During this pandemic with its prolonged confinement to home, comfort becomes a major factor. I was thinking through that which makes me comfortable, that which makes life livable, that which makes me happy. And here’s what I’ve come up with.
My biggest comfort is my home. It’s where I’m totally comfortable. And Sir Groucho gives me companionship. Those two are my biggest comfort factors, and then my routines complete the picture. I thrive on routine.
And I love having an office where I can work, and a computer that I’ve pretty well figured out. When I have something to write in mind––with Sir Groucho on my lap––I can work for hours. My office is my cozy, comfy spot.
When I’m not zoned out in my office writing, here are the other comfort factors in my life.
Food
Whenever I travel, visiting family and friends or other places, I eat a lot of great and interesting and different foods. But when I get home, I am always happy to be back to the foods that work best for me. So here they are.
For breakfast, I alternate cold cereals and oatmeal, always with a half grapefruit, healthy greens juice, and decaf coffee.
For lunch I have a variety of veggies, fruits, and either crackers and cheese or Artisan bread and cheese.
For dinner, I have a dozen ways to cook chicken or I fix pork chops, pasta, grilled cheese or tuna sandwich. And from time to time, I fix soups, stews, or chili in my Crockpot. Fairly often, I’ll have a breakfast/dinner where I‘ll fix eggs or waffles or an omelet. I vary dinner much more than breakfast and lunch.
I love to go out to eat, but that hasn’t happened in a year. And even before the pandemic, it would only happen two or three times a month. So, just about all my meals are eaten at home. I love to eat, so the foods I choose to fix are my comfort food.
Radio
KLCC out of Eugene, which is the local public radio source of NPR, is my go-to radio station. I listen every day. I turn it off, if I have to concentrate on something or if I’m working in the yard. And it’s also on my car radio. It provides me with news I can trust, and I would greatly miss it, if it was not available. So, it adds to my comfort.
When I get up early, I’ll be in a situation where KLCC starts to repeat. At that point, I shift to KCST to listen to the old-timers’ music. These are from the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, and I sing along. Nostalgia can be very comforting!
TV shows
I only watch TV in the evening, and I look forward to it. Weekly shows provide familiar characters, and I feel like I know them. Some of my favorite shows are NCIS, Bluebloods, Magnum, Bull, FBI, All Rise. And for the past several years, I’ve been in daily contact with Judy Woodruff on PBS Nightly News. For decades, I’ve been in weekly contact with the news journalists of 60 Minutes. All these familiar folks provide comfort in the evening—especially during the pandemic when I’ve curtailed almost all social contacts.
Strangely enough, Facebook brings comfort. I hear from friends I’ve known for decades that live far away. And I’m still in contact on Facebook with others I’ve known from work or lived in Florence that have moved on. And friends that live in Florence or Yachats or Coquille or Eugene that I see from time to time are also Facebook contacts. I love the fact that at any one time, friends from all periods of my life are looking at my blog teaser on Facebook that I post each Thursday. Seeing all those familiar names is very comforting.
That’s it! Sort of the totality of my life this past year. Lately, I’m venturing out more, so times they are a changing. But I will continue to enjoy the comforts of home.
Crossings Author 