Dec 22, 2021
Have you ever thought “tomorrow” was a calendar day later? For some reason, I thought today was the eve of Christmas Eve. In my head, I had all the things planned I needed to do today. It’s not until tomorrow that I need to do them. I have one more day to procrastinate. Yay!
To make things even weirder, I awoke with a start last night in a panic because I hadn’t purchased anything for Nanny to unwrap for Christmas this year. She died in 2009. I’m wondering if it’s possible to have COVID brain without actually having the virus.
Omicron… Smomicron. I thought we were almost done with COVID in May when vaccines became widely available. Then I thought we were almost done in August when numbers started to drop. And then, I thought we were almost done in October when boosters were available.
Yet… here we are in December… facing Omicron.
I have one friend that posts a prayer to God on Facebook (God reads FB in case you weren’t aware) everyday that always includes, “I ask that you watch over and protect those that are not awake yet. And that you grant them the ability to see and recognize what they are about to be shown.” Dude believes that some huge information dump is coming that will change the world… and maybe it is. 🙄
In the meantime, I’ll just keep washing my hands and wearing a mask when in crowds. I’m boosted as are all my immediate family and contacts. That’s as good as it gets for me, you guys. And we are having IN-PERSON Christmas this year! Yippee!!
Dec 2, 2021
**UPDATED** Mentioning earlier that I’m not a fan of the colored lights on my inside Christmas tree, I’ve now added outside lights to my decorating fail list. I must’ve been distracted when placing the lights on the shrubs because they aren’t uniform and have to be reworked yet again today. In the rain.
In addition, the shrub on the far left of the garage needs lights too. Otherwise, it looks like we simply ran out of light strands and just quit. It’s not my year to decorate, obviously. I don’t like anything I’ve done so far.
But I can still laugh! Text conversation with my kid last night, talking about his vet appointment today…
Him: I have to be there at 9:30. I need to bring terds with me.
Me: Terds?
Him: Animal terds. I got an automated text with the date, time, and a terd request.
He should be about to arrive there now… a cat in a crate, a fat and very old chihuahua, and two turd baggies. I wasn’t invited to the party so I can’t share a photo. 😉
**UPDATE**
So this afternoon/evening Perry and I worked on the lights a bit after a trip to the dreaded Walmart. Although the photo is pretty rough, in person the lights look SO MUCH better! Those tacky yellow ones are gone. Long gone. Not perfect, but I’m happy enough that I’m done outside for this year.
And finally, here’s an informative article about the current state of COVID and the return of restrictions (Associated Press).
TIL (Today I Learned): After a Baptist church ran a newspaper ad calling beer “The Devil’s Craft,” a taproom began accepting it as a coupon for discounted beer.
Nov 21, 2021
I asked Alexa for tomorrow’s forecast and she let me know the low is predicted to be 19 degrees. NINETEEN! Just the thought of the cold should make me even more excited to be in Florida in about a week and a half, but I’m just not feeling it. I worry about my dogs most of all.
I’m also concerned the client plans to introduce me at their corporate dinner the evening before their event begins. Hints have been dropped multiple times. Thing is… I plan to attend ZERO event sessions and even fewer dinners. While my brother loves the stage, I prefer to remain behind the scenes.
I got my tree decorated yesterday and I’m not feeling it either. I prefer white lights (not yellowish white.. the white that almost makes you blind). I asked Perry to get the decorations down from the attic and he did — but the only lights that made it inside were the ones for the outside shrubs. I noticed I was lightless once I had the house a wreck.
I had to make a decision. I could either pull out the car and climb up the attic ladder in the garage (home alone knowing Teddy already broke a hip on that ladder), or I could just go and buy new lights. I chose the latter and hit Home Depot to avoid Walmart.
Not a strand of white lights in the place. Another decision… hit Walmart or go with colored lights. Again, I chose the latter.
I’m not a fan. And now that I put it in that room, I don’t like it in there. Another decision. I can either have Perry (who is already in trouble for not getting the darned lights down in the first place) get back in the attic for the lights and start over, or I can live with it this year as is. Should I just go with the latter? ARG!
I think tomorrow is the day I start over on the tree.
TIL (Today I Learned): After Roman Emperor Nero’s wife died, he took a young boy named Sporus who looked like his dead wife and married him. He had him castrated and forced him to wear his late wife’s clothing when they were seen out public.
Dec 25, 2020
If the peskies are in Florida, they love to talk to me and brag about their weather. Even now, when it’s 13 freaking degrees on a day I wanted snow — they made sure to send me a photo of what they got and I didn’t.
With the holiday behind us, I’m feeling more down in the dumps than I have in a good long while. I really look forward to Christmas, and then we always have a Disney trip booked to look forward to right after. This year, there’s no Mickey in my immediate future. Not gonna’ lie… I’m feeling pretty blue. 🙁
I know things will get better and figure we’ll make it there late 2021. Still, it’s depressing… and I’m just not one to get down over much of anything. I’m the one with plan B and C for back-ups — but there’s simply no back-up COVID plan other than having toilet paper and Clorox wipes. Isn’t it a crazy time?
This is the first year in the last 14 (or 15) I haven’t went with Perry to see his family on Christmas Day. Instead, this year he cooked on his new Blackstone and probably got frostbite on his ears. I did the prep in the warm kitchen and figure that’s fair.
I hope more people (including me) don’t get the Rona after the holiday. I wasn’t around anyone other than Ben, Colette and Perry (the usual trio) but noticed on Facebook a whole lot of people celebrating with large groups. I also noticed a whole lot of other people like me — just spending time with immediate family. I’m sure looking forward to the time we can celebrate the birth of Jesus with all our loved ones.
And finally, Mom spent her time in the ER this evening after injuring her arm. She’s ok, but I think Carl is ordering a couple cases of bubble wrap. I’m still trying to convince him to get one of those inflatable sumo wrestling fat suits instead. 😉 Her ER doc did say he thought they would have the vaccine available to them by late January. Who knows how soon people under 65 years-old and not an essential worker will be able to get one.
How severe the pandemic is in the places where people I care about are located…
Daily NEW COVID-19 cases (7 day moving average):
Indiana-75.8 (down); Jackson Co – 81.4 (down) — 8.19% infected (up); Florida 52.8 (up); Nevada – 70.9 (down)
TIL (today I learned): There was only one episode of Seinfeld that did not feature George. Jason Alexander threatened to leave the show if the writers ever turned in another script that excluded his character.
Dec 21, 2020
Santa dropped off a new website design for whatifitdid.com. Over the weekend, he looked at the site on his mobile phone and said the old layout cut off Dharma’s head and butt in one main page image. Not sure I’m in love with his gift, but I’ll give it a whirl just the same as not to hurt his feelings. There’s quite enough hurt feelings to go around already during Covid Christmastime.
Ben, Colette, Perry and I will be opening gifts tomorrow. The peskies gifts are packed and ready to go because they won’t be here this year. It’s simply not safe considering they are old and fragile (ha!).
It does make me sad that we can’t gather as normal — especially since this year they are home for the holiday — but it’s just not worth the risk. The added pressure for me is pretty intense since we’re going to do it virtually and add my favorite brother to the mix. It’s hard enough just doing a one-on-one Facetime call with the peskies… just imagine what my challenge will be to coordinate a Christmas party. Oh my!
Here’s hoping your holiday week is filled with lots of virtual hugs, love and laughter. ❤️️
How severe the pandemic is in the places where people I care about are located…
Daily NEW COVID-19 cases (7 day moving average):
Indiana-81.5 (down); Jackson Co – 91.1 (down) — 7.9% infected (up); Florida 50.8 (up); Nevada – 79.2 (same)
Interesting to note that Tennessee has moved into the worst spot in the nation. Wonder if it has anything to do with vacationers for late fall/early winter breaks.
TIL (today I learned): Macy’s Department Store declined to be featured in the movie “Elf” because they didn’t like the idea that there was a fake Santa working there and felt it would blow the illusion for kids.
