Friday, January 23, 2009

Friday Five Cabin Fever Edition


It's Friday again, and over at RevGalBlogPals Singing Owl tells us:

Here in snow country we are settled in to what is a very long stretch of potentially boring days. The holidays are over. It is a very long time till we will get outside on a regular basis. The snow that seemed so beautiful at first is now dirty and the snow banks are piling up. Our vehicles are all the same shade of brownish grey, but if we go to the car wash our doors will freeze shut. People get grumpy. Of course, not everyone lives in a cold climate, but even in warmer places the days till springtime can get long. Help! Please give us five suggestions for combating cabin fever and staying cheerful in our monochromatic world?

Well, I'm in Snow Country too. We had about a foot or so last weekend; you can see the results above. (Onkel Hankie Pants is supervising while Brother #3 is snowblowing our driveway.) So here are my suggestions:
1. Get a dog. Or just borrow one, volunteer for dog-sitting, or even just accompany a dog-owning friend on walks. The dog will get you out of the house when nothing else would. Benefits may include better health, happier attitude (sunshine!) and time for meditation.
2. Pay attention to those "Calendar" sections in the local paper. I hope you live in as nice a place as I do, where there is always a free lecture to attend, a performance of some kind, or a public breakfast, lunch or supper.
3. Organize your living space. The "cabin" won't seem quite as small if it's tidier and you can find things.
4. Go to church (for those of us for whom this is optional!), participate in adult education or Bible study or making stuff for others, volunteer.
5. Count your blessings. A warm(ish) house, blankets, quilts and comforters on the bed, a roof that keeps the snow or rain out -- these are not to be sneezed at, and not everyone has them.

9 comments:

Shalom said...

Amen to the last, especially. Good play!

imngrace said...

Blessings counting...good idea. Thanks for the reminder.

Sally said...

love this, a dog is on my wish list when we move, there is a great park nearby.... as for # 5 thanks for the reminder.

Dorcas (aka SingingOwl) said...

Count your blessings! Good advice. I love #2, just wish there were such things somewhere near!

zorra said...

I agree with every single one of these. And having a dog is always a good idea, for whatever reason!

Elaine (aka...Purple) said...

Good ideas...especially the quilt. I have my favorite one that warms me.

Diane M. Roth said...

they are all good, but #5 is the best of all!

we could use a little de-cluttering, ourselves. :)

Gilly said...

Ah! Dogs! Get you out in all weathers, always pleased to see you, We don't have the snow you do, here in the UK - we major in grey. Grey skies, grey moods!!

But the best way is to count your blessings while you walk the dog, meanwhile planning a "declutter" when you get home!

Pleased I found your blog!

Crimson Rambler said...

We're praying this week for the Diocese of Maine and it gives me great pleasure to think of good blogpals who live in that diocese!