Reminds me how far I have come as a blogger and all the stupid grammar/spelling mistakes I make getting caught up in that moment in time when I just have to get those feelings out!
So – here we are – almost a year later from my 03.27.2020 post.
It was “Day …uhhh…Whatever…”
My son made it home and was on quarantine.
My office was “closed” save myself and one of my co-workers taking shifts going in.
Mentally, waiting for that other shoe to drop…little did I know that an entire shoe store would drop eh?
Am still Betty Facking Crocker Stewart! Have mastered bread making – am slightly obsessed with Asian cuisine this month – BUT score have not gained weight – in fact I am a size down – applause applause!!!
Again – Easter dinner will be a bleak showing – not even going to do the turkey/ham extravaganza BUT still making an epic dinner delivered via Orangeacres Eats and still no surge pricing!
Gotten used to wearing a mask and most likely will continue long after this bullshit is over cause I have not had a cold/flu or sniffles since this shit show started – which is amazing!
But I am tired.
I’m tired of it all – and like a 2 year old want to stamp my feet and get my way and just hang out with my crew and fam and shoot the shit and HUG!!! I miss HUGS!!!
Our world did change exponentially this past year but it is my fondest most bestest wish that better times are ahead.
And now a chicken!!! (really go back to March 27th 2020 – same chicken).
We are one year into a pandemic that most were thinking would only last what??? couple of months – me included!!
What have we learned?
That toilet paper will NOT run out.
Ok antiseptic wipes did but that was only because people went all ham and bought them all and then there was a shortage of raw materials that make the stupid things.
Flour, yeast, baking supplies CHECK!!! still all good – hey you who jumped on the sour dough bread thing??? way too much effort really…yes?
Home cooking – ok that I can truly get on board with – I have learned more about watching those crazy shows than I should!!! While I may be no gourmond… I can cook up a mean batch of whatever/egg roll in a bowl/one pot pasta/whatever.
I have learned to cook the perfect prime rib – and ya bitches – perfect!!!
Don’t get me wrong – I have had my hits and misses with meals. Can’t even go into the whole BBQ pork thing BUT the balsamic vinegrette CRUSHED!!!!
I can put on a mask in seconds and it has become part of my daily wardrobe – I do prefer the disposable black ones – the cloth ones were slightly claustrophic in warm stores BUT I do have a supply.
Downside – hands raw from sanitizer – upside no colds, flus, pink eye?
Here we are – long haulers on what has been the most oddly longest/shortest year of our lives with potentially and end game/ending perhaps.
It has for sure been a slice – it has been an interesting run and it is getting better and it will only improve.
That is my take – yep sticking/clinging to it – days are getting longer -the Golden Sun is warmer – better times my friends…better times ahead.
Until then – let’s just all respect each other and have patience and understanding on how we are going about our lives be it your belief or mine – we are all entitled to our views/opinions.
Not like I am remotely diminishing the role of the parent – BUT let us be real shall we.
Grandparents have the best of both worlds.
We get to use our skills as parents – with the diapers and the burping and then “ya no – don’t sit on the cat” moments BUT then we get to leave.
It is epic!!!!
We get all the fun and none of the night time feedings taking diapers off and painting our room with shit – messy house- NO I don’t want that snack – NO I don’t want that shirt – NO I don’t want those pants.
AAAANNNDDDD when we do encounter those -well hell – we can leave!!!
We get it all cause let’s be real shall we – been there done that own the friggin’ factory that makes those tshirts!
We get the newborn snuggles of the most amazing smells and the baby yoga/ballet/Disney.
We get the dancing and laughing our asses off playdoh moments of stickers on phones and baby brothers and walls.
We get the “don’t want those eggs? here have a fruit pouch” day care drop offs of love you see you tomorrow kisses and high fives.
Not the NO – I don’t want a bath NO GG NO – I don’t want a hug – NO NO NO NO NO.
We get to buy annoying AF toys that they will play with what once??
We get to buy a pony (have not done that yet but working on it) hanging with HER chicken Bobbles.
The Grandparent is a wonderful role.
We get to look at our children attempt to handle what we did – 20/30 years ago when times were different in this modern F’d up world – during a friggin’ pandemic I might add and say – “that is not how we did it” but it still gets done!
We get to watch that child that we saw cover the walls in painted on shit with the side eye no’s of defiance eating all the snacks of stuff and dry erase markered clothes deal with the same in real time and we sit back and smile.
And you wanna know why we smile?
Cause well – we know we raised our children to be able deal with the huge responsibility of being a parent to hand that down to their children/grandchildren and we keep that circle going.
THAT is why we smile.
It is my fondest most bestest (aware it’s not a word FYI) wish that I can be around long enough to watch MY children be grandparents cause then I’ll say “that is now how I did it my day” and they’ll get it!
One of my most amazing proud moments in my life was when my daughter became a mother as it took our relationship to an entirely new level.
And I watched her become that mother that goes back generations of strong women/mothers that has been passed down.
And NOW we have another wee one to add to our every growing mishmash of a family.
While it ain’t all sunshine and roses – it is what it is.
I have two now- a girl and a boy- the million dollar family one might say.
When my daughter had Evie 2ish years back – how friggin’ cool – I am a GG – I have a grand kid – so cool.
And then when she told me she as having another – it was like WHOA jackpot.
Then there was this whole pandemic life altering bullshit of a year that saw her expanding in pregnancy and we just kinda rolled along with it.
Because she had to have an emerg C Section last time around – it was decided to schedule the day of birth for the wee man – which was odd as the anticipation of “oh will she go into labour today?” was not at thing.
The delivery date was planned so it was inevitable so we kinda just went with it.
The D date came as did the baby and it was like uhhhhh – my baby is having a baby – not like she did not already have one – I was like oh she has a kid – how amazing and then all of the sudden there was another one that we were prepping for and like shit got real and then BOOM!!! I realized that my daughter is like a grown up with two kids?? WTF!!!!
And then it was like OMG – where the hell did time go?
My daughter’s birthday is this week and I shudder in knowing how old she is cause then I do the math and realize how old I am and it’s like how did that happen?
I literally just has her last week FFS?!?!
I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED!!!I BLINKED!!!! dammit – no more blinking!
Having two children of my own I had a gap between the two – but now I am watching my daughter and her amazing partner with a just two year old and a new born and then I look at my daughter thinking how the hell is she even going to be able to deal with this? She cannot possibly even be mature enough to handle it?
Man oh man am I wrong!
Ya ya I’m rambling.
As I sit here writing this I am shaking my head because I am still trying to wrap my head around the entire situation and am still just like ummmm….
But that is neither here nor there because I gots me two grand babies that are – to me – the reason I will do what I need to do in order for all of them to be happy, healthy and well rounded.
Just when I thought my job was done – here come the grand kids!!! YES!!!!
It’s like a new lease on life/fountain of youth/learning to all the new Disney/flash cards/colouring/lying on the floor fun with play foods and stuffies.
Yep – 2020 blew chunks – 2021 – she’s shaping up just fine in my books.
Welcome to the circus Kelly Ernest Brady – my promise to you is that you will always have love and protection – I will always put your and your sisters needs before mine – I will always insure a well rounded and dirt filled outdoor fun education with chickens/ducks/horses and any other farm animals that may cross your paths and that I will ALWAYS have candy with me (don’t tell your mother).
As of late – sometimes my vocabulary slips into 3 little words…or variations there of.
WTF!!!
Walking thru the stores and someone not following the arrows…WTF?!
Mask slip under your nose and you don’t correct it…WTF?!
That person in line that gets just a little too close….WTF?!
As per above – I do use variations.
FFS – they are another 3 little words that have often made their way out my mouth in my outdoor voice – more so inside my head.
State of Emergency again…FFS!!
Our governing bodies releasing ever so confusing information…FFS!!! OR you can double this one up…WTF? FFS!
How we are all feeling right now…JDK ( “just don’t know” made that one up)
We are very fortunate through this pandemic WTF?!
I can work from home but am considered essential so can still go into the office.
Hubs is an essential worker so he has a pass (and papers to prove it).
I think we are all asking ourselves right now – WTF is next? FFS!
I think we were all really hoping that this New Year would bring a new outlook and hope but sadly – it has been incredibly difficult to stay ever optimistic when we see WTF is going on down South – coupled with the COVID model forecasting – what seems like a lack of innoculations and roll outs.
I know there is light at the end but FFS hurry up and get here!
One saving grace – the weather has been moderately favourable? This is good.
We are almost mid January and it’s still mild?
(FFS I just jinxed it I’m sure – you idiot – WTF!!!!)
Readers (wherever you are) are you tired? Just plain sick and tired?
I know I am – I cannot even recall the last time I had a good nights sleep in the last 10 months.
And parents WTF?! how are ya’ll even still coping and sane?
All our front line workers from Health Care right down to my most fave Pizza Delivery dude – THANK YOU!
FFS without you all – I think that this would be a helluva alot worse.
Yet here we are again – FFS State of Emergency which I am sure will bring out the panic buying TP hoarding aholes in the next 48 hours – sigh….
I want to say I feel a little better putting this out in words but I don’t – usually it helps – tonight it did not FFS.
Oh well WTF… maybe tomorrow.
foot note – if you know me – you also know that I do have somewhat of a filter but it would seem the older I get – the more worn out it becomes.
Here’s your hat, here’s your coat, don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out 2020!!!
Now, now – it was not ALL bad.
Started writing this post and I was almost done and then I realized how very confrontational and political it had become and I erased it all and started over.
EDITED – and started yet again – not sure why I am having a hard time wrapping my head around this one BUT this will be the last edit!!!
I’m late – I’m late for a very important date…
Why? because hell people we have all had the positivity sucked out of us all year that I decided I would try and focus on the good.
There actually was a lot of good that happened in my life personally.
I got a promotion at work which is good for our family.
I have become obsessed with cooking again and baking bread which is good for our family.
My daughter and her partner will welcome a new baby early 2021 which is amazing for our family.
My grand daughter is the joy in my life who makes me laugh every single day.
My son has made it through the year without any major issues and has his eye on better days ahead.
I made some great new friends which really does not happen to me very often.
I learned alot about myself and I am trying to be a better person.
Toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes could most likely be used as currency.
Walking against the arrows is not a crime – now matter how much it may piss you off.
I know how to make yeast subsitute, glaze carrots like no one’s business and cut the perfect onion.
Although no matter what anyone says – working from home is not all it is cracked up to be IMO.
I discovered I have a flare for fashion – sadly right now no where to actually wear it but I’ll be ready. I rock those wide legs pants.
Didn’t gain ANY COVID weight which is odd considering the amount of cooking I’ve been doing but looking back the working from home was hard being in one place all the time made me jump up and down out of my chair more and I can never sit still anyway. It’s a miracle I have sat this long to write this!
Not being able to get my hair cut is actually forcing me to grow out my hair – so there is that.
2021 will not magically erase all the shit that happened in 2020 but there is hope and light.
I know it does really not seem that things will get better but they will.
We all made it through a very hard year and I think we all learned alot.
I am pretty sure that I left out a ton of details but let’s be real shall we??? – we didn’t go anywhere of interest so no vacay photos – we are pretty anti social and hella busy so don’t get out much – we are not restaurant goers (not a lot of good one in our town anyway) – Easter was boring – summer was summer – Thanksgiving meh – Christmas was fun though – yes I’ll say that.
Same old same old I guess.
At least that is my story and I am really looking forward to continuing this story in 2021 even when things get back to “normal” I know I won’t lose the lessons I learned in 2020.
I do not own this video – nor do I claim any rites to it – but really – it says it all no?
When you come from a family as large as mine – you typically or at least try to have large get togethers around the holidays.
Rewind back to March when the Easter celebration went in the crapper – it was ok – it was “new” into the COVID and we really did not know what we were dealing with so we did what we did and we moved on.
Then things got better and I’m like YA – big old blow out – Labour Day weekend and then HARD STOP ON THAT – I would not be that person who had that party that created that outbreak – so we called that off.
Surely by Thanksgiving we would be able to congregate again?
NOPE!!!! but we still managed to have a very scaled down dinner – actually two dinners because one for us here at Orange Acres and then I did another “take out” version for my son and their roomies as well as my daughter and her fam.
Let’s go – Christmas – ya we’ll be able to have that full on loud too much food family dinner – mayhem.
And then….crickets…
BUT – shining star – I got more into the Christmas spirit this year than I have in I cannot even remember how long.
Lights and more lights and still think we could have put on more lights were strung about outside – we got an actual real Christmas tree – we usually do a fake one.
Gift giving was plentiful – we had a good year but still did not spend a fortune.
Dinner was a very small affair with our bubble family of a mere 6 as opposed to the typical 20 or so.
My Son for the first time since his birth was not here – he went to spend this Christmas with his love in Kansas – a risk? perhaps – a necessity naturally. We missed him but his happiness is so important to us. He is celebrating with his second family.
It made me sad this morning when I started prepping dinner for 20 plus knowing that the actual head count was small (no I cannot prep for any less than 20)
We have leftovers for days – SCORE.
Tomorrow I am cooking a take out version to deliver to my son’s roomates and they were not able to go home and apparently they love my ham – they want ham? I shall make them ham and take them gifts.
To wrap this up – I learned a very valuable lesson this Christmas – the joy – it is what you make it- for me – I get/feel joy when I am feeding others and seeing my grand daughter laugh like a loon and bantering back and forth with Hubs and watching him and my daughter sit and talk while my son in law takes the baby outside to see the horses and my brother just be that amazing goofy dude he is.
We may not all be together – but my heart is full.
Next year – I really hope we can all be together again and the steps we took this year – will insure we can.
Be well – stay safe- wash your hands and wear a mask.
Happy Christmas (I like to say that cause the Queen does and she is like an idol of mine!!!!)
Coupla things – changes coming to Orange Acres in the New Year whilst we set up a new social media specialist and expand our “foot print” in this arena.
Our focus will be community and how we can give back.
I have an amazing writer on staff who will be tasked with expanding this social prescence -stay tuned.
This pandemic has kicked our asses to hell and back and now we are going back yet again.
With the holidays fast approaching – our provincial government has rolled us in to a “gray” zone which essentially means essential sales only in stores – no in restaurant dining and more to come tomorrow.
Heads up – I am so not a germophobic kinda gal.
I eat sandwiches while mucking stalls – hug chickens on the daily and touch my face all time (eye rubber) – but this Covid – well it’s made me carry masks galore with hand sanitizer in my car and spray and those arrows??? follow the fucking arrows FFS!!! it’s not that hard – my two year old grandchild knows this.
Sigh – I know we all want to have that big “Griswold” Christmas blow out of food and booze and Uncle Eddie yelling the shitter is full BUT….
I ain’t gonna be the one who had “that” get together for Christmas.
I love my family – I would love nothing better than to cook all the turkeys and hams and prime ribs and do it up right BUT….
It ain’t gonna happen this year my darlings.
I have a grand daughter and one on the way – I have a husband who is immune comprimised – I have children I love and friends that I want healthy and well I’d like to be on this rock for many years – SO…
We scale it back – way back to like the back of the back of like no major celebration.
My daughter and her Hubs and my darling grandchild are of my “bubble” so we keep it light. My Bro yep he is in there cause well he is so antisocial that probably the safest person I know
I’ll miss my son this Christmas – he is heading to see his lovely partner in the US and I am so happy because I love them both dearly – it’s ok we will have many Christmas’ together I’m sure.
Be safe, be happy, be well, be careful, wear that mask and wash those hands.
Here we go – we are starting our holiday season but sadly this year is a holiday season is like no other year.
Who knew 8 months ago that we would be living in this shit show of a OMG don’t touch me kind of world eh?
Where masks are mandatory in public space – you can’t tell if people are smiling or frowning and everyone just wants to get their shit done and get out as soon as humanly possible!!!
How is this the Christmas Season where we cannot smile at our fellow human and have them smile back and wish a Happy Christmas?
I just don’t know.
I do love Christmas but in years past not in the traditional sense.
Since the children have grown I have in past found myself bah humbugging, minimal decorating and struggling to gift buy.
This year though – something sparked – maybe it’s the fact that we are shut down and can’t go anywhere or maybe it’s because we have an amazing granddaughter or maybe it’s the fact that I have finally pulled my head out of my ass to enjoy the simplistic joy that is just the holiday season?!
Hubs and I took a day off and hung our lights in our pergola and it looked ok once lit BUT to me – nope – need more lights – so then I hung lights on the overhang at the back door – nope need more lights – so a string here and a string there and voila – a lovely festive dispay – for the record I think I still need more lights but I will abstain.
This year – I have shopped and shopped and not all expensive stuff but I purchased plane fare for my son to go see his wonderful girlfriend – and I am spoiling my grand daughter (duh) and as we typically do our festive meal on boxing day because of scheduling this year we will have actual Christmas dinner on Christmas day!!!
I’ve started planning the meal and the baking and feeling really really good about it instead of oh good lord dreading it.
So…what happened you ask?
It ain’t rocket science – I pulled my head out of my ass and stopped stressing and worrying and thinking about how it’s all about poor inconvenienced me and took it back to old school.
To a real tree (not up yet but TBD) to decorating well before Christmas week to ohhhh…now – to feeling better and making the best of a dumpter fire of a shit show situation to helping my fellow humans where I can to stop being such a self absorbed ass.
Yep – do you remember when we were kids and it was like the best time ever – the anticipation of it and the joy of the snow and the fun of it all??
Yep – that’s me this year – and I hope many years to come cause we only get so many trips round the sun that I have decided I am not going to waste anymore of them.
Yep…contrary to popular belief in these stupid Covid times – life is good – you just need to see it.
And darlings when I say cold snap – we are talking -14C = 7F by US standards…it ain’t that frikkin’ cold.
Let’s get real here people – -14C is like ohhh – I should put on socks in my rubber boots OR pants- maybe shorts season is over??? just sayin’.
When your glasses fog up – mmmm – maybe.
If the snot in your nose or worse your eyelashes freeze – ya – now we are talking cold bitches.
But this little -14 we got today- ehhhh – not so much.
Water troughs frozen? hello tank heaters – shit – more expensive hydro.
Horses- BE FRESH!!! they love this – come on now – we got relatively good footing coupled with no bugs – and it’s buckaroo season out there today!
Darlings – it will get a helluva a lot colder before it gets warmer sooooo- get out those cute boots and scarves and hats – warm up your pumpkin gingerbread spice whatever – sunglasses check and enjoy this cause come June all ya’ll be be bitching about the heat anyway.
Covid be damned – embrace each day no matter the weather!
Oh ya- wear a mask – wash your hands frequently – social distance.
Orange Acres 