Last week I posted about being blue on Blue Monday, but today it was brought to my attention that TODAY IS BLUE MONDAY. But I was sad last week! I’m not sad today! How can it possibly be Blue Monday if I am not sad?
I know. I know. It isn’t all about me. Maybe some of you are feeling blue? Well, you have come to the right place, because it is *cue Oprah-audience-like-screaming* Nicole’s Favourite Things, The January Blues Edition!!!
Squee!
January is SUCH a bear of a month, what with the comedown from the holidays and – if you live in a climate like mine – the thought that there is at least, at LEAST, three more months of winter, and often more. Now that’s depressing. But! At least we don’t have to worry about the trains not getting through and grinding wheat and twisting hay to keep warm, am I right? Plus there are lots of fun things that will help us get through this month. So, let’s get started, shall we?
Nicole’s Favourite Things – January Blues Edition
I spend much more time outside in the winter than I would like. I take the dog on long daily walks, I stand in the playground dropping the kids off at school, I stand in the playground waiting for the kids after school, I stand in the playground watching the kids sled and play in the snow and assure me that no, they’re not warm, in fact they are boiling. In other words, I’m constantly freezing. This year I bought legwarmers, and they have been life-altering.
Life-altering, I tell you. They are not at ALL Flashdance-like. They are long, and woolly, and cozy. If I could, I would make out with them, I love them THAT much.
After I wrote this, a girlfriend told me about her favourite coat from Eddie Bauer. She swore that she was warm walking her dog in minus 25 degree weather; she sent me the link noting that a) the coat was on sale for 25% off, and b) it was available in black. SOLD.
It’s faux fur, of course. In the course of my winter coat shopping, my husband coaxed me to try on a Canada Goose coat, which he was highly in favour of. That’s when I found out the grim truth – Canada Goose uses real fur on their coats! Real fur! Who does that anymore? When I told the salesgirl that, sadly, this was a deal breaker for me, she informed me that Canada Goose only uses animals that have died of natural causes. The bees are doing what now? I have strong doubts about that. How is that even possible? Do they harvest their furs from roadkill? Do they put animals on little treadmills until they die of exhaustion? It boggles the mind.
Moving along. Calgary is a dry, dry climate, and it’s much worse in the winter. My hands have been known to snag my clothing, they can get so dry and chapped. I bought this cocoa butter hand cream, and it’s a miracle. I put it on at night because otherwise I’m not sure I could open door knobs. The smell is wonderful; it reminds me so much of the cocoa butter stick I used on my giant pregnant stomach to avoid stretch marks. It always makes me think of how happy I was while pregnant, and I always smile. Cure for the blues, right there!
I like using shower cream instead of shaving gel; it leaves my legs softer and smoother. This scent always makes me smile because I have a friend and yoga teacher named Harmony. I like to think “Stop! Harmony time!” in the manner of MC Hammer. Also, it has a really pretty floral scent.
I have not yet seen Les Miserables, although I’m dying to. I saw the play in the theatre years ago and immediately went out and bought the soundtrack, I loved the music so. Now, I see movies in the theatre rarely but I’m hoping to make it out before it ends up on Pay Per View, but in the meantime I have been listening to the soundtrack non-stop. Unfortunately, that means that I have At The End Of The Day perpetually in my head. Remember that old episode of Seinfeld when George gets Master of the House stuck in his head and is worried about his eventual descent into madness? It’s like that.
That last picture makes me nervous. I mean, Mark is RIGHT by the stairs. Well, they are all still in one piece, so it’s all fine.
Your turn, dear reader. What makes you happy during this blue month of January? xoxo
********************************************************************************************
PS Every Monday I will be writing about lunches, over at The Ladies Who (Make) Lunch! I’m so excited about this, I just can’t hide it. Go check out my first post, about coming home for lunch, and some nice memories from the 80s.
Theoretically, January makes me happy because it’s my birthday. But now that I am an old crone, I’m not so sure that cake makes up for the excess of gray hairs. Plus last January I was bedridden with pneumonia and this January I’ve had bronchitis going on 3 weeks so the shine of January may be dimming a bit.
BUT! This birthday marks THE FIRST TIME EVER that my husband got me both a cake and a present. 15 years in and I think this is the second cake ever from him, and possibly the third gift so that was a pretty big plus.
Birthday cake and present! Yay, that’s awesome. Also happy birthday! Bronchitis and pneumonia – BOOOOOOO.
I got into the McMaster choir auditioning with a song from Phantom of the Opera. In my defense, I was at university and it was one of the few things I had piano music too (because I used to play the music on the piano). Les Mis is still my favourite musical, but I thought I might come across as odd if I tried to do one of those songs and sing all the parts. Of course, if I was auditioning today, that’s probably what I would do.
I’m not sunk in the depths of despair this January. Even though I’ve had a headache for a week and it’s -25 out. So there’s that. Sexy legwarmers.
I don’t know what I find more impressive, that you were in the McMaster choir, that you can sing Phantom of the Opera without people crying with discomfort, or that you sing and play piano at the same time. I am boggled and also very, very impressed! My singing voice is such that no one would want to hear it!
I sang “Master of the House” to audition for *my* high school musical, so there you go. (I ended up being in the dance group. THEY DID NOT APPRECIATE MY TALENTS.)
I don’t mind January. March, now – I always find it a real slog. Lousy March.
YOU ARE A SINGER TOO? What is with my friends and their good singing voices? I’m impressed!
For Christmas I got a long poofy coat very much like yours (my daughter asked if it was a sleeping bag) and I LOVE IT. I would marry it if it wasn’t an inanimate object. It has made standing outside during oldest’s various soccer practices and games so much more tolerable. Best. Gift. Ever. I think that’s about all I’m excited about this January, so far…
I know, that coat is like my LOVER. The difference it makes having your legs covered is huge!
I have the soundtracks and can sing all the songs from Les Mis and Phantom, too! I bet my kids would LOVE it if I treated them to that.
I want to see Les Mis, but who knows if I will get to before it leaves the theater. Also, to be honest, I’m worried the actors who can’t sing (ahemRussellCroweahem) will ruin it for me.
What am I loving this January? Some new pajamas I got before Christmas and skinny cords from Old Navy worn with brown riding boots (both bought with Christmas money). Not to be worn all at the same time. 😉
That boot/cord combination sounds nice! The pj’s do too, don’t get me wrong!
Love that close up of you in your coat. TOO CUTE! Did I tell you that there is a stop sign near my house which someone vandalized ….it says, Stop “Hammertime”. Love the boys pictures…you should start singing “Everyone was Kung Foo Fighting” instead. 🙂
That is so cute! Stop! Hammertime! And now I have Kung Fu Fighting in my head. Everybody was fast as lightening!
Products I say! Products make me happy. I love Sephora. I have a serious addicition to Sephora. lip gloss and skin products are my fav. I can’t help myself. for me it is all about the products. Keep warm up there! love the boots!
Did you ask the salesgirl why it would matter if the fur-bearing animal died of natural causes when the coat is stuffed full of feather from dead geese?
Your leg warmers are cute. They are like fuzzy buttless chaps!
A few years ago I discovered Happy Time and it was my favourite bathy stuff. I believe it was even January.
This January has been pretty good. Past seven days excepted.
Um, I have enjoyed eating more sensibly and getting more sleep and drinking less wine for my better sleeping and, oh! and the jeans I bought on boxing day online with my gap gift card that came one week later in the mail and are Awesome (and were half price because Boxing Day, but I didn’t have to go OUT, you see!) They’re great jeans. Am total MILF in them.
Jeez I keep hitting publish before i’m done talking. Also, Canada Goose used to spam my old blog and I loved their spam the best. It was surrealistic. You probably get some too.