Wow – here we go! 2022 is already in a hurry and January is nearly behind us. I want to thank you all for your kind words and support with my word this year. The word Surrender has a negative connotation for me, so I’m looking forward to the challenge of flipping its meaning as often as possible. I think it’s going to be a fun year! But today’s post is just a quick update of my week which, as you’ll soon see, has been another quiet one.
I’ve found myself in a period of wintering. I feel like the dormouse that Katherine May described:
“Dormice don’t work to a strict timetable; their hibernation is dependent on the weather. They spend the early autumn building up reserves of the liquid brown fat that make them squishy to the touch; as Hazel shows me, you can leave fingerprints on a hibernating dormouse, so fluid is the layer of fat underneath its skin.” — Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat In Difficult Times by Katherine May
(I revisit that description often and it always makes me squeal.)
It has been so very cold these last few weeks and I think that gives me permission to burrow a little deeper right now. I usually claim Winona Ryder as my personal icon, but I think the dormouse is a more accurate description of my soul.
The only thing I’ve consistently prioritized this last month has been exercise, which I’ll share more about next week. My hope is that exercising will give me the jolt I need to stay awake and take care of the basics around here.
Otherwise, I’m enjoying all of the quilts and woolens that my previous energetic self was able to create and watching A Discovery of Witches while it’s available for free on Amazon Prime (only for a few more days! I won’t possibly be able to finish it but I’m going to try!). You guys – the show has captured what I loved so much about the first book in the series. It’s full of tea, the library, cozy rooms at Oxford, and ancient castles. My perfect aesthetic.
[I’ve also been watching Cheer, but can’t bring myself to watch the final episode. I want both teams to win!]
Todays marks 4 weeks since we brought Agnes into the house. It’s been so much fun to have her around. She still spends most of her day hiding in the basement, but she comes out to play after 2/3 of the kids go to bed at night. The two youngest are still too unpredictable for her taste. She rolls around on my yoga mat while I’m doing my evening practice and pounces my toes all night long after I’ve gone to bed. I’m so happy to have a kitten in the house again! And I’m especially happy that we got her inside before all of the sub-zero mornings set in this year. I’m not sure she would have survived outside for much longer.
ON MY BOOKSHELF:
The only book I’ve added to my works in progress this week has been Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. This one has been making the rounds and I had decided that I wasn’t going to read it. I don’t need another time management or goal setting book. I’m worn out on those! But so many of you have read it and it’s been recommended to me specifically by several of my blogging friends. So I downloaded it.
Dear friends, you were so right. This one is different. It might actually help me sort through my priorities and see my day in a different light. I’m really enjoying my time with it and am delighted by the ideas it explores. This book is not about getting more done. It’s about recognizing that you will never be able to do everything you want and the importance of narrowing down the things that are most important in your life. Of course – that’s the hard part. So I’m diligently reading and finding sparks of inspiration in every nook. So thank you to everyone who has recommended this one – it is perfect for me!
And that’s it for my week. I’m going to try to be back with a post on What’s Saving My Life in 2022. That post has been an annual tradition for me since 2018 and I’m looking forward to writing it again. This year’s will be different and I hope to be able to spend some time with it this weekend. We’re expecting a giant snowstorm on Saturday, which I’m stoked about. I’m all for weekend storms!! Until next week — stay safe and cozy!
The Cozy Burrow 
Loved this, as I love all of your posts. I’m so glad that Agnes is inside, and safely playing with your yarn! And I might explore Four Thousand Weeks…it’s just SO easy to order from your blog. AND I’m very curious about your icon. (Will search your burrow to see if you’ve left clues in other posts.) ENJOY the snow this weekend — I’m stoked, too!
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Well I do believe Agnes has made herself at home! She is so cute and it’s so wonderful you and your family have brought her into your home. I think as we get older we start to realize what is important in life and what’s not important. I was often overwhelmed with trying to get everything done, my to do list was never ending and I was always running out of time, but soon realized you simply can’t do everything. My days are not busy as they once were and I find myself slowing down and prioritizing what is important to finish and realize that sometimes other things will have to wait. Enjoy your reading, it sounds like an interesting book.
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Have a cozy weekend! Put some soup ingredients in the crockpot early tomorrow morning and let it simmer until dinner. Happy reading and spending time with your family!
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Your kitten is so cute!! I think when you’re talking about surrender, I hear “accept”. which is definitely more positive sounding so I just automatically interpret it that way. It’s one thing to accept that things are happening and not react, it’s another thing to surrender to them to let them control your reactions. Nothing to worry about, but I hear doubt in your words!
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Oh, that kitten! Utterly adorable. It’s been very cold in Maine, too, but I am not one who minds hunkering down with writing, books, movies, and games. Through interlibrary loan, I’ve requested Burkeman’s book after hearing him on “On Being.” What he said made so much sense, that you can’t do it all, that you have to pick and choose and no amount of time management is going to change this.
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Aw, Agnes is so sweet! Glad to hear that she’s warming up to you and keeping warm inside the house.
Sounds like this book that everyone else is reading is one I’m going to need to read, too. Just have to find the time, LOL!
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That kitten… adorable! Just adorable!! (and I am likewise so glad she is safe and inside!)
Have a good weekend! Enjoy the snow… and stay warm!
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Agnes looks perfectly content. We have had some of the coldest weather so far this winter. I like the idea of wintering although work forces me out into the world and I don’t get to enjoy cozying up as much as I would like.
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I can’t take the cuteness of Agnes!! Aaaaahhhh! I’m so glad she is bringing you joy.
Also glad to hear you are enjoying the Burkeman book! Parts of it just blew my mind. I’m SK glad I read it. It’s taken pressure off of me in ways I’m still discovering. (Self-imposed pressure.)
Have a great week, Katie!
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Bless Agnes and bless you for rescuing her. I doubt she has any idea how lucky she is. Hope you had a great weekend.
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Hoping you are safe and warm this Monday morning (January 31st!!) and that you did not get too much snow. Burrowing down and wintering is a perfect idea. Agnes looks so utterly sweet!!
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This past weekend was definitely one for burrowing in! Hope y’all stayed warm and cozy INSIDE. I’m so glad to see your take on Four Thousand Weeks. (my)Katie said she wants to read with me – maybe next month – I think I’m ready for a fresh take on the choices I’ve made. …and I’m also planning to be posting tomorrow about things saving my life – last year was the first time I joined in – what a great time capsule for the beginning of the year!
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