It’s going to be a great winter…that’s my fall mantra…it’s going to be a great winter! Every year I look forward to the change in seasons but this fall started out different, I was in a bit if a rut. I’m one of those people that when something negative comes to a conscious level I need to figure it out.
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Fixing my problems was one reason I took life coach training and to help snap me out of the rut I put on my life coach hat. All I got was that I’m a whiner, need to give myself a good kick, and get over it. As my grandfather use to say, “There you have it”. Complaining was getting me nowhere; it was time to move on…if it’s going to be a great winter.
Earlier this month we were sweating it out in the high 20’s and overnight summer was gone. No more trailer life, and no more outdoor concerts, barbecues, and get togethers. Likely, last weekend was my last round of golf.
Trailer commute packed to the top. Picture by Vickie Girolami. 
Trailer life includes paddle boarding. Picture by Vickie Girolami. 
Trailer life campfire start of the season burn-off. Picture by Vickie Girolami. 
Right up front for Pitbull. Picture by Vickie Girolami. 
2023 last round of golf. Picture by Lenny.
the fix
Reminiscing wasn’t helping so I went back for another round with my life coach hat and asked the magic question, how did I succeed before? More specifically, how did I successfully get through winter in the past? Winter is all about doing things I love that only happen in the cold months like travel, hobbies, relaxing, and fun and challenging exercise routines. Yep, you read right, exercise!
This was the first summer in years I didn’t take any vacation so I could have more time off this fall and winter. Now it’s pay-back time!
downtime
This fall I’ve booked off time every month to get a massage and some hard-earned downtime. Next month we’re cruising the western Caribbean going places we’ve never been. In December I have a bonus Friday off for the spa then it’s Christmas break. By mid-winter we’ll ready for another getaway. Last winter we scored a deal to a Cuban all-inclusive for $1200 each. The beaches were the best I’ve ever been to with sand almost as white and fine as flour, and the food was great since we stuck to the grills.
hobbies
When I’m not travelling or having a luxurious day off, I keep busy with hobbies in my spare time. I don’t watch TV except to relax on a weekend night; I’d rather be doing stuff. For that reason, back when I did online dating my profile title was “You Can Keep the Remote”, and I met my match with my husband, Mike.
Our summer hobbies revolve around our trailer life, golfing, gardening, landscaping, and building the trailer’s deck and add-a-room.
writing
In the winter my spare time is dedicated to middleagedteen.com. With only a couple of hours a day it’s a slow process, but I love it. It’s one of those things that time disappears. Other than that, there’s lots of other hobbies I’d like to do but for now I’ve limited myself to indoor gardening, and re-learning guitar.
indoor gardening
After many years of searching, this summer I found a couple of Double Hibiscus (have multiple flower petals like a rose) for the trailer. Hibiscus hate the cold, being moved, or repotted, and proved their stubbornness by waiting till the end of the season to flower.
I wasn’t going to let winter kill them so dug them up, potted them, and brought them home for over-wintering. They’re making a come-back now but not before losing a bunch of leaves. It must be the new festive full-spectrum growing lights I bought; one plant even has flower buds.
After the cruise I’ll set up my Aerogarden to have fresh herbs all winter and grow sprouts in a jar. Depending on how that goes I may tackle seedlings for the trailer, stayed tuned…
guitar
…Speaking of staying tuned, I do that most weeknights. Last fall I bought a Fender acoustic-electric guitar and amplifier that came with two weeks of free Fender Play lessons. They taught me everything I needed to get started: tuning, chords, riffs, scales, and even how to read music. Taking full advantage of the trial I practiced several hours a day. My fingers didn’t bleed, but they were sore, blistered, and even pealed.
I made great progress, even started learning Kenny Rogers’ song, The Gambler, a childhood favourite. After the initial trial, my practicing dropped to about 30 minutes till I put it on hold in the spring. My goal was to play ACDC’s Thunderstruck introduction. That didn’t happen but once I re-learn everything I forgot, and I forgot everything, it’ll be back on my practice list.
lifestyle
My last winter hobby, exercise, is part of my lifestyle, so is not negotiable. Every day I try to do something; without exercise my body aches and it wards off my winter blues. Remember to talk to your doctor if you make any changes in your exercise regime. Two things help me keep up the momentum:
- Doing something enjoyable, fun, and challenging,
- And making it part of my daily routine.
In the nice weather I combine cycling with my commute. In the morning my bike goes on the bus and after work I unwind cycling along the Rideau River taking in the forest, views, and wildlife.
As relaxing as it is, each season tests me in a different way. In the spring I cycle through snow and flooding; summer has scorching heat and thunder storms; and it’s wet and cold in the fall, not very motivating. In the winter it all changes.
When I can’t cycle I have a smorgasbord of challenging exercises I enjoy. Weekday mornings start with my mini-stepper and Pilates; at noon I look forward to my walk, the sunniest day in the summer doesn’t come close to winter’s blinding sun beating off the snow. After work I walk 45 minutes, do a stair climb (working up to 15 flights of stairs) followed by some isometric (still) exercises to prevent carpal tunnel problems.
Weekends are more leisurely playing Xbox Kinect games such as Fighters Uncaged and Just Dance or doing my favourite winter exercise, skating all 7.8 km each way on the Rideau Canal Skateway. It’s the longest skating rink in the world, and yes, I skate in -20 degrees Celsius and colder. One year my water bottle burst in my backpack and leaked onto my pants – my daughter and I got a good laugh at the icicles hanging from my butt.
In between all this Mike and I entertain, get out for dinners, movies, and see live bands. Next thing we know it’ll be spring again and I can look back on another great winter.
you choose
If you’re struggling with how to survive winter just remember the magic question works for many things. Ask how you were successful in the past and if you weren’t, then ask someone who is or try something new, like my mantra…it’s going to be a great winter! Then make it happen.
Do you have any tricks or hobbies that get you through the cold seasons? Let me know what works for you on my social media so we can all look back and say we had a great winter.
Cheers,
Vickie Girolami
middleagedteen
October 30, 2023
#middleagedteen #cycling #guitar #guitarpractice #hobbies #indoorplants #indoorgarden #lifestyle #rideaucanal #rideauriver #skating #winterblues #winterfun
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