Home. It’s our place.  The place we live life to its fullest.  It’s also our place of retreat when we’re tired or when we’re sick.   The latter has forced us to retreat all week long, except for our almost daily visits to the doctor.  It’s no fun when we can’t get out.

But we’re not alone; there are many up north who aren’t sick, yet still forced to retreat due to bad weather.  What can we do?  Here are some practical ideas we’ve found to help make staying home more enjoyable:

Bake something in the kitchen – Filling our homes with delicious smells comforts even the sickest among us.

Order out – If the cold is keeping you from having a date night out, consider ordering pizza delivery -OR- try one of the Doorstep Delivery services available from many fine restaurants.

Make your home cozy – Have blankets, pillows, drinks with straws and candles lit to add a bit of ambiance to your space.

Decorate special places to celebrate the season.  I, (Debi), love to keep our fireplace mantel decorated throughout the year as a reminder of how beautiful each season is.  Right now we have a Valentine’s Day mantle, and since our wedding anniversary is the end of February we keep it in place until March 1st.  The rest of my mantle decorating schedule is: Spring, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, 4th of July, Fall, and Christmas.  It’s a fun tradition that doesn’t cost a lot.  Especially if you start buying items after the season passes on clearance for the next year’s decorating. Don’t have a fireplace mantel?  Try decorating a book shelf or wall shelf.

Fix whatever your spouse is craving for dinner. Since Tom has been sick, fresh steamed rice was his craving – so that’s what I prepared.

Wash the sheets and keep your bedroom straightened. Having an orderly bedroom that smells fresh is key to comfort when you’re trying to recover.

Massages. Nothing helps achy muscles like a gentle back massage.

Movies are a great diversion from the present.  Rent or borrow some classics and enjoy the cinematic escape.

All of these ideas make perfect “scents” to us. What about you? How do you comfort your spouse when they’re sick or pass the time when you can’t go out?