Winter time wasters

 
Starting to feel dragged down by the hard cold fact of winter? Tempted to  just go to bed with a case of wine and wake up in May? Resist the urge. Focus on the fact that Spring will arrive sooner or later. To brighten your day, Bouclair (love em!) offers a sneak peak at summer stuff. There's also lovely new warm weather stuff from Chilewich. You could also run over to BonaVista on Eglinton East to look at beautiful outdoor furniture from Kettall. (See pic above.)

Or try one of these other ways to make winter days melt away.

Keep your path clear of ice and snow. Not only is this a good winter time-waster, it burns loads of calories.

Give yourself an "afternoon recess" every day between now and March to drink tea and look at art books. This is another pursuit that can masquerade as worthwhile. Just call it research.

Cook something new. For me, this will be the frozen lamb feet I got at a local Iranian store one day when I was trying to distract myself from imminent freezing rain. I chose them over the whole sheep heads, which still had eyes and teeth. The feet are supposed to make a very fine broth. On this same trip, I found another little store (also Iranian)  that sells beautiful boxes decorated with very fine woods (in different colours) wound together to make designs. Also found very pretty copper plates, of all sizes, painted in highly detailed geometric patterns, mostly in blue and white. So attractive. All in all, a nice break on a wintery afternoon.

Commit fully to a skin care regime that will help you beat winter dryness (now there's a time waster!) For me, this can take up a great deal of time. At right is a picture of the many unctions and lotions I use throughout the day. The phone is nearby in case of a skin emergency, in which I have to call my girlfriends. My fave is probably the Hemp Hand Cream from the Body Shop, which is rich and creamy and smells like a weekend party in the 70s when the parents were away. I used to also have a tube of Vitamin E and Bio Oil but I think my teenager daughter swiped them.  

Force yourself to shake your booty. I have been getting my freak on in a city-run Zoomba class. There may be the possibility for wasting more time later on,  trying to convince Mayor Ford  not to increase user fees for such programs.

Cocoon on the weekends. Avoid high-priced dinners out. Instead, work your way through the "Smart Buys" issue of LCBO's Vintages magazine.

Keep ypur head up. Whenever it gets to be too much, remember the words of Albert Camus who said, "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." And I don't believe he was even known as a particularly jolly guy!