Life lately: snow days, optimism and nice lunches

As we approach the end of January, I’m reflecting on optimism and little victories

I’m not sure I’ll ever stop being excited by snow. Last night the boys and I sat and watched the feathery snow fall outside our window. Whenever I see it I feel an irrepressible sense of expectation and delight. Will it settle, will it last? No matter how inconvenient it is, or how cold, I just can’t keep that bubble of excitement down.

As I listened to my boys talking about whether school would be closed I was struck by their innocent and unflinching optimism. That enthusiasm is such a wonderful thing.

My own reserves of optimism have been a little low lately. I can thank January for that. It isn’t the easiest of months. I make no secret of the fact that I sometimes feel like I’m crawling though the month – getting by, rather than flourishing. But as the month draws to a close I’m beginning to feel the first flutterings of excitement about spring, and the rest of the year ahead.

This is the last week of January, and it feels like a turning point. As the days get longer, I’m noticing that my enthusiasm for good food is coming back. After a month of eating too much bread and butter, I’m starting to feel able to be more honest with myself about my lifestyle.

Those new green shoots of optimism have hit me with an urge for colourful, nourishing food. Good lunches are now key for me and I’ve developed a little ritual of roasted vegetables and salad. They all follow a similar formula: roasted sweet potato, or butternut squash, salad, seeds, feta or hummus. These salads are so naturally good-looking that eating them feels like a real high point in the day. They’re also very portable, so you can take them to work too.

I’m ending the month looking forward and feeling optimistic. That feels like a little victory to me.