Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Comfort

January was a tough month for me - gray skies, bitter cold, polluted air, piles of snow, and a healthy dose of depression brought on by the weather and a miscarriage. I'm sure glad that month is over.

So far, February is still pretty cold, but 35 degrees seems almost balmy after 15 degrees, and at least there are patches of blue sky and sometimes the sunshine actually warms my face for a moment or two! A little sunshine goes a long way.

This month, I'm in recovery mode and am treating myself to a month of comfort in as many ways as I can think of. For example:

Comfort Books:
I don't have a lot of time to read for pleasure, since a healthy portion of my time is taken up doing homework for my Masters of Taxation classes; however, I've decided to reread a series of books that to me are pure comfort. They're an easy read with a little bit of romance, a bit of mystery, lots of yummy recipes, and nothing too serious happening. There's over a dozen books with no end in sight, so I may not actually read all the books I have of the series, but I'll enjoy the ones I read, and maybe I'll actually bake some of the recipes this time.

Comfort Food:
Lately, I've been all about simple, warm, comforting food. I haven't been in the mood for anything too fancy or new, just food I know and that I know I love. For example, all day yesterday I was so excited to get home to make dinner because I was making hamburger rolls, a family recipe that my mom made when I was a kid. It's easy to make. And, unlike sometimes when you look forward to something all day, the end product didn't disappoint - it was as perfectly comforting and yummy as I knew it would be.

Comfortable Clothes:
This isn't a huge departure for me because I don't really go for fashion over comfort generally. However, I'm definitely leaning towards the clothes in my closet that are the most comfortable, even for my sparse wardrobe. I'm talking sweaters mostly. They are warm and soft and fit me nicely but also loosely. I bought a couple new sweaters a couple weekends ago and really like them - they are sea foam green and light blue, so they add a burst of color to my other sweaters, which are black, gray, brown. I also bought a new pair of pajama pants that are pink and red and uber cute and comfortable. I love lounging around in them in the evening.

Comfortable People:
February is packed with spending time with people in my life that I feel really comfortable with: Steve (of course!), old friends, and family. Last Saturday, we had a potluck dinner party with two of my friends and the men in their lives. Sunday, my brother and his family came up for church and lunch, then we all went to the house of a good friend for the Super Bowl. This weekend, my dad, stepmom, and little sister are coming up for a couple days. Then my mom will be visiting us President's Day weekend! I love being able to spend time with so many people I love.

Other Things That Bring Me Comfort:
1. Starting to go to church more regularly.
2. Having a job and making money.
3. Playing with and petting my dog.
4. Chocolate.
5. Comfortable pillows and bed.
6. Fuzzy pink slippers.
7. The groundhog didn't see his shadow and supposedly that means an early Spring. *fingers crossed*
8. Writing.
9. Reading blogs.
10. Quilts - all made by beloved family members.

7 comments:

Sarah said...

This is a great post! :)

When I read about the books you're reading, I thought, "Those sound really familiar. Someone just told me about those books!" And then I realized... it was you! :)

Thanks so much for inviting us down and hosting a great night!

KieraAnne said...

Now I'm interested...what are the books you're referring to? I've read a series that sounds similar and I'm wondering if it's the same one. Also the Hamburger rolls sound good, do you have a recipe?

julie said...

Sarah, it was my pleasure! I had so much fun chatting with you all!

Kiera, they are a series of books by Joanne Fluke, The Hannah Swensen Mysteries. The first is "Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder" and the rest all have food in the title, usually dessert. Like I said, they're a really easy read, nothing too serious, kind of the same every book, but fun and entertaining - oh and I enjoy the recipes!

KieraAnne said...

Yep those are the ones I read, though I don't think I've read the latest (cinnamon roll murder?). The love triangle tends to annoy me as does Hannah's tendency to correct people's grammar, but they're good. I've made a bunch of the recipes, they tend to be heavy on the butter, but still yummy. I would recommend the fudge cupcakes from the one where the secret ingredient was raspberry syrup...or the orange cake with chocolate chips and glaze...

KieraAnne said...

Also, in case you didn't know, she came out with a book that was supposedly all the recipes, though it is very loosely written as a story rather than a "cookbook". But I bought it so I could stop photocopying the pages. ;)

tearese said...

My comfort thing is staying in my room with all the curtains open, reading a book while snuggling in my blankets. Sadly, I don't get to do this very often! Your new sweaters sound cute!

Cassie said...

So nice. I'm all about comfort. Well looks like I'll have to give you and Steve a few weeks off from family before I plan a visit up there. :)