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Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Right now

Right now... (an occasional (mostly monthly) meme, alternating from time to time with "The Current"). (Explanation of how this started & my inspirations in my first "Right now" post, here. Also my first "The Current" post, here.)

November was Full Month #8 (going on 9) of life in the age of COVID-19, with new cases rising at an alarming/record rate. :(  On top of dh's usual weekly trips to the supermarket for groceries and for takeout dinners on Saturday nights, we ventured out together (masks firmly in place) three times to the bookstore, once to the drugstore, and once to a children's wear store (to shop for a birthday present for Great-Nephew). We celebrated little Great-Nephew's first birthday with his parents (Older Nephew & his wife), grandparents (BIL & SIL), uncle & aunt (Younger Nephew & his wife) -- masks on.  

Late in the month (last week), I went to a local hospital for a COVID-19 test and bloodwork, and then returned two days later for a hysteroscopy and d&c. (Still waiting on the pathology results.) 

Otherwise, we've continued to stay close to home.

*** *** ***

Reading: I read 2 books in November (reviewed on this blog & tagged “2020 books”):
So far this year, I've read 39 books, bringing me to 130% of my 2020 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 30 books. I have completed & now exceeded my challenge goal for the year by 9 books, and am (for the moment, anyway...!) 13 (!) books ahead of schedule. :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2020 tagged as "2020 books." 

Current read(s):   
  • "Hoax" by Brian Stelter (didn't touch this one all month...!).  
  • "The Blue Castle" by L.M. Montgomery (read & reviewed on my own in August, now reading along & discussing with my L.M. Montgomery Readathon group on Facebook over the next few weeks/months)(and enjoying it hugely!).  
  • "The Midnight Library" by Matt Haig. (This was the November pick for the Gateway Women book club -- which will be revealing its December book shortly... eeekkkk.... I haven't gotten very far into it yet...) 
A few recently purchased titles (in both digital and paper formats):   
Watching: We're now in the final season of "Downton Abbey," which we started watching together earlier this fall, every weekday afternoon on CBC TV (mentioned here). Not sure if they'll start at the beginning all over again when it's done, or replace it with something else? 

The last few episodes of  "Jann" aired earlier in November.  "Battle of the Blades"  also ended recently, after a six-week run. I would have been happy with almost any of the couples (figure skaters paired with hockey players, both female & male) to win -- they were all really, really great this year. The eventual champions were Olympic pairs medallist (and mom of a preemie baby girl, now one year old) Meagan Duhamel & hockey player Wojtek Wolski. The couples compete to raise funds for their favourite charities, and Meagan's winnings are going to support the Sandra Schmirler Foundation. Sandra Schmirler was a beloved Canadian curler who led Canada to a gold medal in the first-ever women's Olympic curling championship in 1998. She died in 2000 at age 36 from cancer, leaving a husband and two young daughters.  Her foundation's mission is to raise funds for hospital NICUs (neonatal intensive care units) and provide scholarships to junior curlers. 

Listening:  I haven't started listening to Christmas music yet, but will probably put on a few of my favourite CDs in the coming days, especially once we start decorating! 

Following:  The COVID-19 case numbers intently (as I have almost since the beginning of the pandemic), with an added focus now on my home province of Manitoba, where case rates have gone up dramatically since the summer. :(  There's a blank space in my Filofax calendar (week on two pages), and every Monday, I write down the numbers of total cases & deaths for the world, U.S., Canada, Ontario, Manitoba, Toronto and the region outside Toronto where we live. Comparing the numbers week to week (& over time) is sobering. 

Eating/Drinking:  Takeout dinners this month have included some of our favourites:  rotisserie chicken, Chinese food, wood oven pizza, and pasta with rapini, olive oil & garlic. Yum! 

Buying (besides books, lol):  Birthday presents (a couple of outfits, and some cash) for Great-Nephew. I took advantage of the Cyber Monday sales to buy some Christmas books & outfits for him too -- as well as some essential oils products that I've been running low on (since I won't be going to the store at the mall anytime soon). And some festive holiday season masks from Old Navy for dh & me (also on sale!).  ;) 

Wearing: I broke my usual rule about wearing yoga pants outside the house for my trip to the hospital.  ;)  Comfort rules (especially in situations like that)!  

Waiting: For the results from my hysteroscopy/d&c. The gynecologist will call me with the results... just before Christmas (of course...!). Praying that they will be good...!! 

Trying:  Not to worry too much. 

Also trying to think of some ways to make our COVID Christmas at home/away from my family fun & special, even if it's not the Christmas we had hoped for.  I'm still feeling too tired/crampy from my procedure to do too much yet, and that's kind of frustrating. :(  

Wanting: To do some Christmas baking -- some of the cookies & goodies my mom always made/makes at this time of year, and some recipes I've discovered and made on my own in the past. I'll probably share anything I do make with BIL, SIL & the nephews (I've gained enough weight lately as it is...!).  I have my recipe cards all set out, and I have the ingredients on hand to make at least some of them... 

Loving: My wonderful dh, who always takes such good care of me. <3 So, so grateful for him! 

Feeling:  Relieved to have the surgery behind me. A little apprehensive as I wait for the pathology results (so close to Christmas!).  Thankful for the welcome distraction of Little Great-Nephew's cuteness, in the photos & videos his parents post on social media. :)  Enormously sad that I won't be going home for Christmas for the first time in my life (and won't be able to spend much if any time with dh's family as consolation either!), because of the pandemic. 

And yet, still happy that it's Christmastime -- my favourite holiday season :) and a reason for some fun & joy, especially amid the gloom of a COVID-19 winter. 

7 comments:

  1. Sending good wishes for the best results of your hysteroscopy/D&C, waiting for results is awful!
    In the meantime I am seriously impressed by this list!
    Inspiring

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sending good wishes for the best results of your hysteroscopy/D&C, waiting for results is awful!
    In the meantime I am seriously impressed by this list!
    Inspiring

    ReplyDelete
  3. I hope you'll be feeling (physically) better soon. The Christmas season will be rough, but I appreciate your sacrifice for the good of yourself and others. I hope (although it's highly doubtful) that others will follow your example and stay home as much as possible.

    I haven't been home for Christmas for a long time...although my mom moved out of our family home 20 years ago, and most of my family is gone anyway. I guess it's a good thing that I'm not that attached to tradition?

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  4. What a lovely end to this post. You know I always enjoy these ones. ('cos I stole the idea! lol)

    A great time to break the yoga pants rule. I have the same rule, but also broke it this week to clean out FIL's house and go to the tip!

    Have fun planning out your Christmas Day/Eve - whichever you usually celebrate, or both. Food helps a lot in terms of planning it to be something special, I find! My husband and I always have croissants on Christmas morning - it's easy, and a bit indulgent, and we don't do it any other day of the year. Christmas baking and having it to nibble on on Christmas day is a great idea. I can't wait to hear what you make. I guess though that the great thing about a Christmas together at home is that there is absolutely no pressure to do anything you don't feel like doing.

    For once I'm actually reading a book before you! I just started Barack Obama's book, and as I haven't read either of his others, I'm really looking forward to getting into it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm giving it (Christmas baking & menus) some thought. I want it to be special, but not to the point that it's a LOT of extra work & not fun, especially over just a few short days. We'll see...! If we were with my parents, I would usually put on a nice sweater & some makeup on Christmas Eve, but I'm thinking I'll probably just put on an Old Navy Christmas-themed waffle-weave top with my yoga pants and call it a night, lol.

      I'd love to hear what you think of Obama's book. I started "Dreams From My Father" years ago, but for some reason I put it down about halfway through & never picked it up again. It was good & I did enjoy it, especially learning about his parents & grandparents. He's really a wonderful writer.

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