Showing posts with label spring break. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spring break. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

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.)

March started out cold & blustery, with a few more blasts of snow, on and off, ending with a icy blast of freezing rain over the weekend (frankly, I'd prefer a blizzard!).  But also (FINALLY! by mid-month) a few days that began to feel like spring! (One glorious day we hit 21C -- about 70F!) 

March hereabouts also means school spring break (mid-month) -- which for us meant staying close to home to avoid the mobs of frazzled families everywhere -- but which also meant we got to spend some time with the Little Great-Nephews!  :) (See below!) 

March also included lots of politics -- more threats coming from south of the border :(  and here at home, the federal Liberal party's leadership convention, quickly followed by the dissolution of Parliament and the launch of a federal election campaign. (We only just got through a provincial election in late February!) On the bright side, the campaign is only 37 days long! -- the election will be April 28th.  (Americans, take note! lol) 

Pandemic diary/update: March marked month #60 -- FIVE years since the SARS-COV-2 (covid) virus entered our lives in March 2020. :(  We (still!) remain covid-free (so far as we know... knocking wood, loudly...!).  We still mask in stores, malls and (most) other such indoor public spaces hereabouts --  especially if/when there are lots of people around. (Well, I do -- I know dh does not, when I'm not around to hand him a mask...!)  

Reading this article (part of the New York Times's 5-year milestone coverage) reinforced my resolve to keep doing what we've been doing and keep taking covid seriously:  "A Clearer Picture of Covid’s Lasting Effects on the Body."  (Gift link.) 

Among other things we did this month, we: 
  • Attended Little Great-Niece's 2nd (!) birthday party at her maternal grandparents' house on March 1st. :)  
  • Went to the mall to walk around and shop (March 4th, 18th & 25th). 
  • Drove out to our former community for haircuts, and did a little shopping and walking at the mall (March 7th).  Stopped at the cemetery en route to visit Katie & change her niche decorations from Christmas stuff to something more Easter/spring-y.  
  • On March 11th (during spring break week), we picked up SIL (at her suggestion) & drove up to stay with the two Little Great-Nephews while their mom got a much-needed haircut... and then stayed with LGN #2 while she took LGN #1 to see a movie. (BIL had to work.)  
    • Unfortunately, the movie was sold out -- but she bought them tickets for a later showing (when Older Nephew could stay with the baby), and took LGN to an indoor playground for a while instead -- and then for ice cream!
    • The dog got a lot of snuggles from me (probably more than he's had in a while!  poor neglected doggie!).  
    • We were EXHAUSTED -- but we had a LOT of fun!  :)  
  • Dropped off several bags of stuff at the local thrift shop, then went to Staples and Canadian Tire for a few things, with a final stop at the supermarket for few grocery items, plus some takeout soup for lunch. (March 14th) 
  • Had a nice browse at the bookstore, then stopped at the drugstore to pick up a few things. (March 19th) 

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Also right now:  

Reading: I finished 3 books in March (all reviewed on this blog, as well as Goodreads & StoryGraph, & tagged "2025 books"):  
This brings me to 10 books read in 2025 to date, 22% of my 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) on track to meet my goal.  :) 

Current reads: 
  • "Miss Buncle Married" by D.E. Stevenson ( (re)reading in advance of our DES group chapter-by-chapter discussion (start date still TBA) -- which I will count as another re-read once it's done). (Original 2015 review here). 
  • "Anne of Windy Poplars" by L.M. Montgomery (called "Anne of Windy Willows" in the U.K., with some text variations). My L.M. Montgomery Readathon Facebook group started reading & discussing this book together today (Jan. 6th). (Previous review here.) Currently 60% completed. 
  • "Living the Life Unexpected" by Jody Day.  I'm once again taking part in a chapter-by-chapter group read of this CNBC classic!  The most recent Zoom meeting covered Chapter 8.  This is the 5th (!) time I've read this book, or the earlier version of it ("Rocking the Life Unexpected").  (Most recent review, with links to earlier reviews, here.)  
  • "L.M. Montgomery and Gender," an essay collection edited by E. Holly Pike & Laura Robinson. Slowly working my way through, in between the other books...! 
Coming up: Most of my book groups have their next reads plotted out for a few months in advance -- and listing them here helps me keep track of what I should be reading next. ;)  
(Simon is a big fan of the late great Hilary Mantel, and the other books he's selected were all ones that she loved, so he figured they would probably be worth reading!) 

A few recently purchased titles (all in digital format, mostly discounted ($5-10 or less) or purchased with points): 


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Watching: 
  • The Oscars! (March 2nd)  I only saw one of the nominated movies ("Conclave"), and I don't follow the awards season as religiously as I once did, but it's still fun to watch. (And it's tradition! ;)  ) 
  • Several more episodes of "Only Murders in the Building" (season 2) on Disney Plus (Older Nephew is a subscriber) while staying with Little Great-Nephew #2 while his mom took LGN #1 to a movie (see above). I thought I could watch the few remaining episodes in the season on the CTV website when we got home -- they were there when I checked after watching a few on TV over Christmas/early January -- but maddeningly, they're not available there any more. And I don't want to subscribe to another streaming service!  (We don't use our Netflix subscription as it is;  I've been contemplating dropping it.)  
  • The World Figure Skating Championships from Boston (March 25th-30th), which I wrote about here.
Listening: We've been listening to more of the 80s Stingray Music channel lately (part of our cable TV package). (Maybe it will help me improve my Heardle 80s scores?? lol -- see below!) 

Playing:  
  • Heardle Decades: Stats as of March 31st: 
    • Heardle 60s: 76.0% (671/883, 262 on first guess), down 0.3% from last month. Max. streak: 15.
    • Heardle 70s: 78.4% (486/620, 275 on first guess), up 0.6% from last month. Max. streak: 18. 
    • Heardle 80s: 38.9% (192/493, 71 on first guess), up 0.2% from last month. Max. streak: 4. 
    • Heardle 90s: 29.8% (177/593, 36 on first guess), up 0.1% from last month. Max. streak: 5. 
  • NYT Connections:  
    • By Feb. 28th, I'd completed 215 games and won 81% of them, including 78 "perfect puzzles" with zero errors. I increased my maximum winning streak from 15 to 21 (and counting!).  :)   
    • By March 31st, I'd played 246 games and won 84% of them, including 123 "perfect puzzles."  And I increased my maximum winning streak from 21 to 30! 
Following:  

Eating/Drinking:  
  • As I've mentioned before, we achieved our goal of lowering our cholesterol levels in late January,  after less-than-stellar bloodwork last fall earned us both serious chats with our doctor. We'll be doing more bloodwork later in the year to check again -- so we're continuing our efforts to eat healthier -- reduce portion sizes, cut back on fatty & processed foods (fewer casseroles, more chicken and beans/lentils), eat more fruits, vegetables and fibre, snack less (and make better snacking choices), and be at least a little more active. 
    • Since then, I've continued to yo-yo a bit, but I still ended the month about a half pound lighter. (I'll take it!)  Overall, I've lost about 10 pounds since our chat with the doctor last October, and 22 pounds from my heaviest-ever weight a few years ago. 
  • The last few times we've flown west to see my family (on Air Canada), one of the free snacks we've been offered has been a small package of pretzels -- buttery herb & garlic flavoured, from a brand called Twigz. I really liked them. 
    • And then I got the brilliant idea to Google them. They are marketed as "craft pretzels," and a couple of local stores carry them. They're a little pricey, but I find it doesn't take a lot to fill me up, so a bag will last me a few days/up to a week. Nutritionally speaking, they're not bad (not great, but not bad) -- AND they are Canadian (an important consideration, especially right now).  
    • Apparently there are four flavours. I've seen two -- the buttery herb & garlic I mentioned, and zesty dill pickle. (You can have the dill pickle flavour. I'm that weird kid who hated pickles when I was growing up, and I still take them off my hamburgers before I eat them.)  Sometimes the buttery herb & garlic flavouring is a little intense but I do like the texture. 
  • Some notable recent takeout meals: soup, pizza slices and teriyaki rice bowls from the supermarket takeout counter, wood oven thin crust pizza, and rotisserie chicken. (Trying to avoid the stuff that's really calorie & fat-laden!) 
Wearing:  Still wearing long-sleeved tops, yoga pants, socks AND slippers, inside the house -- but I have not needed the cardigan in recent weeks. (Progress?)  (There was one glorious day, mid-month, when it was mild enough that I wore a denim jacket outside, and I'm not sure I even really needed that...!)    

Buying (besides books, lol): 
  • More Canadian (or, failing that, international) products (vs American -- as are many of my fellow citizens), in light of the threats a certain U.S. leader (cough!) has been making against my country recently.  :(   (It's not always easy, though, given how intertwined our two countries' economies are...!)  
  • Easter goodies for the great-niblings.
Enjoying:  Getting to spend some time with the great-niblings this month. (Hoping for more soon!)   

Appreciating:  That it's staying lighter for longer in the evenings again, since the time change earlier in the month. 

Trying: Greek yogurt, which is supposed to be healthier than the regular kind. The plain is the best from a health perspective (of course!) -- but the taste doesn't exactly knock your socks off (lol -- although I'll admit it grows on you...!).  The flavoured/fruit-on-bottom varieties are not quite as good for you, but still a relatively healthy choice. I've been eating both kinds. 

Noticing (and knocking wood, LOUDLY, as I write/type...!):  My knees have not been bothering me QUITE as much lately... I'm wondering whether the weight loss has helped??  

Also noticing that the twitch in my right eye, while not completely gone, has subsided quite a lot lately.  A friend who'd had the same problem told me someone suggested she take vitamin B, and it helped her -- so I started taking an additional 100 mcg of B12 (on top of my regular daily multivitamin) a few weeks ago. I guess it hasn't hurt...!   

Prioritizing: Getting our passports renewed!  (They expire in May.)  I worked on filling in the paperwork yesterday and rounding up our references;  hoping to get our photos taken later this week and get everything submitted by next week at the latest. (Not planning to travel to the U.S. anytime soon -- which is why we got passports 15 years ago in the first place, when they started being a requirement to cross the border -- but elsewhere is a possibility....) 

Wondering:  When/If it will ever be safe for me to visit the U.S. (including relatives there -- and my mom's hometown, just 20 miles south of the border) again..?  :(                                                                                                                                                                          
Wanting:  Some warmer temperatures (even slightly warmer) and sunshine would be nice...!  (Loving seeing some clear blue skies and sunshine today! -- albeit still a bit chilly at 3C/37F.)  
                              
Feeling: Impatient to see the end of winter and get on with spring!  Sick & tired of elections and politics. (See the opening of this post!) Looking forward to celebrating dh on his upcoming birthday, and (hopefully) seeing the great niblings at Eastertime.
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Tuesday, March 12, 2024

#MicroblogMondays: It's spring break week...

...and who needs kids to be busy??  (Hence, this post is coming to you on Tuesday instead of Monday...!)  

After a long and mostly boring/inactive winter, things started ramping up around here, mid/late last week. Here's what happened then, and how the rest of this week is unfolding:    

  • (Last) Wednesday (March 6th):  I was in the bedroom around 8 a.m. -- dh had been up but was snoozing again on the couch -- when I heard a loud tapping/dripping noise coming from the bathroom. I checked out all the taps and pipes, but I could not see any water. It sounded like it was coming from inside the wall, behind the shower or toilet. It only lasted a few minutes, gradually slowing down/tapering off and stopping. I was going to mention it to dh but forgot about it, until...
  • Thursday:  7 a.m., and we were both sound asleep -- when a loud tapping/dripping noise woke us both up. Dh sat bolt upright in bed and said, "Where's that coming from?"  We went into the bathroom. Same thing as yesterday. I grabbed my phone, turned it on and started filming. Nothing to see, of course, but my thought was to record the sound and send it to our property manager.
    • Of course the file was too big to send and I had no clue how to edit it down to a more manageable size, but I did message her anyway, describing what we'd both heard. She said she'd come check it out -- but the earliest she was available was Monday (!) and we were going to be out -- so we wound up agreeing on Wednesday (!).  Meanwhile, she told us to keep an eye out for leaks. She can't call the plumbing contractors unless there's water visible. (Lovely...) 
      • (Wouldn't you know, we haven't heard the noise since then??)(Knocking wood...!)  
    • Thursday is our usual laundry day, so we got up and got a load started.  Later in the morning, we were folding clothes in the bedroom, when dh pointed out to me that the curtain rod was hanging at a peculiar angle:  the left-side bracket that holds the rod up was starting to pull out of the wall. 
      • Unfortunately, the right-side bracket had done the same thing a few years ago...!  We got out a stool and screwdriver and attempted to tighten things up (on both sides), but things had loosened up too much. I didn't want to take it down totally, because there are streetlights below shining into our room;  plus I'd feel like I was on display to the townhouses behind us. So there it hangs, like the proverbial Sword of Damocles, less than three feet away from the bed (MY side of the bed, I might add...!). 
      • We'd actually bought these curtains (relatively cheaply) and put up them up, in the second bedroom/office as well as our bedroom, as a temporary measure when we first moved in... almost (cough!) EIGHT YEARS AGO. And we'd talked about upgrading and other options -- but then the pandemic came along and... well, you know...!  Well, no time like the present, right??  
      • I went online and looked up Blinds To Go, which has a local outlet. They offer a "shop at home" service with a consultant as well as the option of professional installation. And I was able to book an appointment with a consultant for the following afternoon!  
  • Friday:  We set the alarm clock, got up at 7 a.m. and had breakfast and coffee/tea, and got to work doing the usual weekly housecleaning, several hours earlier than normal. Showered, had lunch and were ready for the consultant's visit at 1 p.m. 
    • She arrived with a suitcase full of samples and swatches for us to look at, and was very nice and helpful. We decided on fabric vertical blinds for all three windows. They HAD to be white or off-white, as per the bylaws of our condo association, so we picked something that was textured and off-white (with flecks of a taupe-y brown running through it). She took measurements, gave us an estimate (which, while expensive enough, was a lot less than we'd expected, even before the 25% sale price was factored in), took a 50% deposit from us, and set up an appointment with a installer to come in and do exact measurements. We have a pretty busy week ahead, but luckily, she was able to book us something for the following day. 
  • Saturday:  Our appointment time frame was 9-12 noon, so once again we set our alarm clock for 7 a.m. The guy finalizing the measurements arrived at 11:15 a.m. and was in and out in about 5 minutes. (We're still waiting for the final estimate, after which we can give the go-ahead to have the blinds made. Normally, it would take about a week, but the fabric we chose for our blinds is on back order, so delivery and then installation will likely be around March 20th -- which is still pretty good!)  
    • I sat in on a Zoom chat with some other childless women, some of whom were facing Mothering Sunday/Mother's Day in the U.K. 
  • Sunday: We were pretty tired, and (no) thanks to the time change, we didn't get up until 9:30 a.m. (!)(erk!).  I had breakfast, showered, dh made brunch (scrambled eggs and toast), and then I spent a two-hour shift co-hosting a Mothering Sunday/UK Mother's Day text chat in the Childless Collective private community where I'm a member.  That ended around 3 p.m. I made my usual weekly Sunday phone call to my parents and also talked to my sister, who was there for the weekend. Helped dh get dinner in the oven, and then started getting ready for... 
    • The Oscars!! -- which, this year, started an hour earlier than it usually does, at 7 p.m. 
      • In between dinner and 7, I hunted up and printed off a ballot online to mark up as the show progressed -- something I've done since I was a kid -- albeit back then, I used one clipped from the newspaper!
      • I thought it was one of the better shows in recent memory and, amazingly enough, it ENDED ON TIME (a few minutes early, even!).  That was a good thing, because the earlier start time meant the show also ended an hour earlier than is usually does -- i.e., 10:30 p.m. instead of 11:30 p.m. or midnight.  (Past Oscars-related posts here.) 
      • When I was working, I used to sometimes take the Monday after the Oscars off, so that I could sleep in (vs getting up before 5 a.m. to get to work for 8 a.m.). I've been retired for almost 10 years, but believe it or not, I had to set the alarm for 5 a.m. the next day (which was, of course, 4 a.m. before the time changed...!)  because... 
  • Yesterday/Monday: ...we had to be at BIL's house by 7 a.m. to spend the day with Little Great-Nephew, who is (of course) on spring break.   Older Nephew dropped the little guy off at around 7:15 a.m., and returned to pick him up around 4:15.  He is really good and no real trouble at all -- but he's 4, and very active! so we were (and still are!  lol)  both EXHAUSTED!  
    • We were looking after him because BIL & SIL were wrapping up a well-deserved week on a sunny beach in the Caribbean with one of dh & BIL's cousins and her husband. (But we went to their house, since LGN is comfortable there and has lots of toys there, etc. -- more space too!)  Later that evening, we headed to the airport to pick them up. (We were among the very few people waiting in the arrivals area and returning from trips who were wearing masks.)  They'll be looking after LGN tomorrow, Wednesday & Thursday. (His mom has Fridays off.)  
  • Today/Tuesday: We slept in until 9:30 a.m. (again!!). (If we hadn't gotten up when we did, we would have had a pretty rude awakening about an hour later -- monthly test of the building's fire alarm system!  lol)  Dh went to get some groceries and some takeout soups for lunch, and then we headed over to BIL's to see LGN (again) and find out more about how their trip went. We were all pretty tired, though, so we didn't stay long (much to LGN's displeasure). We probably won't see him again until Eastertime, because.... 
  • Wednesday/Tomorrow:  We're setting the alarm clock again:  our property manager will be coming by sometime in the morning (before noon) to check out the noises from the bathroom (a full WEEK after we first heard them!). We told her we could do the morning, but not the afternoon, because...
    • ...we will be heading into the city for our annual checkups with our longtime optometrist. We normally ask for a mid-morning appointment to avoid rush-hour traffic, but his assistant was able to schedule us on an earlier date because someone cancelled. Here's hoping traffic will be lighter than usual (because everyone is spending break week in Mexico or Florida, etc., lol...) -- and that my eyes continue to be healthy (after my surgery two summers ago).  
  • Thursday: Our usual laundry day -- but we'll have to finish up by lunchtime or later in the afternoon/evening, because in the early afternoon we will be heading.... 
    • ...back to our old community:  I have an appointment with our family doctor -- a follow up visit re: a red patch (rosacea? eczema?) on my left cheek (mentioned here). It's much better than it was when I saw another doctor at the same clinic on Feb. 22nd -- much less red/rough/inflamed and no longer itchy -- but it's still there, still somewhat noticeable, and taking its sweet time to disappear.  :p  (Very annoying.) 
    • On our way there or back, we'll stop off at the cemetery with some Easter decorations for Katie's niche. 
    • And on our way back, we'll probably stop off at the drugstore:  I'm in need of a few items. 
  • Friday:  Dh will be setting the alarm:  we need new tires for our car (8 years old, almost 70,000 km on it), and BIL has arranged a good deal for him with a guy he knows. He & dh will be going there around 8 a.m.  Meanwhile, it's our regular housecleaning day, so I'll get started on that and do as much as I can myself until he gets back.

How is YOUR week shaping up? 

You can find more of this week's #MicroblogMondays posts here. 

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Friday, March 1, 2024

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.)

(This month is a slightly abbreviated version, as I honestly couldn't think of something to write about for several of my usual categories...!) 

February was, as usual, not my favourite month. :(  There wasn't anything really bad about it, but for a short month -- even with an extra day tacked on for leap year -- it sure felt long.  :(  

Pandemic diary/update: February was month #47 (soon to be FOUR YEARS...!) since the COVID-19 pandemic began -- and people around us still getting sick, many of them for the first time. :(  We remain covid-free (knocking wood, loudly...), and continue to mask in stores and most other public places, especially where there are a lot of people. 

Among other things this month, we: 
  • Saw Little Great-Nephew at his grandparents' house on Feb. 5th, 7th and 20th. (On all three occasions, he wasn't feeling well and was running a slight temperature (not covid), so his parents kept him out of school and with his grandparents while they were working.) 
  • Shopped at Reitmans & Laura (women's clothing) as well as Carters/Oskosh (children's clothing) and Shoppers Drug Mart, on Feb. 6th;  and Canadian Tire, Chapters (bookstore), Reitmans and Carters (again) on Feb. 21st. 
  • Spent the morning of Feb. 15th at the mall, including lunch in the food court (unmasked, obviously), and then a few hours in the afternoon at Younger Nephew's nearby townhouse (along with BIL & SIL), being royally entertained by Little Great-Niece. :)  
  • Made the trip to our family doctor's office in our old community on Feb. 22nd -- he was booked solid, but I was able to see another doctor in the practice about the large red, somewhat itchy patch (eczema?) on my left cheek, and get a prescription (stopped off at the drugstore to have it filled, en route home). (See also: "Buying," below.).
  • Returned to our old community on Saturday, Feb. 24th, for haircuts. The salon we go to has merged operations with another salon across the street and moved over there. Normally, we try to get the first available appointment with our regular stylist on Friday morning, and I was aiming for March 1st, six weeks after our last haircuts -- but she was booked solid then -- and Little Great-Niece's first birthday party is on Saturday, March 2nd.  I didn't think I could last until the week after that -- so we wound up going on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 24th. It was very busy in there, and a smaller space than the previous location. 
    • Normally I would have worn a mask in this case -- but I've found that masks really irritate the itchy red patch on my left cheek. Ten minutes in & out of  a store, okay, but an hour in a salon? I decided to take the risk and went maskless.  (Knocking wood...!) 

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Also right now:  

Reading: I finished 2 books in February (reviewed on this blog, as well as Goodreads & StoryGraph, & tagged "2024 books").  (I've been reading a lot of PAGES, but not necessarily finishing many books...! See my "Current reads" list, directly below...!)  
This brings me to 6 books read so far in 2024, 13% of my 2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books.  I am currently 1 book behind my goal.  :( 

Current read(s): 
Coming up: Most of my book groups have their next reads plotted out for a few months in advance -- and listing them here helps me keep track of what I should be reading next. ;)  
  • For the Notes from Three Pines (Louise Penny mysteries) Readalong: The last discussion was for book #3, "The Cruellest Month," posted June 7th -- no further posts/books since then.  I've continued dipping into the series on my own, between other book club obligations. Book #6, "Bury Your Dead," is the next one on my list! 
A few recently purchased titles (mostly in digital format, mostly discounted ($5-10 or less) or purchased with points): 

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Watching: 
Listening: To Heardle Decades: Stats as of  Feb. 29th:   
  • Heardle 60s:  76.6% (393/513, 169 on first guess), down just slightly from last month. Max. streak: 15.
  • Heardle 70s:  82.5% (212/257, 118 on the first guess), same as last month. Max. streak: 18. 
  • Heardle 80s: 43.4% (56/129,  24 on the first guess), down from last month. Max. streak: 4. 
  • Heardle 90s: 29.2% (71/243, 14 on the first guess), down from last month. Max. streak: 4. 

Eating/Drinking:  Takeout dinners included McDonalds, chicken souvlaki on a pita, teriyaki chicken rice bowls from the supermarket takeout, and cutlet sandwiches from California Sandwiches (veal with tomato sauce for dh, chicken for me). 

I dusted off my Mom's meatloaf recipe, which I hadn't used in quite a while, and made mini-meatloaves in muffin tins, topped with a tangy Dijon mustard/brown sugar glaze, and served with garlic mashed potatoes and veggies. There were leftovers to put in the freezer for a couple of future dinners, too. Yum!  

We tried a quinoa broccoli salad recipe (gift link) that I found in the New York Times Cooking section -- similar to another quinoa salad we tried before Christmas, that we first had at dh's cousin's house -- and we both really enjoyed it, for one dinner and a couple of lunches too. :)  We used a pouch of President's Choice microwavable quinoa (instead of cooking from scratch), pre-shredded cheddar from a bag, Craisins, and we didn't toast the pecans.  Next time, I would probably chop the broccoli and apple into smaller pieces (dh did the chopping this time around), and I might make & add a little more of the dressing -- loved the tangy-ness! 

Buying (besides books, lol):  
  • Presents for Little Great-Niece & Little Great-Nephew, for Valentine's Day, Easter, and Little Great-Niece's 1st birthday (which was Feb. 27th -- party coming up this weekend!). 
  • A small jar of Clinique Redness Solutions cream to try (ordered online), to help combat the rosacea and eczema on my face that I've been experiencing lately (likely the result of the very dry air in our condo). :(   It has seemed to help a little. 
  • A new filter for our Dyson air purifier/humidifier. We bought this unit in October 2022 and the filter hasn't been replaced yet;  it's now down to 13% capacity, so I figured it was time to get a replacement to have on hand...!  
Wearing: It's been chilly inside as well as outside these past few days (and on & off during the month) -- so long sleeved shirts under a cardigan, socks and slippers have been a must!  

Enjoying:  Being cozy at home when it's chilly and/or snowy or rainy outside. (Albeit sometimes I do go a little stir-crazy...!) 

Noticing:  Lately, it's been staying SLIGHTLY lighter, longer/later. Progress??  

Trying:  Metamucil gummies (!). (Am I old or what??)  At my checkup last fall, my family doctor noted that my cholesterol levels have been gradually rising for the past couple of years. (Uh oh.) It's not at the point where I need medication, yet, but he recommended exercise (sigh...), and increasing my fibre intake. "Try Metamucil," he suggested.  I probably made a face when he said that. My mother has used Metamucil powder in a glass of water for years, for more, ahem, traditional reasons. ;)  I always thought it looked completely disgusting. 

But then I saw an ad for Metamucil gummies, and thought I might be able to handle those. So I've been giving them a try -- and they actually taste pretty good (they're orange flavoured).  ;)  The maximum suggested dosage is up to three gummies, three times a day, with plenty of fluids. I started out with just one and have been gradually increasing the dosage. They advise taking them at least two hours before or two hours after any other medication. I take a blood pressure pill in the morning, and a thyroid pill in the late afternoon/early evening, which makes for some tricky logistics...! I probably won't ever get to the maximum dosage -- and I had to stop taking them temporarily this past week, when my doctor put me on a course of antibiotics to combat the inflammation/eczema on my cheek -- but until that point, I'd worked myself up to two before lunch and one in the evening. It remains to be seen whether they're helping my cholesterol levels...!  

Appreciating:  The sun, when it does shine!  

Wanting: Oddly, I've been wishing there was more snow!  We've had hardly any so far this winter -- and I know, it's not over yet...!  Some people are perfectly happy with the milder winter -- and yes, it's easier for me to wish for snow when I (or dh!) don't have to shovel it!  But this is Canada, it's winter, and this is NOT NORMAL.  :(   (The lack of moisture is also not good for the crops, as any farmer will tell you.)  As I mentioned in this recent post, I've seen several articles recently on this theme -- like this one, and this one -- and there is a real sense of grief and loss developing -- mourning for a vanishing way of life that the children of the future won't get to experience. :(   

Prioritizing:  Hard to know what to prioritize sometimes, with so many things on my to-do list (and more coming at me...!).   

Feeling: Glad that February is over -- but quite aware that winter isn't, yet...! Looking forward to Little Great-Niece's FIRST birthday party this weekend!  :)  NOT looking forward to March break (it's the week of March 11th here) and the inevitable crowds of kids and parents everywhere -- a good week to hunker down at home...!  Exception:  the Monday of break week (March 11th), when we'll be looking after Little Great-Nephew for the day while his parents are at work and his grandparents are en route home from a holiday. :)  (They'll look after him for the rest of the week.) 
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Saturday, March 11, 2023

THREE YEARS -- plus odds & ends

  • Today marks THREE YEARS (!) since the World Health Organization declared we were in a global pandemic. 
    • Last year on this day, I wrote about "Two years of pandemic living," and what was good/better and what wasn't. In 2021, I relived March 12, 2020 -- i.e., what I called  "The Last Normal Day" -- one year later. 
    • I tried to come up with something new & original to write about to mark this day this year, but there's not a whole lot I could think of that I haven't already said (or that someone else hasn't said, better). 
    • I recently read that, by some measures (deaths and hospitalizations, I think), this has actually been the worst year of the pandemic to date -- the numbers (the ones being reported, anyway...) have not gone dramatically up over the past several months -- but they haven't declined a whole lot either.  And yet, covid is now a non-issue, completely off the radars of so many people (certainly our politicians). It's mind-boggling, and horribly discouraging. It does not bode well for the future, and certainly not for any future pandemics. :(  
    • And so onward we muddle, into YEAR 4...!  
    • (This is NOT how I pictured spending my retirement years..!)  
  • It's spring break here in Ontario this week. Even before the pandemic, our inclination has always been to stay close to home this week to avoid the mobs of parents & kids running amok everywhere...!  (And how much worse would it be if people didn't take off for Florida or the Caribbean or Mexico and just stayed home this week??)  This year won't be any different...!  
    • We don't normally go to the supermarket or drugstore on Saturdays (for the same reason), but dh needed to pick up a prescription and stopped at the supermarket across the street to pick up some snacks for Oscar-watching tomorrow night. He reported it was a total madhouse in there, so much so that he could hardly walk down some of the aisles because they were so crowded with people and carts. Yikes!  
  • A reader recently contacted me off-blog to let me know her comments didn't seem to be getting through. I have no idea why (sorry if this has happened to you!), but I was prompted to check my spam folder for the first time in a while. I discovered five comments there that should have been marked "awaiting moderation" -- three dating as far back as October, one dating back to 2014 (?! -- I've certainly checked my spam folder since then...!) and one from... ME (!)(my response to another comment). Weird!  
  • From Stephanie Phillips at World Childless Week:  "My Childless Identity Feels Under Threat." I particularly related to this passage, near the end. It's a pet peeve of mine and something I noticed when I first realized I would be permanently childless, 20+ years ago now (and something I've mentioned on this blog before) -- but Steph puts it so very well here.  [Boldfaced emphasis mine.]
...I have noticed a steady build up of pronatalism trying to eliminate our presence by encompassing the labels of childless and childfree into parenthood. 
No longer do the words solely dictate those who chose not to have children and those who had no choice in the matter. A parent can now be childless or childfree for the day or weekend, as they share their delight at the children being with the other parent, grandparent or convenient childless aunt. Childless has suddenly become a word of positivity when adopted by parents. What a clever way to turn childless grief on its head and hide away the pain; twist it and embrace it as a positive in the parent’s world. Parents shout about the joys of being a parent and equally the joys of being childless.
Just to underline and reiterate everything I have said, I am not saying parenting is not hard and I am not saying I understand what it is like to be a parent. I am not saying that you don’t deserve time away from the kids to relax or party or do anything in between. 
When I tell you I am childless I am sharing a part of my story; a part that represents a deep grief and a true love. I am sharing a really important part of who I am. I am not childless for the afternoon or the weekend, I am childless for the rest of my life.

  • Sara Petersen writes about "momfluencer culture" at "In Pursuit of Clean Countertops," and she recently wrote about the pregnancy of one particular "momfluencer" (unknown to me) and why we find momfluencer pregnancies -- and, by extension, pregnancy generally, both on & offline -- so fascinating. The content is heavy on moms & the shared experience of pregnancy -- but I have to admit that I, as a non-mom, found it (and all her writings) fascinating, because it explains so much about the mom-centric culture we as childless-not-by-choice women exist in and why we feel so alienated at times. (A large and growing chunk of the population will never have children, for various reasons -- so pregnancy and parenthood are not universal experiences, as some assume...)  If other moms find it difficult to live up to this stuff, how do they think it makes us non-moms feel??   Unfortunately, those questions never get asked -- I wish they would, because I think it would be a fascinating conversation and perhaps a lightbulb moment for some thoughtful parents... 

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Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Odds & ends

  • It's spring break this week here in Ontario. Even in pre-covid times, dh & I tended to hibernate during this week to avoid the masses of parents & kids running amok in stores, malls, movie theatres and restaurants -- and given that covid is still with us (really, it is! -- despite what certain politicians & others might be telling you...), AND our provincial government recently abandoned capacity restrictions and vaccine passports (and will soon abandon mask mandates as well)... needless to say, we are (still) staying home this week.  ;)  
  • It is 0C/32F and it has been snowing outside ALL DAY (again). It does look pretty -- but as I said to dh and to a few friends on social media, "it would be prettier if it was December instead of mid-March...!"  (Not that it's uncommon to see snow here at this time of year -- but it's been a LOOOONNNNGGGG winter! and most of us are more than ready for it to be over...!) 
    • It IS gradually getting milder. And the first day of spring officially arrives this weekend...! 
  • I noticed, as we went to & from the car on Saturday night, that the property managers (or -- someone??) have already taken down all the posters around our building reminding people about the requirement to wear masks in common areas. Just a wee bit premature -- the provincial mask mandate is lifting -- but not until March 21st.  
  • Dh & I were thinking of ordering takeout from a local restaurant we hadn't tried before. It's close by (within walking distance), with an extensive menu and good reviews. Then I looked at their social media accounts.  It seems they were not checking vaccine passports when they were in effect (and posted to that effect), and they also openly supported the convoy in Ottawa (although they also claimed they were not anti-vaxx or anti-masks). I understand these past two years have been extremely hard on restaurants and small businesses, and I suppose they got a lot of business (and good reviews) from people who also objected to the passports and/or other restrictions (and knew they could go to eat there without questions), and/or supported the convoy (judging from the number of "likes" and enthusiastic comments), but... they lost this potential customer.  :( 
  • I saw this review in the Washington Post of a new memoir by Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, who got caught up in the first Trump impeachment scandal and ultimately lost her job because she refused to do the President's bidding. I knew she was Canadian-born (moved to the U.S. as a child), but I did not know that she is both single and childless. Adding it to my reading wish list. 
  • I listened in live earlier this afternoon to this week's New Legacy Radio podcast, with Christine Erickson interviewing childfree-by-choice activist, researcher and author Laura Carroll about her new book, "25 Over 10," a longitudinal study of 25 childfree women over 10 years. (Laura is also the author of "The Baby Matrix," an eye-opening and thought-provoking look at pronatalism, which I read & reviewed here and highly recommend.)  They also talked about how to bring together the childfree and childless communities, to build a shared movement for meaningful change. ("We have more in common than we think," says Carroll, and I agree!)  You can listen to their discussion here, or on most podcast apps. 
  • Also available today on most podcast apps:  Jody Day of Gateway Women was a guest on the "1 in 5" podcast with journalist Geeta Pendse, which focuses on life without children, whether by choice or chance. 
  • Lots of buzz among UK CNBCers about "Again, Rachel" a new book by Irish author Marian Keyes (and a sequel to her 1997 novel "Rachel's Holiday"). I've never read any of her books, but I feel like maybe it's time to start. ;)  Keyes is in her late 50s and childless-not-by-choice, and apparently her heroine Rachel is too. She (Marian, not Rachel) is a regular on the BBC podcast "Now You're Asking" with Tara Flynn, and a recent episode talked about the pain of infertility (the first 10 minutes of the 28-minute episode). Worth a listen (plus you get to listen to those wonderful accents...! -- I wound up listening to the entire episode because I loved their voices and loved their advice!). 
    • I can also recommend this article by Keyes in The Times (UK) where she writes about the obstacles she's overcome in her life (including alcoholism, loss, grief, infertility and childlessness). You may need to register to access it. 

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Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Odds & ends

  • Thank you for your well wishes on yesterday's post about feeling under the weather (during a global pandemic, no less...!).  Throat is still a bit sore, but overall, I'm feeling better. 
  • Dh went to the local supermarket early yesterday morning for more milk (and anything else he could scrounge up). He did get the milk, and a few other things -- including some cereal, some coffee and the last two chicken pot pies in the freezer case -- but reported the shelves were generally pretty bare. He later went to a smaller grocery store nearby that specializes in Italian foods (lots of imports) & had more success there (including toilet paper! & cans of his favourite beans).  He's out (again) this morning for a few more items on our wish list, and anything else useful he might run across. (He claims he's OK with being cooped up at home, but I'm not so sure about that, lol...) 
    • Please tell me I'm not the only one who's suddenly become hyper-aware of how much toilet paper I'm consuming (counting out squares for each use)?? For a society that's so used to abundance and convenience, this has been an eye-opener, I think... 
  • Yesterday, the prime minister announced Canada is banning entry to most non-residents because of the pandemic (American are still OK, for now...). For those currently outside the country, the PM delivered an unequivocal message:  "It's time for you to come home." Those returning from abroad are being asked to self-quarantine for 14 days. 
    • I know a few people who, despite the deteriorating situation, still headed for the Caribbean for spring break last week (with small children in tow). I hope they all get back all right -- but seriously, I don't understand why they still went ahead with their trips in the first place?? 
    • (I sure hope they were well stocked with toilet paper and other groceries before they left... they may be in for a rude awakening when they do return...!) 
  • Yesterday morning, SIL & I finally got the (completely expected) news that Elton John has postponed many of his upcoming concerts, including the show we were supposed to attend on March 29th. The tickets will still be good for new dates TBA for 2021.   
  • On the ALI/CNBC front:  Lisa at Life Without Baby has announced that after 10 years, she’ll be stepping back from the blog & community she created… she’ll be maintaining the site, but closing the community forums on April 10th, and she won't be posting regularly after Mother's Day (May 11th). :(  Please go over and thank her for everything she's done for our childless-not-by-choice community. 
  • Don't forget I will be giving away a free, autographed copy of the new edition of Jody Day's classic book for the childless-not-by-choice community, "Living the Life Unexpected." Want to win?  Leave a comment to that effect here. I will be drawing the winner's name this Friday, March 20th! 
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Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Odds & ends: The coronavirus edition

  • It never rains but it pours:  After a long winter with a lot of sitting around the house, I had not just one but TWO last-minute invitations for the same day this week, from two different friends from "back home" who were in town. One for lunch, and one for a concert. 
    • I reluctantly turned both invitations down... for several reasons, but a BIG one being that travelling downtown on the subway right now, and being a crowded concert hall in close quarters with several hundred other people, doesn't seem like a great idea at the moment, with COVID-19 lurking around... (I didn't say so when declining the invite... just said it was a busy week & not good timing.) 
    • (Also, having turned down one invitation, could I really in good conscience accept the other?) 
    • I really want to say "yes" more often to more things, especially things that get me out of the house... but sometimes "no" is just a whole lot less complicated...!  
  • We did go to the local mall for some shopping, walking and lunch as usual on Tuesday morning (midweek, right in time for opening = generally less crowded, which is a good thing, even without coronavirus considerations). There were still plenty of people around -- but it was noticeably less busy than it usually is at that time of the day & week. 
  • Next week is spring break for Ontario schools, and the Friday before spring break week is usually the busiest travel day of the year. It will be very interesting to see (a) what this year's travel volumes are like and (b) how much busier the local stores & malls will be (or not), even if more people stay home this year. 
    • I know at least two people who still plan to head off for Caribbean vacations shortly with their families. 
  • Next week was also supposed to be the world figure skating championships in Montreal -- something I always look forward to watching on TV.  (I even thought about going this year... until I got a look at the ticket prices!!). Unfortunately, the Quebec government has stepped in and cancelled the event. :(   Social isolation is one thing, but NOW what do I watch while I sit around the house next week??  (lol) 
  • Pearl Jam postponed their North American tour because of COVID-19. They were supposed to be here next week, on March 18th. I didn't have tickets (I'm slightly outside their demographic, lol), but SIL & I have tickets to see Elton John at the end of the month. I guess we'll see how things shake out, but right now, it's not looking good... I'm even more glad now that I made the trip to see him last fall with my sister!  
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Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Odds & ends

  • It is spring break hereabouts. (Insert eyeroll icon & cue the "Ride of the Valkyries" music.) So far, the crowds haven't been TOO bad when we've been out & about... but we expect that to change as the week goes on...!  
  • Not only was Sunday the switchover to daylight saving time, our building had a 6-hour planned power outage from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (which wound up actually lasting from 9:30 to 2:20) while the local power company did some work just up the street from us (no doubt connected to the never-ending road/rapid transit line construction work that's been going on almost from the day we moved here...!).  No TV, no Internet, no heat (fortunately, it wasn't too very cold outside...), no hot water (we set the alarm clock so that we'd have time for breakfast & showers before they pulled the plug on us).  We thought about going for brunch & a movie ("Captain Marvel" opened this weekend... although reviews have been mixed...)  but... did I mention it's spring break hereabouts??  :p  We decided to skip the movie -- went for brunch & a bookstore browse instead. The first restaurant we went to had a lineup out the door, so we tried another one, which was also busy but we did get seated right away. And the bookstore was not as busy as I feared it might be, thank goodness!  :)  
  • Cristy alerted me to this site -- Table for Two. It's noteworthy for some of the recipes alone (yum!), but it also covers other lifestyle topics. The blogger, Julie, is childfree by choice, and recently wrote a post on the subject (which is why Cristy sent me the link -- thanks, Cristy!). And even though Julie never wanted children, there's a lot in her post that sounds familiar -- check it out! 
  • (POTENTIAL SPOILERS)  Anyone see last week's episode of "Young Sheldon?" In a nutshell, Sheldon's mom Mary discovers she's pregnant. Now, we KNOW Sheldon only has two siblings -- older brother Georgie, twin sister Missy -- since we've met them in adult form on "The Big Bang Theory."  No others have ever been mentioned. I said, "Uh oh, miscarriage." Dh (ever-optimistic, despite our own experiences and 10 years as a pregnancy loss group facilitator) said, "Nah, it's a comedy. They'll just figure out it was a mistake and she wasn't pregnant after all."  And of course, it WAS a (very early) miscarriage. (And relatively well handled, as these things go on TV, which was nice to see!)  
  • "Mad About You" is returning to TV! -- albeit some obscure U.S. streaming service. I do hope some channel from our cable package picks it up here in Canada. From what I've read, Paul & Jamie Buchman, played by Paul Reiser & Helen Hunt, will be empty nesters after their daughter Mabel goes off to college.  
    • I wrote about this series & the eerie parallels between Paul & Jamie's life and mine & dh's (up to a point...) several years ago, here.  
    • A few commenters remembered "didn't they break up at the very end"?  I guess, like "Roseanne," they will just ignore that inconvenient storyline, lol.  
    • Some commenters wanted to know if Murray the dog would be making an appearance. Not likely, because Murray would be at least 25 years old now!   
    • One commenter wisecracked "I guess Nat the dog walker won't be making an appearance."  (Nat was played by Hank Azaria.  He and Helen Hunt lived together for about five years, got married in 1999 and then split about 1-2 years later.)  
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