Unwinding...

When I get into bed it is such an experience!  Wow.  

That could be really mis-interpreted.  

What I mean is, I love everything about cozying up for the night and unwinding from the day's grueling work.  

I do pay special attention to my sheets and bedding.  I am overly fond of my pillows.  If the bed hasn't been made in the morning, it just isn't the same experience getting into it at night.  

Undoing a made bed is filled with mysterious pleasure for me.  A pleasure my husband will just never understand as he watches me fuss over every detail when he helps to make the bed.

I do recall that I had this bedtime cozying, arranging and fussing over the bedding ever since childhood.  

I vividly recall crawling into my childhood bed, carefully arranging my bedding just right, and then strategically placing each one of my MANY stuffed animals all around me.  

Even around my head.  

After this ritual experience, I was relaxed and ready for sweet dreams.

This bedtime fetish extends to what is on my bedside table as well.  

Everything on the bedside table must represent mind altering relaxation activities.  

No school papers, no financial papers, no must-do items of any sort.  

Right now, I have several of these "unwinding" objects right by my bedside.  

For Christmas, I received two wonderful cookbooks.  

"The French Country Table" by Laura Washburn and "Artisan Breads Every Day" by Peter Reinhart".  

Even if I don't have the time to gently shuffle through the pages of scrumptious recipes, just a mere longing glance at them resting beside me can unwind the pace of the day.  

I wonder how many of us out there have such routine happenings throughout the day that are often subconscious almost but missed when traveling or skipped.