A friend and I were talking last night about how to deal with the depression that can come about as the result of the change of the seasons. The cooler weather and the promise of bone-chilling cold, the loss of greenery and the impending holidays all spell depression for some folks. Not for me, though! I love this time of year the best of all.

But for those who do suffer seasonal depression, I have a recommendation for you. Among other tools (like hot coffee spiked with Bailey's, my fireplace, etc.), I have in my arsenal BEDDING THERAPY. How does it work? It takes a little investment, I'll admit, but you can start slowly and build.

I have a bed that is to die for! Waking up and going to bed have new meaning when you max out the comfort of your bed. Mine has two full-sized real sheepskin on top of my perfectly-firm mattress. (For those who love a really firm mattress, try an all-cotton futon mattress on a waterbed box frame.) On top of the sheepskin are my 600-count Egyptian cotton sheets that I picked up on sale for around $50 for the set. I got two, so that I could alternate them in the wash.

In my bedding cabinet (a funky old wardrobe I scored from an antique booth at Smiley's), I store several ultra-soft fleece blankets, a few good quality handmade quilts and my prize of all prizes ... a king-sized goose down comforter for those months (Jan-Feb) that I term "deep winter." Goose down pillows (load up, you're worth it---I have six!) complete the decadence.

Any sort of bedding indulgence helps, and the more love you heap upon your bed, the more love will be waiting for you when you crawl in (not to mention the added benefit of tactile sensuality you can share with your bedmate/s!). You can be dirt poor, stressed out, discouraged, downtrodden and insecure but when you crawl into a bed that sleeps like a cloud, everything goes away. In addition to the comfort offered in your waking moments, you will sleep like a baby ... and a good night's sleep is good medicine too!

So, if you haven't already (and even if you have), go out and acquire something for your bed that will make it your little slice of heaven. Having a bedding fetish is among the most innocuous of all fetishes, and it will have lasting effects on your psyche as well as your physical sense of well-being. It's nourishment, in the true sense of the word.

And if you find anything good (especially if it's on sale), LET ME KNOW!

Much love,
Sophie

PS ... Thanks for your support and letters! I will begin answering them soon!

SophieSeriously ...at... gmail dot com