Well, here I go. It’s been a while, but I finally managed to get an article finished for the March publication of Neighbours of Olde Oakville. (bottom) It wasn’t them; it was me. They waited patiently every month for me to give them an article to provide some giggles for their readers, but I wasn’t feeling it. It took me close to a year to get my act together and actually share my thoughts. Go figure!

So yes, we were all ready to kick 2020’s hinny to the curb, getting a new look at 2021 through optimistic glasses. Unfortunately, I think we are still in for more of a fight but remain hopeful. We just have to be.  I can’t wait until the day when the word Corona is only used when I’m belly up to the bar.

We are all now living in a sort of “ROYGBIV” life, and hopefully somewhere over this proverbial rainbow, things will eventually be back to normal. Different regions have different colour-codes as to where things will open up or remain closed. Not sure we have an acronym for this system but here it is. Prevent (Green), Protect (Yellow) Restrict (Orange) Control (Red), and lockdown (maximum measures). This wasn’t assigned a color… I vote for BLUE 😦

We are all trying our best, aren’t we? But random “I can’t wait till” thoughts keep popping into my brain. Who wants to go to a matinee movie, and taste that theater popcorn? I do. Who wants to go our for dinner with a few friends, and laugh and share stories! I for sure do! I’ve spent a lot of months trying to refocus on myself as my job came to an end in November. and yes, sadly without any goodbye hugs. That was a tough one for me.

So the question remains, do we go back to life as normal after we get the green light ? I’m not 100% sure. I do hope this isolation gives us pause for thought, and we have learned some lessons from this pandemic. If I’m being honest, I just want to be in a crowded pub again, rubbing shoulders with strangers and friends, toasting the good that is yet to come. I’m tired of cycling through my 3 t-shirts, 5 pairs of leggings, and 2 sports bra’s! Bring on the Roaring Twenties. I think right about now, we could all rock a bedazzled headband and a Gatsby flapper dress. I can’t wait!

Stay safe my friends and let me know how you are all coping! I’ve moved from puzzling to paint by numbers (#amazon). Try it, you may just like it…arrgh!

Stay safe,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We Got This!

Hello friends.  I’m back after almost a year hiatus.  Little did I know that March 2020 things would go sideways and I struggled with putting pen to paper. I had big plans for a St. Patrick’s Day party, but sadly had to tuck away my polished cloggers for another year. I just couldn’t find my joy for writing like I once had. We all found ourselves doing things out of the ordinary, living in a what resembled a sci-fi world.  

Where do I begin and how do we even get our head around the fact that it’s been close to a year since COVID-19 raised its ugly head. The millions of lives lost and the sad stories of lockdown are still so much to comprehend. We really didn’t figure this pandemic would last long. A few months living under “quarantine” with family can’t be that bad. You go your way and I go mine kind of thing. I stayed at home, behaving nicely, figuring I could manage the time without shopping or pubs on Friday after work. We all had to stay 6ft. apart and if you are a hugger like I am, this was difficult! Things were really starting to mess with my mojo.

It doesn’t seem so long ago we were panic buying toilet paper and flour (because I’m a baker?) and talk of flattening the curve was rolling off our tongue like butter on a hot knife. 

We all tried to do our part, supporting the small businesses. We also tuned in every day at 10am to watch as our Prime Minister stepped out of his home @ Sussex to give us daily updates, low sexy voice, flowing hair and all. Speak up, I can’t hear you! He explained as best he could the money being made available from the Government via the CRB, CRCB, CRSB, and the acronym every student from University and college loved to hear, the CESB!  Keeping an eye States side, we also developed a healthy crush on Andrew Cuomo, the Governor of New York, and of course, his baby brother, Chris Cuomo and his CNN antics.  We watched as Chris suffered through COVID-19 and holding nothing back as he reported from his basement bunker giving the world what for about not staying home!

Summer came and went and then the home schooling began. God love those teachers making Zoom calls with elementary students on a screen resembling the Brady Bunch. They try to teach our kids anything only to have the Wi-Fi crash, followed by squeals of joy from the youngling’s. I feel lucky (and only using that term loosely) that my 3 sons are done school. My youngest unfortunately had to experience 1^st year University from his “home room campus.” Meals were good but the freedom he craved was less than ideal.

Then there was the little thing called the US Election. Can I get an amen! Admittedly, I was glued to the television. The outcome gave me some peace of mind and don’t even get me started about that Inauguration ~ Spectacular!  I loved big bird on Gaga’s Flowing gown (didn’t anybody tell her all the Ball’s were cancelled), and Garth Brooks and his attempted exit. I love him. I think he was just looking for a spot to have a cold beer, and couldn’t find the way out! And of course, the goosebump worthy Fireworks display topping off the day.  I could go into all the politics about “you know who” but I won’t. I think I’m all CNN’d out for a while.

Until things change, I will continue to binge watch anything on Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV and Amazon because why not! The Crown was awesome. I give it a 5 out of 5. Queen’s Gambit. I give it three shiny stars. It was ok and seriously, who knew there were so many moves in a Chess game. Also, if you know me well, give me any recommendation for a British ‘whodunit” series with some thick Scottish accents, CCT cameras and an abundance of black and white thatched cottages, I’m all in!  

I do see a light at the end of the tunnel for us all. Please keep wearing those masks people.  On a side note, every time your mask falls off your nose, does it feel like your pants just fell down? 😉  Welcome to the new normal! We got this!

Please follow Leslie’s blogging Shenanigans @ www.jst4lafs.wordpress.com; and Instagram @leslieannwilliams_