Post-Christmas odds & ends

• So who says there's no Santa? My parents ordered two turkey dinners from a local cafe/catering company for their Christmas dinner this year. When Dad went to pick them up late that afternoon, he found out they'd already been paid for. The lady at the counter wouldn't tell him who did it. They thought it was my sister or me (nope). Turns out someone came into the cafe earlier that afternoon, asked how many dinners hadn't been paid for yet, and paid for them all, on the condition that she not reveal who had done it. $25 each. Isn't that nice??
• We're now in that curiously flat bit of space between Christmas and New Year's Day. In a normal year, we'd usually be heading back to Toronto from Manitoba sometime during this week (or shortly after New Year's). We've never been big on New Year's Eve parties, but we do sometimes like to go out for dinner, or to get together with BIL & SIL, order takeout and watch a movie (which is what we did last year). Needless to say, we won't be doing that this year!  As the meme says, though, we'll certainly be staying up till midnight, if only to make sure that 2020 really leaves...!  ;)  
• Just before Christmas (on Dec. 21st, I think?), the premier announced that the lockdown covering the city of Toronto, my region and a few others would be extended to the entire province, in an effort to curb rapidly rising case numbers and hospitalizations. 
• Initial reports said the lockdown would begin Christmas Eve -- but when the official announcement was made, the lockdown was announced for Dec. 26th/Boxing Day. Supposedly this was to allow businesses "time to prepare." What it did, of course, was give people license to jam the stores in a frenzy of panic buying (exacerbated by the looming Christmas holiday) & to gather with extended family members and friends over Christmas. :p  REALLY smart. :p  
• Dh went to the supermarket at 8 a.m. on Tuesday the 22nd. This is the time he normally goes there, and it's not too busy. That day, though, the parking lot was PACKED and the lineup for the cashiers stretched along the entire front of the store and halfway around to the back. 
• The lockdown in northern Ontario is slated to end Jan. 9th, while here in the south is will go to Jan. 23rd. Of course, if the numbers don't start trending downward, those dates could very well be extended. (I'm not holding my breath for the 23rd...) 
• We usually get haircuts every six weeks. Our next usual haircuts would be on or around Jan. 15th. I could probably tolerate another week or two beyond that, but anything later... HEEELLLLLPPPPPP.....!!  ;)  (At least this time around I have a good supply of cloth headbands to keep my hair out of my face, ordered from Old Navy last summer, when I had to endure 17 weeks (!!) between haircuts...!)  
• The province set another new record for new case numbers today:  2,923. Not good. (Dh said, "Are we EVER going to get out of this house again??" )  The public health officials are saying this isn't even the surge they're expecting from (illegal) gatherings over Christmas (still too early for that to start showing up) -- they think it's probably due to Christmas shopping outings and pre-holiday get-togethers. 
• The new, more contagious strain of COVID-19 recently discovered in Britain has made its way here: the first case was diagnosed in the Toronto area a few days ago. 
• Our provincial finance minister was discovered to be vacationing in St. Barts for the past THREE WEEKS (!).  The premier claims he didn't know anything about it (yeah, right), after telling us all to stay at home.  (This would be the same premier who spent Mother's Day at his cottage after telling everyone not to go to their cottages.) Great example they're setting... 
• It's a dark & gloomy day out there (again)(which is probably why I'm in such a delightful mood, lol).  But our Christmas tree is still up... I am loving the extra bit of light it provides in the living room. I never like to take it down until after the new year. 
• Working on some year-end roundup posts, coming to you all shortly....!