I could very easily write a three-page to-do list right now, but here in my old age I have started to keep such lists short. In my most recent post, I gave myself three action items. Happy to say I have them well underway already, I just need to head to the basement barbells after sending out this update.
We walked on Tuesday. Depending on the weather tomorrow, I will walk outdoors or head to the gym and do some cardio, either on a bike or the treadmill.
We did a final review of our tax returns and e-filed them this morning, meeting my usual goal of getting them done before March 1.
Today I also crossed another smaller item off the mental to-do list by donating some books to my local library. My son had left them behind and said he didn’t want them. They went to the used book sale in the library basement, allowing me a pleasant 40-minute romp through the rest of the library.
On this chilly rainy day, the parking lot looked crowded, but the library itself did not seem crowded. The high school kids were not there, and maybe all the parked cars were to take the little children to an event in the children’s wing. I strolled the stacks, pulled a few nonfiction books, sat in the periodicals reading room to peruse a few magazines and then stopped at the reference desk for my three free packages of spring seeds. I chose basil, arugula, and a bee-friendly blend of milkweed and borage. One of the books I chose identifies plants that deer don’t usually eat.
It was a very calming visit and it made me realize I don’t go to the library often enough because I download too many books on from their electronic catalog. People talking in hushed tones, exchanging pleasant nods as we passed through the aisles. Friendly, smiling librarians. A library can be a little oasis of calm. A nice little stack of books by a favorite chair, or for reading in bed is a great addition to the self-care toolkit. Diamond-Michael Scott reminded us of the pleasure of reading in bed in this recent Note.
If you had an ideal reading nook, what would it look like? Ever since I was a child, I thought a cozy windowseat, filled with pillows and a warm blanket would be my perfect spot. A place all my own, where it was ok to set my tea on the windowsill. A cat or two to keep my feet warm. A pile of library books.
The things I am already doing this week are helping me out of a mild case of late winter blues. I was happy to see that my kindle prepurchase of Gabrielle Treanor’s 1% Wellness Experiment dropped here in the US yesterday. I enjoyed doing some of the experiments when she was sharing them in Notes and on Instagram in January. I will wait and start working through the book on March 1.
Now it’s time to head down to the home gym so I can stay on track with my self-care plan for the week.
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Good on you Jo! Your dream reading nook sounds delightful. Mine would be a big comfy armchair in soft thick fabric where I could tuck my knees in, if I so chose. A knitted blanket created by me of course, a ceiling to wall window that faced north (beautiful morning sun in winter) here in Australia, with an outlook to a magnificent garden full of trees and flowers. :)