Everyday life. Routines and feel-good books.
I talked a lot on this blog about morning rituals. Because I've always been an early riser and the first hours of the day are those when I feel most productive. But lately I've been trying to focus on an evening routine as well. One that would include some time to read, besides all the other activities that every family with a child has at bedtime.
The day starts with the sound of the espresso machine and the smell fresh coffee. The window open to let the fresh breeze come in. Making breakfast while the boys are still sleeping and listening to a podcast or a nice playlist. The alarm clock is set early so I can take my time and have everything ready with no rush. If I'm lucky I'll do some yoga moves as well, just to stretch out and set the rhythm for a new day. In order to avoid the morning chaos, most of the things are usually prepared the night before. The clothes, the schedule, the snacks. So the evenings end late and are mostly busy. Dinner prepping, putting the toys into place (because I like to wake up to a tidy home) and all the other mundane rituals... and then when we enter the bedroom it's like a sanctuary of quietude. The room itself is a space of simplicity. A soft light and no tv. White bedsheets and almost no decorations. Just a few books, a Picasso litography and a fig scented candle.
Our favorite moment of the evening is when we all lie in bed, telling our stories from the day and going through the plans for the next one. Luckily R. is a fan of jazz music, so the lullabies were replaced by piano music. A win win situation for all of us, I'd say. And while the phone plays the Studio Ghibli Jazz & Bossa Nova, I take out my reading lamp and enjoy a soft read before falling asleep. Before becoming a mother my bedside table was full of novels that I would devour in few days. Now it's more about books that are easy to read or independent magazines. Something to inspire me before sleep, totally unrelated to my work field, but closer to my passions and the subjects that I love. At this moment I have three books on the bedside table: Paris coffee revolution, a book by Anna Brones and Jeff Hargrove, about almost everything that I like: Paris, good coffee and beautifully designed coffee shops. Ideal, right?! This is home: the art of simple living, by Natalie Walton. A book about the simple life in uncluttered spaces. Basically our mantra for the past two years. These Islands from Cereal Magazine. An amazing photographic journey through the British Islands. Breathtaking views of places that we will hopefully see someday. Few pages of these favorite reads and I quickly fall asleep with all the beautiful images on my mind.