March Miscellany

Aside from that one freakishly warm day, it continues to feel wintery out there, though not as cold as that March day three years ago when it was seven degrees out (and if I hadn't blogged about it, I would never have remembered, but now it's seared in my brain--it gets as cold as seven in March).  Every coat is filthy.  Every pair of snowpants is wearing out at the knees.  Every boot is sopping wet.  Hats and mittens and gloves have gone missing--or into hiding under car seats, in the basement, in snowbanks.  Every short person in the house is under the impression that now that it's spring, he can wear t-shirts outside now (or, in two cases, shorts and crocs two sizes too small discovered in the hand-me-down bag).  I do believe spring fever is epidemic around here.

As for me, my usual March Malaise has been compounded severely by the horrifying political situation here in Maine.  Unfortunately, that won't go away with the turning of the calendar (I keep hoping I'll wake up and it will have all been a horrible, horrible dream, but so far that hasn't happened).  It's really starting to effect my emotional well-being and is not helping me out in the happy mommy department.

I've been reminiscing lately about those two days in September when I was really sick and stayed home lying on the couch, reading, napping and drinking tea all day.  I haven't yet resorted to licking doorknobs or walking around in the cold with wet hair, but some days, it's tempting...

Some things I've been doing in a feeble effort to cope (other than main-lining chocolate):

• I try to get to the pool to swim every morning.  I've been working on the Total Immersion program for about seven years, but have continually been drug out of the pool by life events of major (having twins; work) and minor (sinus infections; preschool runs) proportions.  For the first time I have the flexibility to go there every day.  It's the one half-hour of the day when I'm focusing completely in the moment; and I feel really good the whole time I'm in the water and for a short while afterward (about until the moment I walk into my building).   I totally love the TI program--which is based on, among other things, the philosophy of Kaizen, or continuous improvement.  I think I could become quite evangelical about it, and I may post more one day, but if you're wondering why a swim blog appears in my blog roll at the right, that's why.

• I've become a bit of an Etsy-a-holic.  It's where I go when I need a little mental/emotional escape from reality (which is a lot lately).  I'm beginning to amass quite a collection which I'll share with you once all the items arrive (if I can stop buying more!)  Now I know how internet gamblers feel--just one more!

• C and I watched the funniest movie Saturday night--Soul Kitchen.  I don't think I've laughed so much in a long time.

• We're going to go see David Sedaris in Portland next Saturday.

• For those of you who dug my paper doll post, I discovered this blog:  The Paper Collector, full of all kinds of incredible vintage paper doll goodness.  There's even a Paperdoll Convention.  Who knew?

• We're going to Philadelphia for April vacation (though not to the paper doll convention, which is in August in that same town).  I kept putting off trying to figure out reservations and such, and finally C just called a travel agent who took care of it all (train + hotel).  Whew.  Now I can just figure out what fun stuff we'll do there (perhaps weep at the foot of the Liberty Bell in mourning for the loss of hope and promise this country may have once had...), and find a cute travel bag (I really love this one, but I don't have four weeks to wait for it, and it's a little scarily expensive, though I would never have the patience to make one like it myself).

What are you doing to beat the the March Malaise (and if you live in one of our fascist sister-states, how are you coping?)