In parts of eastern Scotland thousands of pupils had an unexpected day off as hundreds of schools were closed on Wednesday, mostly in Aberdeenshire, Fife, Angus and Midlothian.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Temperatures 'will keep falling'

On the optimisitc side, I think it will be like an unexpected holiday, a snow day of sorts.

FORBES: Facebook Engineer Discussed 'Hypothetical' Outage Last Week

Did it feel like a snow day -- like getting an unexpected vacation from constant digital dutifulness?

CNN: When losing e-mail is like a snow day

Jeff Dujon and Malcolm Marshall tried to get the innings going again but Mohinder Amarnath broke their partnership of 43, dismissing both men, before closing out an unexpected win with his third wicket of the day.

BBC: India celebrate their victory

Adding to the day's upbeat tone was an unexpected rise in German economic sentiment, as measured by the ZEW economic expectations index, and an upgrade by the International Monetary Fund to its global growth forecasts for 2012 and 2013.

WSJ: Spanish Auction Lifts European Markets

Next, a company that makes an annual appearance on game day, but this time that gets my vote for its happily unexpected take on the topic: the charming Budweiser tale of the little Clydesdale that grew up and succeeded in life.

FORBES: P&G, Bud, and Jeep Know the Three Things That Give a Brand -- and a Super Bowl Ad - the Edge

The saga took an unexpected turn on Feb. 16, when Manhattan Federal Court Judge Loretta Preska granted a 10-day restraining order on the ban that went into effect three days prior.

WSJ: Another School Sunday for Churches

I've just left Libya but have been below the radar for almost a week after an unexpected detour to a Tripoli hospital - I'll write about that little adventure in the next day or so.

BBC: Somalia famine: World's response 'unforgiveable'

Surprise your brother with an unexpected present on Jan. 25 and it will stand out for being the only one he gets that day.

NPR: The Least Material of Material Gifts