February Finds: Navigating Winter with Essential Gear, Engaging Books, and Uplifting Movies

A monthly collection of valuable insights, cherished purchases, compelling reads, and captivating watches.

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Hello, February! It’s a true relief to bid farewell to January, a month that brought with it unforeseen challenges and, surprisingly, some valuable lessons. January was marked by a series of back-to-back ice storms that plunged our home into a six-day power outage, making us yearn for the warmth of spring even more. While certainly not ideal, this experience highlighted the resilience of our community and family, reinforcing the importance of preparedness and human connection.

As with many difficult situations, there’s always a silver lining. Most of my family also experienced power loss, leading to a wonderful 10-day group text chain. This virtual lifeline became a hub for encouragement, commiseration, and sharing practical tips that helped us all navigate the cold and dark. The sense of connection was incredibly comforting – so much so that I almost felt a pang of sadness when we eventually returned to our normal, electrified lives!

Beyond the enhanced family bonds, we also learned a great deal about survival and preparation. We discovered that we could indeed endure a bedroom temperature of 37 degrees Fahrenheit, especially when our makeshift living area, strategically blocked off, remained a relatively balmy 52 degrees. More importantly, this experience provided a crucial blueprint for future planning. Some of our existing emergency supplies proved incredibly effective, while others fell short, and there were several necessities we hadn’t even considered.

I am profoundly grateful for the modern conveniences we often take for granted: efficient heating and plumbing, appliances that simplify cooking and meal preparation compared to generations past, and even the “little things” that made a huge difference. Puffy down slippers, generously loaned by my sister, were the only items that prevented my toes from going completely numb! And gloves compatible with touch screens? A revelation – I can’t believe I hadn’t acquired them sooner.

So, while losing power is far from a pleasant experience, the insights and discoveries that emerged from it were truly positive. Below, I’m excited to share not only these invaluable power outage essentials but also a couple of Christmas gifts I’m currently cherishing, all the books I delved into last month, and a heartwarming movie perfect for the entire family. (Another key takeaway from the outage: reading on iPads and Kindles is significantly easier than squinting at paper books by the dim glow of lanterns and candles!)

Good Things

Ice Storm and Power Outage: Our Six-Day Winter Survival Guide

In the middle of January, our region experienced an unusual cold snap, with temperatures dipping to 20 degrees Fahrenheit – a rarity for us. This, combined with significant moisture, resulted in heavy snow in the Cascade Mountains and, unfortunately, persistent freezing rain across the mid-Willamette Valley. The storm behaved oddly, hitting some areas harder than others, with east and south Eugene bearing the brunt of it. We accumulated about an inch of ice (as vividly captured in the photo of my sunken garden above) after an entire day of continuous freezing rain.

The relentless ice brought down countless power lines and snapped power poles throughout the area, decimating many deciduous tree limbs in our beloved wooded space. We lost power on Saturday the 13th, and by Sunday, nearly every member of my family was without electricity. Miraculously, one sister in South Eugene maintained power, becoming our beacon of hope and providing essential water, food, and much-needed hot showers!

Our longest previous power outage, more than a decade ago at our old home, lasted five days. This time, we were without power for a grueling six days, and some of my family members endured a staggering ten days! This prolonged disruption was largely due to a second, smaller freezing rain storm that hit just a few days after the initial one, adding to the widespread chaos and delaying repairs even further.

I am currently compiling a dedicated article to share more in-depth details about our experience and the comprehensive lessons we learned. This upcoming piece will include a thorough list of essential items to keep on hand, along with various options for emergency heating and power solutions. For now, however, I want to highlight a few key items that proved absolutely indispensable during our unexpected winter ordeal.

Our Essential Gear: What Kept Us Going During Six Days Without Power

• This LED Lantern. When darkness fell, reliable light was paramount. This particular LED lantern, powered by D batteries, was an absolute workhorse, lasting the entire six days of the outage and still shining brightly! In stark contrast, a smaller lantern running on AA batteries only managed about two and a half days of use. We quickly realized the need for at least two primary light sources. I initially purchased a cheaper alternative, but its harsh, undiffused light was painfully bright. This lantern, however, offers a gentle, diffused light with two settings, making it perfect for sustained use without straining our eyes.
• Fleece-lined pants. Staying warm indoors was a constant battle. I had an old pair of fleece-lined ski pants that I was on the verge of donating – what a stroke of luck I hadn’t! They truly saved the day. I layered them over leggings, and the combination kept my legs significantly warmer than leggings alone, or even leggings paired with jeans. They provided an unexpected but crucial layer of insulation against the biting indoor chill.
• Puffy down slippers. Despite wearing two layers of thick wool socks and my warmest regular slippers, my toes were consistently numb or painfully cold for the first three days. It was a miserable experience until my sister lent me a pair of puffy down booties. The immediate relief was incredible – no more cold toes! They were the only thing that effectively kept my feet warm. While researching, I’ve found that genuine down booties can be an investment and many advertised as “down” are not. However, this pair I discovered on Etsy appears to be a promising option for anyone looking for similar warmth and comfort.
• Induction cooktop. Once we managed to get our generator up and running (it was our first time using it, so there was definitely a learning curve!), this induction cooktop became our kitchen hero. It allowed us to quickly heat canned soups, boil water for pasta, and prepare other simple meals. A key benefit was that we had switched to a Blackstone griddle/grill last summer, meaning we no longer had a propane burner indoors like in previous outages. The induction cooktop offered the immense convenience of not having to venture outside into the freezing rain just to boil water.
• Electric kettle. We own this charming ceramic electric kettle, which we prefer for its reduced plastic content, but any electric kettle would suffice. It heats water incredibly fast, thus conserving precious generator power. Given my strong aversion to cold beverages during the outage, this kettle saw constant use, providing warm water for tea, instant coffee, and even just hot sips to ward off the chill.

Discovering Charm: The Cheap Old Houses Book

As a devoted follower of @cheapoldhouses on Instagram – an endlessly captivating account for anyone with a fondness for historic homes – I was thrilled to discover they had released a book. I promptly added it to my Christmas wish list, and I’m so glad I did!

This book is an absolute delight. It’s not just a collection of stunning old properties to browse through; it also features incredibly inspiring stories of individuals who took on the challenge of restoring these architectural treasures. While the initial purchase price of these homes might be “cheap,” the stories vividly illustrate the significant commitment of time, effort, and often, substantial additional financial investment required for their restoration. Many tales detail the hardships faced by these intrepid homeowners, including living in unconventional spaces like porches for months on end while their dream homes were slowly brought back to life. It’s a powerful reminder that restoring history is a labor of love, but one that yields immense satisfaction.

You can explore the book and find more information here to embark on your own journey through these charming, history-rich residences.

A Simple Luxury: The Everyday Mug Warmer

My daughter gifted me a mug warmer for Christmas, and it has quickly become one of those indispensable items I never knew I needed! This small device has brought an unexpected level of daily luxury and comfort into my routine.

I absolutely adore it – now, every cup of coffee or tea stays wonderfully warm right down to the very last drop. There’s no longer any need to rush those final sips, desperately trying to finish before my drink turns cold. It truly transforms the experience of enjoying a warm beverage, allowing me to savor every moment.

I had previously glanced at a mug warmer another blogger recommended, but it required its own specific, proprietary mug and, if I recall correctly, even used an app, pushing its price tag close to $100! That steep price point immediately ended my search for a mug warmer, until now, of course. This particular model stands out for several reasons.

Beyond its incredible value, what I appreciate most about this specific mug warmer is its versatility: you can use any mug that possesses sufficient weight to activate the warmer’s pressure sensor (so far, all of mine have worked perfectly). Even better, there’s no cumbersome on/off switch to remember to flip, eliminating the frustration of forgetting to turn it on or, worse, leaving it on indefinitely. Once plugged in, you simply place your mug on the surface, and it automatically turns on (indicated by a gentle glow from a front light). Lift the mug off, and it instantly switches off. It’s brilliantly simple and effortlessly convenient!

Discover this thoughtful mug warmer here; it’s available in classic black, elegant white, and a charming pink.

January Reads: A Literary Journey Through Winter

January proved to be a diverse reading month, with selections ranging from contemporary romance to dystopian thrillers and insightful memoirs. The quiet days during the power outage, ironically, offered ample opportunity to dive into these stories, albeit with the aid of digital screens when physical books became challenging to read in the dim light.

Happy Place, Emily Henry. While I’ve generally enjoyed Emily Henry’s previous works, this one unfortunately didn’t resonate with me as much. It’s never a good sign when, while listening to an audiobook, you repeatedly check the percentage read only to find it’s far less than you anticipated. The central premise revolves around a couple who were deeply connected in college but are now estranged due to a series of miscommunications, a fact their close-knit friend group remains unaware of. They’re forced to pretend to still be together during a summer vacation, leading to a predictable progression of awkward encounters and forced intimacy. The storyline, however, dragged on excessively, far beyond what such a premise could sustain. The latter half of the book became an excruciating back-and-forth of “we love each other but refuse to talk about it” and “we love each other but can’t possibly be together” tropes. UGH. I recognize I’m likely in the minority on this one, given its popularity, but it simply wasn’t the engaging read I had hoped for.

Wool, Silo Series 1, Hugh Howey. This captivating series came highly recommended to my husband, Brian, and me by our daughter, who enjoyed both the book and the Apple+ show it inspired. The story explodes onto the scene with an immediate intensity, reading almost like a compelling short story (which, we later discovered, is exactly how it began its life online). It delves into a fascinating dystopian world where humanity lives deep underground in an enormous silo, shielded from the poisoned air outside. While the narrative did slow down a bit in the middle, it roared back to life with some truly thrilling action sequences towards the end. Throughout, the book delivers numerous unexpected twists that kept us guessing, and the intricate world-building within the Silo is utterly enthralling. While we’re still undecided on continuing the book series, we are definitely looking forward to watching the television adaptation.

The Viscount and the Vicar’s Daughter, Mimi Matthews. Mimi Matthews is an author I trust to deliver a satisfying happily-ever-after without any jarring or cringeworthy moments, often infused with delightful emotional depth. This particular novel was a sweet, engaging story featuring the classic “hidden-beauty/companion” and “rake” tropes, which I personally enjoy. As expected in this genre, the heroine isn’t simply a vicar’s daughter, adding an intriguing layer to her character. While it might not be a book I’ll wax poetic about, it provided a perfectly enjoyable escape and a lovely way to pass a dreary (and, coincidentally, icy!) winter day.

A Holiday by Gaslight: A Victorian Christmas Novella, Mimi Matthews. After finishing “The Viscount and the Vicar’s Daughter” on Hoopla, this charming short novella was a recommended follow-up. Being in the mood for something light and festive, I decided to give it a try. This story offers a delightful second-chance romance, beginning with the heroine breaking off her engagement to a seemingly stern and uncommunicative hero. Their paths cross again amidst a festive Christmas house party, surrounded by snow and mistletoe. This time, however, they begin to truly communicate, leading to a heartwarming and utterly cute reunion. It was a perfect, cozy read for the season.

Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama, Bob Odenkirk. I patiently waited for over a month to get this audiobook from the library, utterly fascinated by the career trajectory of Bob Odenkirk. Known to me primarily for his heavy dramatic roles (most notably in “Better Call Saul”), discovering his origins in comedy and his stint as a writer on SNL was genuinely surprising. It’s hardly the typical career projection, is it? The audiobook, read by Odenkirk himself, which always enhances a memoir, tells another compelling story of happenstance and being in the right place at the right time for a kid from the Midwest to carve out a successful path in showbiz. I often find myself surprised by these “dumb luck” career narratives, forgetting that while luck may open a door, sustained dedication and perseverance are what truly propel individuals to the top. He mentions many comedy figures I recognized (his reflections on Chris Farley were particularly poignant) and many others who were part of the “alternative comedy” scene, which isn’t entirely my preference. Overall, it’s an insightful and well-crafted memoir. (The book concludes before his dramatic heart attack on set in the summer of 2021, a detail I wasn’t aware of when I began listening.)

Murder At Blackwater Bend, Clara McKenna (narrator Sarah Zimmerman). I continued my journey through this audiobook series, which I started last month with “Murder at Morrington Hall.” While these books are a bit more predictable and lack the deep secondary character development found in series like Maisie Dobbs or even Poppy Denby, I’m still quite invested in the main two characters and their overarching storyline that progresses through the installments. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure I would have picked up this series if not for the exceptional narration by Sarah Zimmerman. As always, she does a magnificent job of bringing the characters and the world to life, making the listening experience truly enjoyable.

Watching: Inspiring Stories and Community Spirit

Boys in the Boat, Theater. This movie was an absolute joy to watch – incredibly inspiring and wonderfully uplifting! It was such a refreshing experience to sit in a theater, knowing with certainty that I wouldn’t encounter any violence, gratuitous gore, or offensive content. I truly wish more films were made with such a positive and wholesome approach. The day after watching it, we sought out the PBS American Experience documentary on YouTube and watched that as well. While the feature film naturally made some changes and compressions for dramatic storytelling, I still felt that George Clooney and the talented cast did an excellent job of conveying the essence of this incredible true story within a two-hour drama.

Welcome to Wrexham, Hulu. This ongoing docu-series chronicles actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s journey after purchasing a struggling soccer/football club in Wrexham, Wales. Despite knowing absolutely nothing about European soccer, I have become completely engrossed in this series! It masterfully highlights the compelling story of the small Welsh town, the passionate fans who have supported the club for decades, and the dedication of the players, owners, and management. It’s far less about the sport itself and much more about the human element, the community spirit, and the power of shared dreams. I’m certain the charming town of Wrexham now boasts a booming tourism department, as this series truly makes you want to pack your bags and visit!

That concludes another delightful edition of the Good Things List!

If you’re interested in exploring more of my favorite discoveries and recommendations, you can browse all the previous Good Things Lists here. I’m always eager to hear your thoughts – whether you’ve tried any of these recommendations yourself or have something wonderful you’d like to suggest. Please share your insights in the comments section below!

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