Avoiding Cabin Fever

Lizardology - Clearly I'm thinking warm thoughts.

There is just no denying it. It's been a long, hard, winter.  We still have several feet of snow on the ground.  The temperatures haven't risen above single-digits in weeks.  

We're just 20 days away from the first day of Spring and I have to tell you - I've seen no signs of it being on its way.  

The secret to avoiding cabin fever is to plan ahead for the season.  

You know some things are certain: 

• It will be cold - you will be cold
• It will be dark - you will feel like sleeping all the time
• It will be difficult to get around - it will make you tired 

So how do you overcome the feeling of hibernation in winter?  

Prepare for the Cold

• Get a good parka, gloves, hat and scarf - invest in the color, style you want.  I have a variety of brightly colored scarves and gloves.  After days of grey skies and grey landscape you'll embrace the bright colors.  It will warm your heart as well as your hands.
• If you do winter sports, invest in the right winter gear to keep your warm and safe.

My brother ice-fishes in Montana - I'm noting his gear.  Smart guy.

Prepare for the Darkness

• You wake up its dark.  When you arrive home from work its dark.  You feel as if you've become a creature-of-the-night.  Light up the night with candles and twinkle lights - indoors and out.  We illuminate a couple trees outside, which stay lit all through winter.  Inside we make use of timers, dimmer switches and occasional lamps to illuminate all the rooms when we're home.  We never have to travel down a dark hallway or enter the house in the dark.

"Christmas" tree which remains lit all winter.

Prepare for the Doldrums

• November and December are so busy with the holidays.  January and February people are consumed with shoveling and traversing their way to work.  While these months are filled with winter sports, festivals and charity functions eventually the activity dies down and you're left with only the cold, grey weather.  The doldrums make it seem as if Spring will never arrive.  It's the worst.  
• This year Tom and I prepared by planning a number of activities we can do indoors.  Tom followed his passion and has been working on snowmobiles all winter.  He loves particularly to work on vintage sleds.  I've been welding and sewing.  

"The Shop" - This year we've seen a steady stream of sleds come through. Lots of snow.

Welding with the "Ladies of Metal".  I'm thinking of warmer days and island waters.