Apparently today, February 2nd, is the half way point between the winter and spring solstices. I.E. one definition of what is "winter". I personally prefer what I believe is the meteorologic definition which is December - February is winter even though that doesn't match what it says on the calendar and the tricks eggs can do on the first day of spring (??). (I've never tried those tricks.) I FIRMLY believe spring starts on March 1st and I plan my week so that I can switch out the house from winter to spring that day. That is the day I am officially over winter. Even as I accept that there will probably still be snow in my life for awhile.
However, early February could be about when I am getting tired of the cold and wet and mud and cloudy days. And I am always for thinking of things that are making life easier or better or just the good. Remembering life isn't always cloudy days with wet snow really can help change a mood (mainly, mine).
Modern Mrs. Darcy has done a link-up on this day for many years of things saving us this winter. Here is my list of things saving me these last 27 days of winter. Spring is coming. It's coming.
These were something of an impulse purchase over Thanksgiving weekend and now, 2 months later, I still get excited every time I get to put them on. They are comfortable, so comfortable that I forget to switch back to my slippers when we get home. My wardrobe became MUCH more casual during lockdowns and these work wonderfully with the sweatshirts I now wear almost daily. They are my favorite clothing purchase since my beloved sweatshirt over the summer. (Which, ok, wasn't that long ago.) (Limited sizes of those on clearance...if they had my size in stock I would be very tempted to have another of hand for when these wear out.)
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| photo by Sam, hence the finger |
I think I am up to 5 that I own and when I pulled out the one I always wear for our lazy Sundays at home, I realized it was at the bottom of my stack, meaning I had worn ALL the others at some time in the previous week. I used to wear sweaters all the time but now that's mostly things like church or work and I wear sweatshirts the rest of the time. They are comfy and warm and I like all the ones I have. I'm wearing them all every week! (I have this one from Kohls which I have no problems wearing inside all winter. And Matt got me this one from Merrell for Christmas.
3) Working with my sister
Not literally working together, we're not getting paid, but when I was asked to join the dinner-auction committee at school to run the social media...I immediately suggested my sister would be better at that. And then we decided to do it together. It has been quite a bit more time than I think either of us expected and more than once I've told Matt that the project was pushing my sanity BUT...I definitely would be much more stressed and frustrated if not for working with my sister. I haven't done many projects with my sisters as an adult and it has been so much more fun to job share this one. The number of times I have laughed non-stop is much more with her than without. (And it always has to do with us replying to ourselves from the auction account to our personal accounts...it makes me laugh so hard, every. single. time.)
4) Tea
I don't know where my tea drinking really came from but now I am a dedicated tea drinker; I have a mug of tea nearly every single day, summer - winter. Sometimes caffeinated (usually) but not always. I delight in the habit of it, anticipating it and then wrapping my cold hands around the hot mug. Occasionally burning my tongue. My favorite way to drink tea is while reading but that's not a feat I can accomplish often, given kids and school schedules. Although last week when we had 2 e-learning days (the bane of my existance) followed by a 2 hour delay...I had 3 blissful mornings in a row where I got to drink tea and read, a total of 4 hours or something. It was wonderful. And, besides vacations, I do make myself drink 24 ounces of water before my tea which means that often by 9am I've consumed 40 ounces of liquid which, yes, means I use the bathroom often.
This saves me every. single. winter. I love doing puzzles and am on the second winter in a row I've had a puzzle table set-up in my office. I do puzzles during family movie nights and when watching things with Matt (it's either I do a puzzle or I fall asleep). Even though I do many, many, of the same ones year after year, I LOVE it. It's so satisfying to find a piece that fits on the harder ones and just a lovely way to spend some time. Although sometimes it does cut into my reading time in the evenings.
How did it get me so long to get to this??? I don't know. These last 3 things are always saving my winter - puzzles, tea, and reading. Although I do 2/3 of those year round. I love kicking off a new reading year and finding books to read and enjoying a good book. Reading saves my sanity day after day. I know there are days I will feel much better if I just take 20 minutes to read. It really can reset my brain and make moving through the rest of the day much easier.
7) Getting rid of things
I am on a quest to get rid of 1000 items from my home this year and I have a very active text thread going with 2 of my sisters to keep each other accountable (and they are both currently beating me in how fast they are getting rid of things). I ALWAYS want to have less in my house and that got re-ignited last fall with joining a buy-nothing group for my neighborhood. I love being able to pass off things to people who can use them! I lament that I did so much of it last year when I wasn't counting...I could use those items added to my list now...yet...I always appreciate more open space in cupboard, cabinets, drawers, closets, etc. Trying to get through more parts of the house as time allows!
Our Saint memories are still in very high rotation around here and every time I win I feel a little better about my sanity. I only beat Sam about 25% of the time but I really try! And may also depend on my recent sleep and/or caffeine consumption. We've spent countless hours playing saint memory and it's been so fun. Even when I lose. (We have all 4 Saint sets and the Christmas set too, although that is packed away for now.)
9) Dark Chocolate butter cookies
I first posted about these on the blog in February 2020, ahhhhhh...the innocence of that time. I still love them, 3 years later. Most days I eat ONE after my lunch. They are the perfect blend of cookie and chocolate and I still thoroughly enjoy every single one of the hundreds I've had in the past 3 years. A box is about $3 at my Aldi and I nearly always have a small stash (2 boxes right now) in the basement.
What's saving YOUR winter? You are allowed to say the same things every year!
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