Last week, Anne, at Modern Mrs. Darcy, wrote a post called Four Minutes in the Nude. Now if that isn’t a catchy title, I’m not sure what is! It turns out that her post was more a winter survival guide than a scandalous tale but I was hooked none the less. Inspired by a writer friend, Anne is keeping a list of ‘what is saving her life right now’. On this list she includes those things that are helping to make her winter more bearable.

Her post went on to invite her readers to join her and share their lists. When I read that the date for sharing was February 2nd, Groundhog’s Day and the half way point of winter, I smiled. My dad died on Groundhog’s Day, eight years ago. I try to acknowledge him in this space each year and a list like this seems like a great way to do it.

So here goes…

What  Is Saving My Life Right Now

• Cut flowers. They bring a bit of life in to our house.
• Cerave lotion. My hands are a little less cracked than they have been in winters past.
• The Girl on the Train. A fast, paced thriller that made staying inside more fun.
• The Writers Circle. The first in-person writing class I’ve taken in years. And local friends, there will be local Writers Circle classes here in April. More info to come very soon!
• Cauliflower. I always thought I hated it but I’ve learned to puree it and add a bit of cheese. I don’t love many vegetables so I’m happy to add one to my list.
• Daisy. Having a dog forces me outside more than I would like on these super cold days but a little fresh air can boost my mood a lot.
• Fleece lined tights. I learned about these from Katie and while mine haven’t even arrived yet, just anticipating warm legs makes me happy.
• My Embrace Photography on-line class. It is keeping me honest with picture taking and picture organization. I vow to have a lot of printed photos by the end of this year and that makes me super happy.
• The Humphrey books. The girls and I are working our way through this series as read alouds and we are having so much fun with them.
• House of Cards returns this month. After finishing The Affair a few months ago, I’ve been a bit adrift without a good television show. Only 25 days till the best show ever comes back.
• Uniqlo Heatech. I honestly don’t know what I would do without these ever present layers in the winter. They really do make me a bit warmer.
• Memories of Dad. At this time every year, I get a bit grumpy and it takes me a long time to realize that the anniversary of Dad’s death stirs up all sorts of junk. Once I remember and start talking about him it helps. Going through pictures to include in this post, Rob and I reminisced about his terrible outfits. The one above is almost the best of the bunch. In one he was wearing maroon sweater on top of a lavender turtle neck. I chose not to share that one with you guys That said, I am glad I have pictures of him holding both the girls. While their memories may be fleeting at this point, they did know him and they certainly know him through the stories we tell. We love and miss you Dad.