"Though February is short, it is filled with lots of love and sweet surprises.” – Charmaine J. Forde
FEBRUARY 2026 highlights la vie en rose — the rosy hues, the snowy days, the little tokens of affection, and the beagle with the dreamy eyes and the heart-shaped nose — all the sweet treats that make February truly lovely.
Here’s a review of what I read, watched, listened to, and enjoyed this month.
READ:
The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life by Shawn Achor — “Conventional wisdom holds that if we work hard we will be more successful, and if we are more successful, then we’ll be happy. If we can just find that great job, win that next promotion, lose those five pounds, happiness will follow. But recent discoveries in the field of positive psychology have shown that this formula is actually backward: Happiness fuels success, not the other way around. When we are positive, our brains become more engaged, creative, motivated, energetic, resilient, and productive at work. This isn’t just an empty mantra. This discovery has been repeatedly borne out by rigorous research in psychology and neuroscience, management studies, and the bottom lines of organizations around the globe” (Goodreads).
WATCHED:
The 2026 Winter Olympics — I absolutely loved the Summer Olympics in Paris in 2024. The opening and closing ceremonies were captivating, and sailing and rowing are my favorite sports. However, I have always preferred the Winter Olympics — the gorgeous snowy scenery, the numerous athletes from Wisconsin, the grace of skiing and skating, the excitement of hockey (USA!), the wonderful strangeness of curling and the biathlon…so good.
Drops of God Season 2 (Apple TV+) — Three years later, the wine riddles continue…such a good show!
Shrinking Season 3 (Apple TV+) — Michael J. Fox joins the already amazing cast for this hilarious and touching season.
Love Story: John F. Kennedy, Jr. & Carolyn Bessette (FX) — I’ve always had a fascination with the Kennedys. At one time JFK, Jr. was on my list (along with Shaun Cassidy, Harry Connick, Jr., Sting, and Dan Jansen…IYKYK - Friends). I remember being glued to the TV that summer weekend in 1999 when the plane disappeared.
LISTENED TO:
February 2026 Instapuzzle Mini Playlist:
Groove is in the Heart (Deee-Lite)
Zou Bisou Bisous (Jessicia Paré)
My First Crush (Shaun Cassidy)
La Vie en rose (Édith Piaf)
Sweet February (Serene Station)
C’est si bon (Emilie-Claire Barlow)
Birthday (The Beatles)
This Kiss (Faith Hill)
Oh l’amour (Erasure)
A lot of 70s Music — On the drive to and from Green Bay (see below), I really leaned into the music of my childhood. I listened to a lot of ABBA (well, to be fair, I always listen to a lot of ABBA), Shaun Cassidy, and my Sappy 70s playlist.
ENJOYED:
A French brunch and Valentine’s Day pastries at Le Rêve.
Shaun Cassidy at the Meyer Theatre in Green Bay with my cousin, Mary Ann. We had VIP tickets which included a Q&A with Shaun before the show. Since I had already asked a question when I saw Shaun in Brookfield in November, I took the opportunity to share my cardboard Shaun story (again, IYKYK). It was lovely to chat with him. He is funny, intelligent and sincere. Bonus this time: He even shook my hand. The 10-year-old girl in me was delighted (as was the almost 59-year-old woman). Click here for photos and videos from both shows.
A week of spring weather — I love snow and happily welcome it through February, but a week of temps in the 50s was such a treat.
Birthday wishes and celebrations.
