Grizzly_Bear_cubs

I’ve been hibernating. Like a chubby Grizzly I’ve retreated into my down-feather-and-Egyptian-cotton bed, closed the shutters, put my phone on silent, and said good-bye to the world while it’s cold, dark, and wet outside. Winter’s hit Cape Town, and as I sit here on this frosty morning, watching the stormy weather outside, I’m so glad I have the luxury of being a winter bear.

I think I do well as a Grizzly. I like being warm, soft, and cuddly. I assume most people would nod their heads in agreement – we’d all do well as winter bears – and there certainly are perks to a snuggly bear-like winter life. For one, I don’t have to get up for work every morning. It’s the greatest luxury of being a freelancer – as an actor, season is over, and while there are still the odd auditions and jobs here and there, the industry has pretty much shut down for winter (maybe they’re all bears too), and won’t be back in full swing until summer’s gorgeous rays are back. And as a copy-editor and translator, I can choose to do my work whenever I want to from the warmth and comfort of my bear cave. Pretty neat, isn’t it?

cape-town-winter

But while I sleep and stay warm and cuddly like a Grizzly, my winter ‘hibernation’ is a little nicer than a bear’s. In contrast to the Grizzly, I get to spend my winter months eating lots and lots of food. Yay for me (but poor Grizzly). I genuinely love food. Always have. I love eating out, I love home-cooked meals, I love take-aways from the 24-hour Woolworths down the road (one of life’s greatest joys) – I simply love it all. And hearty meals just seem all the heartier in winter – goulash, steak, soup, lasagne, you name it and I’ll find a reason why it’s better in winter! So, with that in mind, I’ve put my adventurous spirit (see my previous blog ‘Fear is a Lie’) on hold for a bit, re-kindled my love affair with chocolate and hot milk, and committed myself to becoming chubby over these next few months. Sounds like a great winter plan to me.

Another joy in my life that the poor Grizzly is missing out on is the magic of movies. Whether on TV, at the cinema, or rentals from the DVD store, movies are pretty much the way to go. With half-price tickets at Nu Metro Cinemas (thank you Clicks!), the big screen is so much more affordable, Wolf of Wall Street and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (best movie ever!) have just hit DVD stores and I’d watch those a million times, I’m halfway through the Bourne movies from a home collection, and I have my eyes set on a Bond marathon. That’s my winter watching sorted. And the great thing about watching movies is that it can be combined with snuggly blankets (My Bear Life Point One – Check) and yummy food (My Bear Life Point Two – Check).

With all my bear points ticked, I’m a pretty happy winter bear, and I’m ready to head back to my bear cave for more cuddling. Lure me out with the promise of ocean swimming and skateboarding when summer’s back. Happy snuggles.