I'm looking for comforters these days, the small things that make the long, burdensome days of winter more bearable. It hasn't been an easy winter for me, as you can probably tell from the rather cynical tenor of my posts lately.
Luckily, I'm fairly easily comforted. And one of the things I count on most for comfort is my morning routine. My husband gets up first, and starts the coffee brewing. When I get out of bed, he usually has a steaming hot cup already prepared for me. We settle into our favorite chairs in the living room and read for about an hour - or long enough to finish the pot of coffee. Sometimes we'll be joined by one dog (Magic), who likes to jump up next to me in the chair and cuddle. The other dog (Molly) remains in bed until the last possible moment - which usually means until it's time to leave for a walk.
One of the things I like best about this morning time is watching the sunrise. When I first get up these winter morns, it's dark and we don't bother opening the blinds. Usually by the time I've poured our second cups of coffee, I can begin to see the first traces of light. If the sun is coming up, which is a rare treat this month, I'll pull open the blinds and watch the room become bathed in its rosy glow.
We've fallen into this pattern over the past few years, and its a lovely, peaceful way to start the day. I enjoy this slower pace, in contrast to all the years when we had to get up and out early for school or work. It's nice to have a quieter schedule now and a later start to the business of the day.
It's a small comfort, but one that's become necessary to me.
How about you? What small comforts make your days a little easier?