I don't consider myself particularly self-indulgent...until I hear about struggles other people go through without complaint. I'll whine about the damndest things. At the moment, our furnace is broken, and I'm waiting for the guy to come and fix it. By the time this blog posts, everything will be repaired and working properly. But our couple of cold days got me to thinking historically.
How the heck did my ancestors survive these awful New England winters? I'm complaining because the electric space heater only heats one side of my body. My husband was complaining last night because he couldn't sleep over the noise of it. Our ancestors had to pile wood on the fire and wait patiently for the room to warm up. If they weren't rich, they had to go out and chop the wood! Dear Lord, I'd have whined myself to death.
Now, I have to tell you that my favorite indulgence is my hot tub. I absolutely love getting in there with a glass of wine and a good book. In nice weather, I'm in there almost daily. So, as you might guess, I haven't been in my hot tub for several months now and I'm cranky. But, for goodness sake...I have a hot tub!
I used to have to go to a public place that rented them out for an hour (see picture,) and who knew who else had been in there--and what they'd been doing. Eek. But there's nothing like the relaxation I get from swirling hot water, bathing all my type-A, tense muscles. Ahhh...
Soon it will be warm enough to get back into my wonderful outdoor hot tub. I can't wait! Days are getting longer and warmer. There's hope in the weather report for a balmy 48 degree St. Patrick's Day.
Let other people drink green beer and make fools of themselves in Irish bars. I'll be in my hot tub, dreaming of more spring days.
What's your favorite indulgence?
Oddly enough, heating with wood can be an indulgence. It's toasty, radiant heat; the fire makes a nice crackling sound; it smells good; and there's satisfaction in splitting your own wood and visiting with the wood man and so forth.
ReplyDeleteFor about thirty days, and then, winter really sets in and you do wonder how civilization ever had the endurance to weather those ice ages.
But then there's hot chocolate, isn't there? With a tot of Bailey's, a fat dollop of whipped cream, a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon. There is hot chocolate.
Reading and writing in truth, but yesterday our director came by to take our pictures for badges--I teased that he should have let us know so I could have: had a facial first, a makeup job, a hair job, let me stand by Castle's photo, hmmm, and hold one of my wolf books up. He said no to everything! But if I'd had my way--that's how I would have indulged myself...
ReplyDeleteThere's always someone whose life is much worse than mine, which helps me keep things in perspective. When I'm bellyaching about this, that, or the other, I take care of someone who dies or finds out they're going to die. I hear stories about people whose lives are truly in danger. I haven't got it so bad. Even if I don't have a hot tub.
ReplyDeleteWe heated with wood for several years. Had this cute little black stove in the living room and the kids pitched a hissy when the insurance company said we had to take it out. There was just something about huddling around that kind of heat on a cold morning.
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents had a cabin in northern Minnesota that was heated with an ancient potbellied stove. It may have been a fire hazard, but it surely warmed up that little space! Thanks for bringing that memory to the surface, Ashlyn.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite daily indulgences is a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee. My DH grinds the beans each morning and of course, I give him plenty of "atta, boy's" so this happy state will continue. There's nothing so comforting as a warm cup of java between my cold palms.
Small joys are the real stuff of life.
Yes, it seems to be the small things we take for granted that give us the most pleasure. Daily things, like that cup of coffee, Mia--or heating with wood when you don't have to.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe your insurance company made you remove a pot-bellied stove, Carolyn! Maybe I'm used to living in the Live Free or Die state, but I've never heard of that before.
I would love to have a my own sauna. I used to go to the one at the YMCA, but the men in there think it's a pick-up joint, so I stopped going. No, I don't want to talk to you about your work out. Yes, this book I'm reading is good. No, I don't mind that I'm getting sweat all over it. Yes, the weather is fine. No, twenty minutes is not too long for me to stay in the sauna. You don't have to try to one up me. I realize that it's hot in here. Thank you. Go away now. I'm in here to relax, fellas.
ReplyDeleteI'm off work all week, so that's a great indulgence. Today I'm "indulging" by cleaning my house. Yeah, notice that I'm procrastinating online.
My daily indulgence during the winter is a nice cup of Raspberry flavored hot chocolate and then some time to read:)
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, our ancestors had it pretty hard but then they hadn't been told to rely on heaters, electricity and all that...they had to rely on themselves:)
And just to be clear, I realize you were talking about a hot tub. I just sort of dove right into my sauna fantasy. Hot tubs are great, too, but I like dry heat. Warms my bones.
ReplyDeleteLOL. I like your sauna fantasy, Olivia! And I'm so glad you cleared up what the guys were doing there.
ReplyDeleteI visited a sauna where there were two tiers, like skinny teak bunk beds. Now i know what the guy above me was trying to do when he stuck his junk right in front of my face as he got down. Ugh. I haven't been to a sauna since.
My favorite indulgence is to sit in front of the fire, have a cup of tea at hand, and read a book of my choice undisturbed.
ReplyDeleteHi Ash. Love the hot tub pic! It is such a sweet indulgence to hang out in a hot tub. Give me a glass of wine to go with it and I'm good to go.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up we had a wood burning stove in the kitchen/great room. Loved it! A crackling fire on cold winter day is comforting....and I'll take a glass of wine then too.
I live in Houston, and most of the year it's really hot, so I'm not big on hot tubs. But when I go skiing, I can definitely see the benefit. There's nothing like lounging in a hot tub when it's snowing outside.
ReplyDeleteLOL, Sara,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you and I share a love for a good glass of wine. I like a nice chilled Reisling in the hot tub. Yes, that's an indulgence too!
Sleeping in is my favorite indulgence, and one I don't have very often. But oh... to just sleep. Zzzzzzzzz
ReplyDeleteOn the ancestor front, the one that always gets me is what they had to go thru to do laundry. I grumble about the piles that always need to be done, and crap, did I forget and leave the stuff in the dryer to wrinkle again? Or worse, forget it was in the washer and have to go through the process again?
ReplyDeleteGoing back in time for laundry on the prairie would take care of my whining!
Lots of layers in their clothing. And lots of wool. :} It sure makes me appreciate modern conveniences when they break down.
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