunate situation.