November has never particularly been my favorite month. In truth, I had to laugh when I was listening to an audiobook of Little Women before falling asleep this week. It included the fabulous line, “‘November is the most disagreeable month in the whole year,’ said Margaret, standing at the window.” I have to slightly disagree with Meg: I think March beats out November. But slight annoyance with the month aside, it has me on the hunt for the little things to enjoy. Here’s a few things that made me smile recently.
Eat: I’m partially Polish and pierogies were a staple in my house growing up. While the time for tradition and rolling out the dough had far passed, there was always a box of frozen ones in our freezer. You’re just as likely to find them now on a pub food menu as an appetizer, but I still keep that box of frozen pierogi on hand for a quick dinner. My favorite flavor is potato and cheddar, served up with sauerkraut and sour cream. Quick, easy, and total comfort food.
See: I stand by the belief that one of life’s greatest pleasures is a library card membership. For the simple price of walking in with a utility bill to prove that you are who you say you are, an entire building of books is yours. And not just books! Most libraries have a great collection of audiobooks, movies, and even magazines. Looking for a movie that’s not on Netflix? Check out the catalog of your library. And if you’re preparing to travel, there’s nothing like an audiobook for a road trip. (Or to lull you to sleep, if you’re like me in the story above.) If you haven’t renewed your card in a bit, take the time to do that now so you have tons to occupy you while you’re snuggled up on the couch, cooking a meal, or just too tired to keep your eyes open.
Do: This is going to sound like a mega-adulting trick, but really, I’m looking to save you time. Get yourself a steamer. I have a full-sized ironing board that I primarily use for ironing fabrics for sewing projects, but it’s a real pain to drag out to iron say, a t-shirt from Old Navy that just has a crease from being in my closet for too long. Enter: the steamer. You hang it on the hanger, wave this instrument of steam in front of it, and voila. If it’s just a light refreshing that needs to happen, or you’re traveling and you don’t have your new favorite home appliance with you, hang it in the bathroom the next time you take a shower. You look like you spent time on yourself, and your secret can remain between us.
Have a doughy, well-read, crisply smoothed weekend.
Christina
