Thursday Catch-up!

Thursday seems to have become my blogging day!  I know all I basically do is ramble about the mundane things going on in my life, but hey.  That's life these days.  Here we go again!

• It just hit me this week that my winter long weekends will very soon be drawing to a close.  I probably only have a few left.  And while I'm sad to see them winding down, I have to say I have enjoyed them to the MAX this winter and so I have no regrets.  The warmer weather will bring a busier day to day at work, and then the days and weeks will be flying by, so I'm going to soak up these last few long weekends and really savour them.  Movies.  Doing nails.  Cooking/baking. Reading. Crocheting.  All the things this grizzly bear in hibernation loves to do. ;)
• There have been a few days during the pandemic that I have felt truly joyous.  One was last spring, after weeks of lockdowns and orders to stay apart, when our provincial government announced we could gather outdoors with 10 people.  That meant my family could get together again, and I rejoiced.  Yesterday was another one.  Unexpectedly, the age in Quebec to be eligible for the vaccine dropped to 70, and so I was able to go online and book my mom's appointment (which is towards the end of March.) I literally felt like I could get up and dance.  My mom has been pretty calm and patient throughout all of this, and has often said, "I'm not worried, I will get it when I can get it, I'm in no rush."  But when the time finally came?  Yes.  We felt like celebrating. Absolutely!!
• So last weekend, I was trying to decide what movie to watch from my 100 Movie Bucket List poster, and randomly ended up choosing American History X.  I had never seen it before, and may I just say... Wow!! That was a powerful movie!!  I usually fall asleep watching movies in the evening, but not this time. If you haven't seen it...it's a must watch, in my opinion!!
• I have also finally been sucked in to Sons of Anarchy.  It was slow to start for me, it took almost the whole first season before I was hooked, but...yep. I'm there now.  I live for the evenings, when I know I can settle in to watch a few episodes. 
• OH, and of COURSE, I watched the Harry & Meghan interview with Oprah Sunday evening.  And I think, for the most part, I shall keep my thoughts to myself.  I have always been a fan of the Royal Family, but I have also been a fan of Harry & Meghan, so I felt very torn.  Regardless of which side I fall on, it was quite the bombshell interview.  Again, recorded it because I was sure I would fall asleep, but I ended up being riveted for the full two hours.  I wasn't going to miss a second of that!
• Update on no online shopping for Lent:  Still doing well!  I did get my fix in this week, but by working through my loopholes. lol  I placed an order for a GelMoment party I was in (can't get enough of this stuff!) and I ordered some birthday presents.  But I still haven't cracked otherwise.  It is HARD, guys!  A million things run through my mind each day that I "need", but when I really question myself, it's never something I actually "need".  I now have a list on my phone of things I want to purchase once my spending freeze is over.  It will be interesting to see come Easter Monday which ones I actually still think are important.
• So today marks the one year anniversary since Covid-19 was declared a global pandemic.  Blehhhhhh.  When I think back, I can't believe how of all the worries and fears I have had in my lifetime, "pandemic" never even registered on my radar until it was right in front of my face.  In these early days of panic a year ago, I still didn't quite get how real it was going to become.  I can see from my Facebook memories, we were still joking around about it.  At this point, I still hadn't even grasped how serious it was going to be.  I think it was a year ago tonight though that word broke that Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson had it, and the NBA was shutting down, which for me was the first really big flashing warning light that big shit was going down.  I remember lying in bed scrolling through Twitter and reading all of this, then calling my mom and being like, "Uhhhh... Mom, the world is going crazy.  TOM HANKS HAS CORONAVIRUS."  And she had to calm me down. (the first time of many times to come).
• As I have mentioned before, I have this weird feeling of dread as we enter this period of "one year anniversary" in regards to the pandemic.  I just kind of want to zip through the next week quickly, so I don't have to think each day, "A year ago, Tom Hanks got it. ... A year ago, was my last day "out"... A year ago, I had to move in with Mom. ... A year ago, I had to leave work because I was having a nervous breakdown."  I don't want to mark these anniversaries, I don't even want to think about it. I just want to focus on those "brighter days ahead" that we've been talking about for a year but that finally feel like they might be within grasp.  
• So to celebrate this "anniversary weekend" (hahaha) ... I have really no plans at all, yet again! I don't even have any ideas for movies to watch or things to cook... all I know for sure is I want to do my nails and finish the shawl I'm crocheting.  I'm sure I'll figure something out to keep myself entertained.  I will have to, to stop myself from reminding myself that one year ago was our last weekend of freedom...

Better days ahead, friends... the light is growing brighter. :)