I AM CURRENTLY | November 2021
WRITING towards the completion of NaNoWriMo. My PrepTober was less than stellar - completely my fault as I was consistently non-compliant with the prep steps. I suppose I can do a month of “pantsing” and see what I have created at the end of the month. It could be brilliant or a blob, we’ll see!
COOKING up a storm now that I have a fully functioning kitchen! Over the months I didn’t have an oven (or a full-sized one, anyway) I printed off recipe after recipe and bought a few cookbooks dreaming of when I could start making food again. Take-out can be tiresome. So, now I’m going through that stack recipe-by-recipe and figuring out what is a hit and what is a miss.
HOLDING my breath as I watch Yellowstone. It returned this past Sunday and I’m in the middle of the push-pull of wanting to watch it all at once or pace myself because it’ll be a long wait for more installments. Binge-watching can be so stressful.
SUFFERING incredible pain, getting worse over the last six months. I’ve had psoriasis since I was a kid. It’s simply been a part of my life - sometimes it goes away, sometimes it flares up. This has been the worst experience of my life. I’m in constant pain - like my arms are burning. Dermatologists can do nothing to help. It’s not the right kind to simply take a pill and have it disappear. Shocker.
DRIVING to Toronto and Oakville a few times over the month to see the dentist (yet another crown), have a Dad + Daughters lunch (the first since the pandemic started!), service the Lexus (so I can trade it in), endure a colonoscopy (only two years late), attend the Genesis concert (I’m giddy see them again, they’re a favourite!), and hopefully enjoy a visit with my kids and a few friends.
SUPPORTING my kids and their choices whether I agree with them or not. They have to figure life out for themselves and own their own decisions. At this point in our relationship, I patiently act as a sounding board that they can trust. I have zero agenda. I know what it’s like to have my life lived for me and don’t want them to suffer from the same resentment.
GEARING up for all things holiday with House Tour tickets purchased, plans made to visit local Christmas Markets, and the installation of lights on the house. Those of you who know me realize that I follow the wheel of the year, but I’m not opposed to all the yummy things in the season: cookies and lights! (Plus, Christmas is Cole’s favourite time of the year so the village must be on display.)
CONTEMPLATING how I want to show up online, specifically here on the website/blog going forward. Do I simply want to move my words and photos over to Instagram? What is going to replace my “Bravery52” lists? Do I want to share my stories and not just whatever it is I share here?
COUNTING steps, jumps, and pounds as I Noom my way back to good health. As much as I would prefer to hibernate and enjoy all the comfort foods smothered in gooey cheese, I’m going to take these few months of isolation and make use of my trampoline and weighted skipping rope. The plantar fasciitis is what it is - so I’m taking Tylenol rather than have it be yet another barrier to taking care of myself. As my children tell me, my body is conspiring to keep me fat.
ENJOYING live sports on television. I grew up watching anything and everything and very much enjoy baseball, football, hockey, golf and tennis. The only sport I can’t stand is basketball - way too noisy with the bouncing of the ball and squeak of the sneakers!
CAPTURING the most incredible Huron skies. Everything up here is huge - the sky is so high, clouds so fluffy when they’re not angry, and the lake is loud. I need to remember to put my big camera in the truck but embrace the idea that the best camera is the one you have with you at the time which is my iPhone.
PREPARING for some upcoming projects which include Reverb, Unraveling, and #DecemberReflections2021. A bit of writing, a bit of reflection, and a few photo prompts sound like the ideal way to close out the year and plan for what’s next.
BOOKING visits from friends and family into December and January. I am giddy with the prospect of visits during the dark months. It’s not so much the snow but the blinding blowing snow during the drive up which can be beyond treacherous that concerns me for everyone’s safety. I’m happy for visits but safety first!
CLEANING or, really practicing döstädning, Swedish “death” cleaning. It’s a practice that essentially means you don’t leave a bunch of crap for your people to handle after you’ve died. Between inheriting most of Bill’s belongings and the moves (Toronto then Southampton), I’ve given it a lot of thought as I unpack. What to keep? What to toss? It’s time to get rid of things, organize my finances, and be clear on how everything is going to be distributed once I’m gone.
What about you? How are things in your world these days?