It’s chilly and drizzly outside, the perfect day to throw on leggings and fluffy socks and a big bulky sweater, and curl up with a cup of something hot and knit or read. Personally, I love days like this. I was never a sun worshipper. I think if I was ever in California I’d be “Upper Midwest Dreaming.” Nope, my folks planted me in the right place. Now, you wouldn’t think that if you heard me cursing down an icy sidewalk, but these cool Autumn days are just right for me. Nathan and I are on a budget right now to support my writing habit, so it’s cold inside, too. That’s what layers are for!

I have recently found a page that has writing prompts for every day of the year, and the one for today is “At the end of a long day, what do you do to relax?” This routine varies some, but lately, after the food has been put away and the dishes are washed (sometimes I do them, sometimes Nathan) I do one last tidy-through, then I’ll make a cup of herbal tea and usually Nathan joins me in the Femme Cave (which is what I call my home office and craft room. Nathan’s room is “The Mannex”). Nathan will usually recline on the sofa and I’ll sit at the desk, either working on my blog, or messing with my planners, or coloring (YES I color, ok?) while he works on a crossword puzzle or plays games with his phone. We listen to some good, gentle music; my favorite evening album is “My Head is an Animal” by Of Monsters and Men, or perhaps we listen to something Nathan especially likes, like Dire Straits. I putter. On other nights we swap places and I’ll knit on the sofa while he sits at the computer and works on genealogy. We chat about our respective days. I often take a shower in the evenings, and wash my hair and give myself a good scrub with something that smells nice. We head to bed around 10ish, and I’ll read for half an hour to an hour before I settle down to sleep. It’s a soothing and relaxing routine.

What’s your routine? Comment below.