The first lesson I took away from this pandemic: It doesn’t always take a lot to make someone happy. It’s the little things. The small comforts. The rest stops in getting between Point A and Point B.
For me a simple pleasure is a cup of hot tea on a cold day. Burning a scented candle while I do my morning yoga. Stealing a moment from my workday to read another chapter in whatever book I’m in the middle of. Taking a walk. Watching a good show on streaming TV. Or crawling into a cozy bed at night.
I’ve prepared a list of some of my favorite things with links so you can enjoy them too if you like. I am not sponsoring any of these products. They’re simply my personal recommendations, the products that are making my life more enjoyable and less stressful, especially during this pandemic.
I can’t start my day without my morning yoga. For this I require just three things: my yoga mat, my Spotify app, and my balsam candle. A friend gave me the candle one year for Christmas, and I loved it so much I’ve been buying it ever since. Close your eyes and you can imagine you’re in a balsam forest, breathing in the scent. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s long-lasting with none of the nasty air-freshener smell of some scented candles. I use mine every day and replace it about once every other month.
My other daily “must” is my morning tea. I make a pot and keep it hot on a tea warmer, covered with a tea cozy. My go-to brand is one I discovered while I was vacationing in Yorkshire, England. We were staying at a friend’s near the town of Harrogate, which is the home of the famous Taylor’s of Harrogate tea and their café, Betty’s Café and Tearoom. My preferred tea is their Yorkshire Gold. It’s full-bodied, its flavors perfectly balanced. In England they call it “builder’s tea.” They sell many other varieties as well. There’s a reason this company has been in business for over a century!
Another product I discovered during my travels is Los Poblanos lavender salve. It’s made at a lavender farm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which also has a lovely inn where you can stay. I bought some at their farm shop and fell in love as soon as I tried it. It’s 100% organic and the lavender scent is heavenly. I use it as a hand cream and to moisturize any dry patches on my skin. I also rub it into my feet. It’s also known to repel insects, soothe bug bites, and alleviate headaches. In a word, it’s gorgeous. It’s become my go-to hostess gift, and everyone to whom I’ve gifted it has become a convert.
I love all things lavender, as you might have guessed. Another lavender product that’s become part of my daily routine is Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap. (It comes in other scents as well). I use it as both a body wash and a shampoo when I shower. You can also use it as laundry soap, though I have yet to try that. It’s organic, smells wonderful, and gives me soft, shiny hair when I use it as a shampoo.
For comfortable walking shoes, nothing beats Allbirds sneakers, in my experience. I’m like the princess and the pea when it come to footwear. I can’t abide any shoes that pinch or rub even in the slightest. In my life I’ve owned so many pairs of shoes that I’ve discarded after wearing them once, it’s become a family joke. Allbirds are keepers. They’re as comfortable as slippers and provide good arch support. They also come in a variety of styles and colors. Something for everyone.
I avoid using plastic wrap to cover food in the fridge whenever possible. I’ve read enough about the toxicity of plastic to be wary of it. I’m also a friend of the environment, which needs all the help it can get these days. Which is why I love these waxed-cloth bowl covers. They can be washed and reused as often as you like. They come in a set of three, in different sizes and different patterns, all of them cute.
Last but not least, let’s talk bedding. Every year during the cold-weather months my husband, Sandy, and I used to engage in the Great Bed War. He gets colder while he’s sleeping than I do, so he likes to pile on the blankets. While he’s nice and toasty under the covers, I’m roasting. In the past we compromised with Sandy using fewer blankets and a medium-heavy down comforter, and me going with warmer bedding than I’d prefer. Recently, I found the perfect solution. I bought this heated mattress pad and it’s saved us both and possibly saved our marriage. It has dual controls, so Sandy can adjust his side to make it warmer while I can keep my side cooler. I use it to warm my side of the bed before I crawl under the covers at night, and I turn it off before I go to sleep. (It also has an auto shutoff feature in case you forget). It’s heaven. The only problem is I now have a hard time getting out of my snuggly bed when it’s rise-and-shine time.
My streaming TV recommendations right now: The remake of the British series “All Creatures Great and Small” on PBS. The French series “Call my Agent” (highly entertaining) and “Cobra Kai” (hokey but fun) on Netflix, “The Flight Attendant” and “The Undoing” on HBO Max, “Black Narcissus” on Hulu.
What product or products do you use daily that you can’t live without? What are your streaming TV recs? Please share! I’d love to know about it.
