Embracing the Winter
Many of us tend to dread the dark and cold weeks that stretch between New Year’s and Easter. It’s common to experience a bit of “post-holiday blues” after the rush and excitement of Thanksgiving and Christmas festivities have ended. But after years of traveling in the snow and ice to get to and from work, school drop-offs and pick-ups, errands, and appointments, I challenge you this year to embrace the coziness of the season and enjoy the luxury of hibernation. Here is a list of ideas to make the most of these winter months.
Read-A-Thon. Stock up on books from your favorite author or try one you haven’t read before. Some popular authors from the QSC library (which is free for members to borrow!) are Lee Child, Elin Hilderbrand, Kristin Hannah, and JD Robb.
Try a new recipe or make an old favorite and invite a friend to share. A home-cooked meal or pie can warm the home and heart. The QSC seniors rely on family favorites like stews, soups, and casseroles that can be shared or frozen for the future.
Start a journal. Use journaling as an opportunity to reconnect with yourself. Write down your thoughts and feelings that day, or begin with little memories that have stayed with you through the years. This is about you and only you, and you’ll find that you will settle down into your own sense of journaling style quickly.
Soak in a hot bubble bath (with Epsom salt for those sore muscles). Do you remember the commercial, “Calgon take me away?” – well a long soak in a hot bubble bath can renew any tired spirit.
Write letters to family and friends. Holiday cards are always nice, but it would be truly special to receive a letter from a loved-one or friend in January when the mailbox is full of bills and junk mail. This is a great way to reconnect, and you don’t need anything fancy to send a letter – paper, an envelope, and a stamp will do. The most important part of the letter is what you put in it.
Movie marathon! We love the Turner Classic Movie channel (TCM), American Movie Classics (AMC) and the Hallmark Channel.
Homemade popcorn and a puzzle. There are so many great puzzles at the QSC, which are free for members to borrow. Settle in and make stovetop popcorn with extra butter.
Host a neighbor for a game of cards, scrabble, boggle or chess. Play some of your favorite tunes for background music and don’t forget to have a few snacks!
Organize family photos. This is a nice way to reflect on precious memories in a productive way. You can organize by categories like holidays, family, friends, or vacations. Or you can arrange the photos by year or decade. You can also group them by individual family members. Make sure to give yourself ample room to work.
Some of you “go getters” may want to feel more productive – although I think that is highly overrated. Nevertheless, here are some options for the ambitious souls:
Freshen up the kitchen with some baking soda, vinegar and lemon (Solution – Combine 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 2 cups hot water in a spray bottle and shake well). This classic all-purpose cleaner is a smart, sustainable choice over chemical-laden products and a way to make a positive impact on the environment (and your wallet)! Wipe out those drawers, cabinets and refrigerators and leave everything sparkling and smelling fresh.
Tame the “junk” drawer. Begin by emptying the drawer and creating a “keep” pile and “discard” pile. Have an old muffin tin? A muffin tin provides a handy single-step solution to rallying the bits and baubles that live in your junk drawer.
Give Your Bookshelf a Makeover. Organize your books by size, color or alphabetical by Author – whatever is most appealing to you.
For those who are tech-savvy, there are ways to stay entertained through the winter months on your laptop, smartphone or iPad. You can take virtual tours of museums, zoos and aquariums right from the comfort of your couch, read an eBook, or expand your access to movies beyond your cable service. Here are a few options for free virtual tours, eBooks, and online movies:
Museum Tours:
Houston Zoo: https://www.houstonzoo.org/explore/webcams/
National Aquarium: https://aqua.org/explore/virtual-tour
Museum of the American Revolution: https://www.amrevmuseum.org/virtual-museum-tour
National Gallery of Art: https://www.nga.gov/features/raphael-virtual-tour.html
NASA’s Glen Research Center – https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-glenn-virtual-tours/
eBooks:
Libbyapp.com (Use with your library card)
Standardebooks.org
Manybooks.net
Openlibrary.org
Free Movies:
YouTube (ads without a subscription)
Plex-tv/watch-free
Watchnow.one
However you decide to spend the winter, remember, there is nothing like a hot cup of tea or cocoa and a pair of fuzzy slippers to end the day. And when you do feel up to venturing out, there is always something to do at the Queensbury Senior Center.