I'm sure in a little while, I'll have to stop stalling and start the process of scooping and scraping and clearing. But I'm not complaining. I really think there is a certain romance about winter. I think, inadvertently, Tim and I chose our home based on this fact. Almost a year ago (!), we also chose to get married in the dead of winter, on a day with grey skies and show.
To all the haters, hear me out -- solemn, quiet nights where snow blankets everything. Snow covers even the ugliest cars and houses in our neighborhood and transforms them into a Norman Rockwell painting. Low light in the house, fire roaring in the fireplace, and something hearty warming on the stove. I love it.
Don't get me wrong, I still fantasize about palm trees and beach vacations. I also still surf the web to find the perfect moisturizers to calm my freaked out skin and hair. (Anyone have any suggestions? Morroccan oil did nothing for the static, and my Aveda calming face cream is NOT calming my face. Considering Clinique Redness Solutions but don't want to drop the coin unless I know it will work). I still won't want to travel long distances when the road conditions aren't perfect.
But.... I enjoy contrast. To love summer, I love winter.
Now for a little show and tell. For our first anniversary, I booked a stay at a pretty awesome place near Galena, Ill -- Irish Hollow Bed & Breakfast.
In my head, this is winter perfection. It doesn't come cheap (we're not counting on celebrating every anniversary this way, that's for sure). This B&B is about 6 miles outside of Galena in a location that at one time was a small town. There are a few houses and a general store that they have converted into dreamy little cottages and rooms with a central location to have meals. There are miles of wooded hiking trails that cross pastures and streams. In fact, for a price, they will set up a little wine picnic for you on a trail. Even in the winter.
We booked a cottage that comes with a huge tub, two-room fireplace, gourmet breakfast, a seven-course dinner one night, champagne/chocolates.... and no TV.
I understand why this is so, but we aren't THAT couple. Sure, we'll snowshoe during the day and read books and relax by the fire. But at night, we'll stare dreamily.... at a laptop screen with Netflix playing. Yup.
We are so excited. Weather/roads permitting, we actually have lots of plans for the next few months to look forward to. So many, that I double-booked us for a few weekends (including our anniversary weekend. No Mardi Gras for me in St. Louis this year -- what's a Catholic to do??). We also booked our flight for an April trip to Dubai! It's on the books!
In the meantime, we are keeping up with Insanity, but not necessarily with eating. Meals have been great and incredibly tasty and balanced, but the stash is not gone. I keep finding things! Chocolate stars left from Christmas cookie baking and a freaking PIE that a friend of Tim's family gave us after we moved into our house. A PIE, people. That we baked last night and I ate TWO pieces of.
Weigh in is on Monday and my expectations are really low. And, as I type this, I'm starving and thinking about what bad decisions I can make for lunch. Ah gees..... I guess you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make me give up my eating habits.
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