Hello, friends. It is so cold – the high yesterday here in Boston was 14 (!) degrees. It feels much warmer today (we’re above freezing!), but between the cold and the endless pandemic anxiety, I’ve been struggling with the blues. At least the sun is (mostly) shining; we had a solid week of rain and fog around Christmas/New Year’s and it was rough.
I’m isolating in my apartment this week after a positive COVID test. My symptoms are mild and I have enough groceries, etc., but of course it’s a bummer. And the headlines – and their individual impacts on each of our lives – go on and on.
So, in the spirit of hope and trying to find some joy, here’s what’s saving my life this week:
- Sunshine, as always. Even when it’s bitterly cold, these blue and silver winter days (and the sunlight pouring in my kitchen windows) are so beautiful.
- The Twisted Tomboy shower bombs I found recently at the Booksmith – so potent and refreshing.
- Abby Rasminsky’s gorgeous, honest newsletter – she writes so well about pandemic life and trying to find the good.
- The teas I stocked up on in December: one batch from my beloved local MEM Tea, one from the wonderful McNulty’s in Greenwich Village, NYC.
- Related: my favorite mugs, including an old one from Obvious State and a newish one from Flour.
- My friend Micha’s lovely, contemplative podcast, The Slow Way.
- Hannah Jane Parkinson’s quirky, lovely collection The Joy of Small Things, which I found at the marvelous Three Lives – exactly what it sounds like.
- Texts and calls from my people, and a friend dropping off a bag of groceries the other day.
- My leggy, lovely geraniums, which are reaching for the light in my kitchen window.
- Good books, including a stack of library finds and a virtual stack of e-galleys for review.
- Fun Spotify mixes: jazz and movie soundtracks, folk and Motown, nineties country – whatever I’m in the mood for.
What’s saving your life in these long winter days?
cakes, tea and dreams 
I seem to be coming out of my January blues now…thank goodness. But I keep a list of things that s-l-o-w-l-y tend to help. All the usual…. reaching out to friends (which I find easier to do with text and emails rather than phone calls), spending 10 minutes a day organizing my space, keeping upbeat music on, and ONLY watching comedies!
All good things!
I hope you feel better soon! Isolating is hard, especially at this time of year. Knitting, reading good books, and watching funny films & sitcoms are helping here.
Yes, that’s all helping here too. xo
Saving my life: Longer phone conversations with friends and family. Not texting, not emails, but phone calls where laughing out loud, laughing till you can’t catch your breath happens! Sunlight, of course. With no need to rush out to do errands I so enjoy the quieter, simple things – a longer soak in the tub, binging on new-found old movies and tv series… especially of the Brit variety. Books books books. Needlepointng and quilting to my heart’s content. Tending my houseplants and really enjoying the seed catalogs rolling in right now. Garden plans! It’s actually quite lovely having fewer demands on my time for a bit.
Love all of this. xo