Doing the Time Warp

Wow. Watch your step folks.... that time portal in the corner has a doozy of a last step. Who 'da thunk a week or so could slip away so fast? Sorry about the delay, I have started another project (yep, another... the frenetic gerbil is spinning the wheel at hyperspeed.) that sucked most of my time this last week as I tried to figure out how I wanted to tackle this particular mountain. The mountain STILL isn't climbed, but I have safely reached my first summit face, and the Sherpa's assure me I'm headed in the right direction.

Until then, there is a massive amount of turkey headed straight for most of us, so instead of my usual blog and a frantic attempt to catch myself back up on the Nerdly Plains I'm going to simply give you a quick overview of a few of my favorite chill buster ideas. The real blogging will start back up again on Sunday – once the Prime Geek and myself recover from our food comas.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving folks. Hug your families and spend a little time between feasts to be thankful for all the gifts in your life.

Quick Tips and Gifts for Keeping a Body Warm :

1) I confess... I almost feel guilty for this first one. Staying warm and staying green should entail hard work and sacrifice... not the convenience of simply plugging something in and flipping a switch. However, screw the guilt.... it has made my mornings blissful since I first unwrapped it (and hey, I gotta use a gift from my mom, right?) We all know of electric blankets. Most of us have even figured they are cheaper to run then the heat all night, so wrapping ourselves up toes to nose is often the first attack of beating the winter freezes. Sadly, as a married women... its an ephemeral bliss. My nights may START with both myself and hubby under the warming glow of the electric blanket, but by morning I'm left freezing and blue by a husband who whirlwinds in his sleep and wraps the blanket around himself. What's a gal to do? Last year, it meant I had to keep 4 or 5 extra blankets on my side. Not anymore! There is now an electric mattress pad, capable of generating constant warmth and comfort from below.... no matter how much your significant other my try and steal your covers! Bliss! Joy! Pure decadent hedonistic delight! (A bit much? Perhaps. But YOU wake up with warm toes for the first time in months and see how YOU feel about it.) Heck, its almost medically required. My back feels pretty good for sleeping on a crappy mattress. Trust me. This is an item you want Santa to bring.

2) Blankets aren't just for the bedroom. Here at Casa de' Nerd we have warm and cuddlies draped over the back of every seat, tucked into the corners of each room, and stacked beside the sofa. At this point, I should point out that not only are the Prime Geek and myself confirmed cuddle bugs, we throw a mean cuddle pile party. (Get your minds out of the gutter people!)

3) Acquire (if you haven't already) a FOS.... better known as a Fugly Old Sweater. These beloved objects may have absolutely NO style or sense of glamor. They must be either gifts from a color blind but well meaning relative, relics from your misspent youth, or the prize of a trip to the thrift store. They must be over sized, baggy, and most of all warm. This is a key piece of your armor against the ravages of winter. Keep it close at hand for the first sign of a draft or a chill. If this item doesn't set the teeth of at least one fashion forward friend on edge... its not gonna keep you warm. This is what you will drape over you in the morning stumble towards coffee, it is your go to grab for the jaunt to the mail box, and it must only leave your immediate area while being washed. (Not too often.... part of its protective shield is created by the smells of your home.) Resist any attempts to replace your FOS with a more attractive sweater. Be vigilant.... friends and family members will attempt to destroy it.

4) Now is the time to gather up all those mismatched socks that have gathered in the bottom of your underwear drawer. Seek these lone wolves out in the corners of your closet, follow your cats frantic drags under the stairs to the hidden sock lair. Wash all of these, using extra fabric softener. Once clean and soft, pile into a small basket and leave in the living room. Use these as instant slippers for wet feet, cold feet, and any bare feet that may wander past. You may hesitate to off a friend a pair of sock if they troop in with soaking boots, but a mismatched set is easy to hand off.

Stay warm and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Ta Ta For Now, from the Natural Nerd.