During this shit show of a pandemic that is currently consuming almost every waking moments of our lives…below is a list (in no particular order <except the top one/oh and number 2>) of what I am truly thankful for.

1. My grand daughter – yep – number 1- today – right here and right now – this little ginger cookie puts a smile on my face every single day. When I think that WTF am I doing this for – just need to look at my phone and I see that face. (#2 is on the way – release date – January 2021).
2. My children. My children have taught me more about humility, patience and acceptance of our fellow humans than any other person possibly could. They are my moral compass – my sense of fashion – my tolerance – my spiritual guides – my teachers – the reason I have not slept a full nights sleep in over 30 years and really and truly the reason I am in the person I am today.
3. Hubs – holy shit – this dude – sorry man – you had no idea almost 20 years ago what circus you were getting yourself into when you became my partner in crime and surrogate father to aformetioned. You wanna talk patience ??? A more patient, loving, tolerant human I guarantee you – you will NEVER meet than him. The butter to my bread and the breath to my life.
4. My family – I truly have the most broken family on the face of this big rock spinning. What an epic Elizabethan novel we could write about the comings and goings of this clan of misfits – BUT – no matter what – no matter how much shit we may talk about each other and the cliques and inner clans – mess with one – you mess with us all. Neices and Nephews and the crazy crew – all part of this do do do do do do do do CIRCUS!!!!
5. My Bro – now I know I will put some undies in a bunch by signaling him out – I would like to hope that I am super close to all my sisters BUT my Bro and I have a special bond- not going into details – but we fixed each other as best we could.
6. ALL MY LADIES!!!! – all ya’ll know who you are – I’m still convinced we could run this spinning rock better than who is in charge now – BUT they simply just won’t hand over that power – idiots.
7. My job – I am so fortunate to have the job that I have with the management team at the helm – BUT my Boss (she’ll be pissed if she reads this) is the best and no I’m not blowing sunshine up her skirt to get an extra day off – she really is the best boss/equal that I could ever hope for in the job that I love – (at least today – ask me again on Tuesday).
8. Wine – I’m thankful for smashed distilled grapes – nuff said.
9. My FB community and friends – though I have not met many of you – we’re a family – a big old disfunctional family of nut jobs.
10. Horses, chickens, ducks in that order.
11. Food – I have cooked two Thanksgiving Dinners this weekend cause of stupid Covid I cannot have all the people I want here at the same time so cooked one and did Muber (Maja=Uber) eats delivery and then patio dining lol!!!
12. My faith – it’s not last but it’s mine.

Seriously – I know this sucks – it’s a scary time and we are all so just done with it and fed up but realistically – Covid has not touched my family and I want to keep it that way.

So wear the mask – wash your hands and keep that distance ya’ll.

Hopefully come Christmas we can be together again.

Happy Thanksgiving ya’ll….

Heya…A PSA for ya’ll

As we all try to adapt to this “new” way of working – note that it is important to strike a good Life/Work Balance.

Guilty…I am the most guilty person for not striking that balance.

My job ranges across a few time zones so oft times I find myself looking/scrolling through work emails well after 1700 EST.

While I try to do my best to NOT responsd – the OCD controlling witch in me does and sadly it can become expected that I will be one after hours.

That is fine – I set my stupid ass up for that chore.

Gonna shoot this out there – while I know that some people love working from home – I hate/despise with a passion of 1,000 suns working from home on a set schedule.

Ya – ok the odd snow day here or there but having to actually schedule it really does blow.

I gots myself a sweet little office set up true but it still does not feel like I am productive.

You know that feeling when you call in sick where you really are not but you feel you need just a day to reset or you will throat punch someone??? Yep me working from home.

99.5% of the time I do love my job. It’s never dull – shit explodes on the daily which I thrive on – but this working from home thing…ugghhh.

I am officially covid’d (new word) out .

Sadly -darlings – this is the “new normal”.

Adding this to the list of dumb ass catch phrases – New Normal – Man Cave/She Shed (WTF) -Staycation?? (Double WTF) – Social Distancing (hate that one) oh hell – there is one more -what is it??? I’ll post more when I think of it.

Ok friends- wear a mask – get a flu shot – wash your hands and PLEASE be kind to each other.

Ok – don’t get all whidgy – pumpkin spice belongs in pumpkin pie – not coffees or teas or breakfast cereal – PIE PEOPLE!!!

But while we are on the subject – we are heading into my most fave season ever!!!

Fall!!

Leaves are changing and the night time temps are glorious – I can do with out the early darkness but one must make sacrifices…no?

This week was a dumpster fire wrapped up in a shit show of a I need a “do over” kind of week.

My truck imploded – engine POOF!! luckily she’s still under warranty BUT I am stuck driving a wee tiny compact BUT it is like a little race car so I guess I’ll chalk that up to a win.

Two of my precious round bales of hay that I should have checked on thru the summer craziness of humid rain are a write off boooo BUT I do have plenty of hay – so I guess I’ll chalk that up as a win.

Even though the days are getting shorter – the leaves are getting glorious in colour and the cooler nights are amazing for sleeping – so I guess I’ll chalk that up as win.

Last but not least – my daughter – who is expecting her SECOND announced to us yesterday IT’S A BOY!!!! one of each now – WIN WIN WIN!!!

Hmmmm – maybe this week was not so bad.

Started off rocky – ended on a high and hello it’s boot/orange/hoodie/track pant/cute fall outfit season – no where to actually wear them BUT I’ll chalk that up as a win.

Still think pumpkin spice belongs in pie – but hey whatever blows your hair back I guess!!!

Be well – wash your hands – wear a mask – be kind to one another – peace.

ps…I am glaringly aware it is not actually fall but come on!!

Let me first start this blog post with I do apologize to those with delicate sensibilities as this one is about to be a little “salty” in language as quite frankly – I am done with being gentle and rainbow sparkles this week. (I will however do my best to not actually drop the F Bomb…no guarantees)

Is it really Tuesday?? – you have to got to be shitting me?? seriously the way I feel it’s got to be minimum Thursday…WTF!!!

Combing thru the news -I saw on one particular article on my “go to” news sight that Canada is in for months of cold weather.

No shit Sherlock…it’s called Winter and we deal with it every year. It’s not like it is our first FN rodeo on snow- we do know how to drive in it – survive it and plan for it.

Slow news day??? Feeling over shadowed by the Covid bullshit that it taking over our hearts, souls and minds?

Take an FN number bitch…we don’t have time for you.

And WTF is with the whole political bullshit? While I do not take an official stance on US politics – HELLO??? – I cannot even elaborate without opening up a can of whoop ass worms I’m sure.

We are Pride Week here in our city and if anyone and I do mean anyone decides to knock that – unfollow, unfriend, disassociate yourself with me now cause…nope.. no time for that hate mongering here.

The Rainbow Flag here flies high and proud here- don’t like it – don’t let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.

Will NOT even go into Canadian politics either – I don’t have the energy right now. This keg is empty.

Covid has so changed our lives – how we live – how we work – some people LOVE working from home – personally I don’t – I find it counter productive and simply a pain in my ass.

I do not like change – not one little bit – I …I… I… holy shit I am full of myself today on what I DO NOT LIKE!!!

I (sorry yes…I again) want and wish to hear what is going on in your lives – how you feel – how you are coping -how you are surviving this bullshit stupid fucking (sorry) pandemic bullshit nonsense. (you can email me at orangeacres@cogeco.ca I will respond pinky swear)

I’d like to help. To assist. To be a sounding board an ally or a support or simply to be a friend/comrade in arms.

Let’s be real darling – we are all just hanging on by the skin of our fucking (sorry) teeth.

Parents having to decide to send their children back to school in uncertain circumstances coupled with teachers who have zero clue on how to deal with the less than stellar protocols. Big yellow bus drivers having to enforce mask rules and let’s be realistic – when a person goes down the aisle against the arrow – we all lose our shit just a bit in our mind.

We are sick and FN tired of this – BUT – this is how it is.

Sigh…

I’d like to be all sparkles and unicorns right now and say it will be ok – it will get better but I have no friggin’ clue from day to day.

Hey…you…you magnificent creature out there – keep smiling – keep being absofuckinglutley fabulous (sorry) cause beouch -we all have to stick together in this fucked up(sorry) bullshit(not sorry) shit show that is our lives right now.

Power in numbers baby – power in numbers!!!

PS I don’t really hate everyone …hate is a very strong word..

OMFG!!! – and BAM!!! A chat with a sibling and a blog post is born.

We are halfway(ish) into 2020 and let’s be realistic – this year has changed us all.

Remember in 2018 when the world went to shit?? We all said 2019 will be better.

Then 2019 went to the crapper and we all said – 2020 yep that is the year where things will turn around.

HELLO!!!

Ummmm NOT!

It is mid August and the bulk of us have been in semi isolations since what??? March???

And now parents are faced with the back to school and how will that all pan out?

AND I don’t know about you but shopping has become a sport of how long can I deal with having this mask on and getting a headache and stressed cause Lord knows 99.9% of the time I am going to wrong way down the arrows and some people just give you the old stink eye for doing so and no matter how much you apologize I am sure they are walkin’ on by shakin’ their heads thinking…assshole.

Don’t know about you but I have two bottles of hand sanitizer in my truck and when I leave a place I slather that shit on like a big old Thanksgiving turkey and wipe my dash, my keys and steering wheel and seriously – I am the LEAST germaphobic person in the world – FFS I eat sandwiches in the barn while mucking stalls!!!

Let’s take a breath.

I’m sorry to the parents- very much so – what a shit decision ya’ll are facing whether to send your kids back to school on Lord knows what expectations – I’m sorry to the teachers who are getting their asses kicked for wanting to be safe – to make safe for their students – I’m sorry to the big yellow bus drivers – how the HELL you gonna enforce that mask rule without losing your shit!

The love of my life – my grand daughter went back to daycare two(ish) weeks ago. Having been at home with Mum (works from home but seriously when she is working no joke) and me – GG since Marchish.

Not gonna lie – the only good thing to come from this dumpster fire was the quality time I got with this nugget.

BUT even that must end – scheduling conference calls soley from 1200 to 1400 (nap time) was a challenge – that kid know Zoom now – and we just can’t plop on TV all the time.

It was hard – she did not know WTF was going on – but she has adjusted. Children are resiliant!

I really do miss being able to walk about without a mask and plod on thru the store that makes hard to put together furniture at will – eat in a restaurant and HUG FRIGGIN’ PEOPLE!!!

Sigh…

Darlings – sadly – it’s here for a bit – Thanksgiving will no doubt be a wash – Christmas will be an epic feat of social distancing engineering and who knows WTF 2021 will bring.

BUT hope springs eternal – 2021 will be our year – can’t promise shit BUT can promise support, love, togethness, perserverance, strength and family.

Credit for the below Michele Harper – The Beauty in Breaking shared by @lululemon.

Indulge me for a moment please.

The little things are like finding a 5er in a pair of shorts you wore last summer that are just a little too tight cause you’ve been remote working and packed on a couple of lbs!! – who cares!! go the the discount store – buy new shorts – you’ll get back to pre-covid weight as some point.

The little things are a professional hair cut – still not an option in Ontario and because I wear my hair short I am sporting more of a mop right now and have been warned by my stylest – back away from the scissors AND clippers – Damn you!

The little things are finding flour in your local grocery because everyone and your Auntie Enda has decided that there will be a HUGE bread shortage so we all gotta make bread now – hit me up if you need yeast – I have lots wink.

The little things are being able to work from home- yep – home – where the wine is and no bras or socks or clothes if that is what blows your hair back – but remember – the webcam adds like 10  lbs.

The little things are smiles and waves and pleases and thank yous to the service staff who are risking their lives.

The little things are grocery delivery services that can allow me to make sure my socially anxiety ridden son who cannot go out BUT can be fed and cared for with fresh food and porch visits and multiple texts.

The little things are the incoherent babbling language of my grand daughter who greets me when it’s day care time with tales of her sleep and her favourite show and her Elly and pure joy.

The little things should be big things to us because let’s be real – so you don’t fit into your shorts from last summer and your hair looks like Sideshow Bob and you can only get wheat bread at the store.

All these little things that we take for granted are HUGE things to others and we should feel so abso-friggin-lutely lucky that we are actually able to enjoy these many many amazing little things that we take for granted every day!

Rant over- can we go out and play now?!

I am very introspective today…we are in what?? – day 3,458,321 of our current situation (kidding  – relax) and I think that most of us are really in that introspective phase now.

What will life be like after the pandemic is over? Ok – here’s a thought – will it ever be over – again – relax – it will be controlled and accounted for but never really over.

Think about it – after 9/11 the way we travelled was forever changed right? So my thought process (and just mine mind you) feels that they way we live our lives going foward will be forever changed.

(DISCLAIMER I am not comparing the atrocities of 9/11 to this FYI).

Physical distancing is here to stay- realistically – that is our world now.

I think that we have all come to realize that things do need to change and our arrogance surely got a good swift kick in the ass that makes us realize that we are a fragile species.

Personally (and I do hate that a blog makes it all about me and that is not really the person that I am but here we are) – I find myself being more tolerant.

OMG I had the most fun exchange today at GT (some people will get that but those who don’t Giant Tiger is like a discounty store here in our hood) – this sweet older couple were looking at getting new sheets but they could not find King size – so I spotted a set in that size but they were the most lovely shade of purple – Wife wrinkled her nose a bit but Hubs was all in – and I was giggling like a loon – then I spotted grey and she was like I’ll get those but I pipped in “go with the purple – have fun cause realistically the world have gone to hell in a handbasket so may as well enjoy the ride eh?” Hubs winked and said “Come on darling lets live it up” IT WAS SOOOOO CUTE!!!! and then when I met them outside he was so chatty and have a nice day to me – that was a fun faith in humanity interaction!

Online grocery shopping – WTF!!! I can order food for my son – pay for it – and have it delivered just like that food delivery app (no advertising). Technology holy shit!

While I do get a wee bit stressed while shopping if I don’t have a list – am finding it easier to navigate thru the damn floor arrows if I stay to my local stores BUT I don’t feel guilty anymore if I have to go to more than one store to get what I need.

Those precious moments when you can “see” a friend from a distance are so amazing!!

My Bro…SHOUT OUT and driveway beers.

So – what next?

What happens next?

When our world starts to re-open – how will we cope?

Will we revert back to the entitled beings that we were OR will we take that step back and realize what a gift we have been been given in our comfy nerfy lives and open our eyes?

Time will tell I guess.

Me?? – I will still say please and thank you to everyone who kept our comfy nerfy lives whole while potentially risking theirs and watch our new normal unfold.

I, for one won’t take it for granted.

Be well.

Mother’s day is here again and for some of us it really sucks cause we can’t be with our children – but this post is just not dedicated to those who pushed/bore that child into the world.

This is for Mothers, surrogates, den mothers, fathers doing duty as the mother, aunties, uncles, pet mothers – any woman/man/child/being that is responsible for the life of another.

In short…Mothers from a different other.

So – to start.

I have two children – whom I love with equal and unconditional love.

BUT my son – well he is my favourite son while my daugher well she is my favourite daugter -see what I did there wink wink.

We will start with my son – the quirky, funny, smart and talented squib that he is.

With his bah da dah attitude, his passion for love and life, excellent zombie attack planning and muted joi de vivre – oh I hope he finds that path that seems to elude him.

One step forward – 5 steps back – but still pushing ahead.  He is me were I allowed to be the me that I was at his age. Quiet and reserved with the laughing eyes of a child. He truly holds my heart right in the palm of his strong capable hand and truly is the bread to my butter.

You know in the movie  – shit – I just watched the biopic – Oh yes – The Wizard of Oz – at the end where they are “bestowing gifts” upon those least likely (AKA Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow)? Had I that power I would bestow on him the gift of mindful and settled calm peace in his mis-wired brain and to take away that doubt and fear and blech that haunts him and squish it down the drain so he could flourish into that confident and wonderful human that is there.

All in due time my darling.

My daugher – HA!!! a mother herself now – giving me such a gift of a firey red headed little spitball of a grand daughter – oh sweetie – you are hooped!!! NO idea of what lies ahead of you in this silly, rewarding, often heartbreaking adventure that motherhood has in store for you! I cannot wait to continue to watch all these steps and firsts in your quest of motherhood.

She is my warrior – she is me were I allowed to be the the me that I was in her teens, early 20s but truly all me in motherhood with a few upgrades. MANY upgrades!

Mom.2 – its funny – sleep training – it is a thing and by the sweet all that there is-  it WORKS – structure and scheduling – nap/bed time – a breezer (for the most part) – all me with a few twists.

This woman is a culmination of all the women that I was born from back back back thru the years and our wee Evie will hold all those amazing qualities – yes – this is good.

Ya she’s had her bumps along the way but have we not all?

For all these reasons – I celebrate Mother’s Day.

It’s this day that I really miss my own Mum- she was a strong woman who didn’t get the woman she should have been but I am glad that I got to be the woman that she was at my age – makes all those stupid things I did not get to be come into perspective.

It is not for the recognition or the gifts – they are nice though – I celebrate it because -well – I “made” them and no matter how old they get – I will always be their Mother, greatest champion, harshest critic. Kisser of the boo boos, baker, therapist, chauffer, executive chef, educator, seamstress, banker, scarer of the monsters, defender of their rights, and biggest bitch Mama Bear no matter how old they get.

Sorry darlings but Viva and LR – you will forever be my babies.

Happy Mother’s Day to all ya’ll Mother’s for another what other!!!

Ok so we are all now “Zooming” or Skyping or Teaming for family get togethers and work meetings.

The line ups to the stores are still there but not as bad as before.

Toilet paper is mostly back in stock but we still cannot get antibac wipes.

NOW – we face a meat shortage but that’s ok – I think that retailers have FINALLY learned that the “limit one per customer” is ok and we are ok with that.

We are now in phase two of the “new normal”.

Things have settled but some are still struggling.

Finacially and mentally it is so very hard for some – I am very fortunate in my job.

Our province will re-open a bit at a time so business can get back to being business.

We are all erring on the side of caution.

And living in the boonies still has it’s perks!

We had two bockers hatch out couple days back – one was the last egg from my fave Roo who passed YES – and Nerm our spotted hissing murder duck has hatched out 10 EGGS!!!  8 more to go – HOLY CRAP!!! duckling over load!

Per my last post – I am still GG daycare although my daughter has adjusted her work sched so I can spend more time at my actual job – but I am feeling the disconnect with the wee Cookie!  I have been blessed to get this time with her for sure! – we have a good groove going on and watching her growth progress it amazing but MAN IS SHE BUSY!!!

For me personally – keeping a sense of routine is essential.

Even when I may be working from home  – I still shower and do my hair and make up – minimal of course and I do try and dress for work but not like full on work wear.

AND FYI -I finally got that big bear hug from my son – best hugger in the world – decided I was not too germy I guess.

I’ll miss the old ways because realistically speaking our way of life had changed forever  – but its ok.

I’m good – we are good – life is good – it will get better.

I keep seeing the phrase – “we are all in this together”.

We really are!!!

Stay safe – wash your hands – hug your kids- Happy Mothers Day!!!