Day 292: New Year’s Eve 2020

Here we are, we made it to the end of this insane year, New Years’ Eve 2020. I had a nice day & went to bed before midnight. Feeling good about the year ahead. We have a lot to be grateful for. Looking back at everything that happened this year, I learned a lot. Despite being home/cottage for 90% of the year I did a lot of new things, ditched some old habits, made some new ones. On a side note, I’m really glad to have grown my hair out. I wanted to do it for years and this is the most un-dyed it’s been since I was a teenager. I’m celebrating the growth.

My word for 2020 was BLOOM.

At the end of 2019, I had a deep-rooted need for change, I wanted something different in my career and was well on my way to leading a healthier lifestyle. In my mind, by the time spring arrived in 2020, I’d be ready to bloom. In January 2020, I went to Cuba, stayed in a hotel, went to events. One weekend in February, I met with some friends and one specific conversation bloomed into something really great career-wise. In March, most of my work was canceled and I ended up on CERB until the end of summer.

During that time I did a lot of creative things, I wrote every day, did tie-dye, learned to propagate plants, read books in the sun, and worked out heaps. There were a lot of hard times too, don’t get me wrong, but for the purpose of documenting this memory, I want to be thankful for all the ups and downs. I am grateful for the opportunity to slow down, to create, to be in the moment and not the rat race. As a working human, I might never get to do that again!

We’re getting close to Day 300 of my Pandemic Diary and I am pretty glad I stuck to writing (almost) every single day. Even if just a photo or a quick note, a journal is an incredible tool for self-discovery and reflection. If you want to learn more about yourself, keep a daily journal. No matter what, you’ll be able to look back and see how you have grown and changed.

BYE 2020, THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES.

Day 291: Wild Woman, Onesie, Winter Wear

I’ve had this suit from The Drake General Store for ages and finally decided to wear it. ? A onesie makes great winter wear, cute, cozy, and warm. FYI The Drake has a great habanero hot sauce you can order online or with your takeout order. Highly recommend! I like to add it to pasta, stir-fry, or just about anything deep-fried.

In other news, my latest round of scrunchies are white organza! The fabric is from a sheer curtain I ordered on Amazon ages ago but was the wrong size. This one turned out so good, she pretty! I can’t wait to gift a few of these to friends as a surprise by mail. I’m quite behind on sending out anything Christmas-related (as planned) but maybe Valentine’s Day is a better time to send love anyway. ?

This was the moon last night over the cottage, the last full moon of 2020. I stared at its beauty, then closed my eyes, and took a few deep breaths. Before going inside, I made six wishes and gave a howl like the wild woman I am, as a way to say:

‘BYE 2020 I AM READY FOR NEW!’

Day 290: This is Me on Zoom

Look at the camera. Check the lighting. Fix your hair. Grab a pen and notebook. Pay attention. Mason jar of water. Listen, respond. Don’t touch your hair. Have some coffee. Smile. Look at the camera. Smile. Write something down. Look at the camera. Stop looking at yourself. Listen. Don’t touch your hair. 2020 work in a nutshell.

Day 289: Last Monday of 2020

What a year it’s been! I’m planning to write something thoughtful about the things I’ve learned this year before the end of the week. We’ve all grown and changed so much. It’s crazy to think we’re almost at 300 days of the pandemic with no end in sight. As this is the last Monday of 2020, think about how you can make Monday your fav day of the week in 2021.

Today is a holiday (Boxing Day) and I’m looking forward to being back in business tomorrow and meeting with a colleague (over Zoom of course!).

We have to clear off some snow from the last couple of days but we’ve got a skating rink and cold-plunge pool down by the lake. Sean has really been into cold immersion this year. I’m not as experienced but I love the idea and how it feels (after, not during!). Planning to do at least one more dip before 2020 is over.

Day 288: Snow Queen

No, I didn’t change my face! These were taken with an Instagram filter! It’s wild how they can change your face to look different. I see how smooth my skin looks, eyes bigger, lips full, and all the comments about how great I look. No wonder people have body image issues! I am not this glam in real life haha.

This is my fav hat from Rudsak a few years ago for their 20th Anniversary, they only made 20 of them. Coat is the kids Jilly Jacket from Joe Fresh.

That’s all for today, not much happening up here in the woods.

Day 287: Boxing Day 2020

Drove back up to the cottage today to spend the last week of 2020 in the woods. It’s SO snowy! The roads were pretty crazy once we got out of the city as we drove through the snow storm.

Sean did a bit of shovelling as I collected wood for the fire. I’m gonna bo back to eating less meat after indulging a bit over the holidays. I’ve also ate more chocolate and candy in the last few days than the entire year. Felt good tho, I earned a good binge.

One of my fav things to make is a simple chickpea curry in the Instant Pot. While soaking the chickpeas, I sauté onions & garlic with olive oil, then add spices to activate them. I add in some broth and chickpeas without the shells. I like to throw in tomatoes, potatoes, or cauliflower depending on what’s in the fridge. I set the timer for 12 minutes and once done, I add in chopped spinach. It is so incredibly good, especially on cold winter days.

Day 284: Christmas Eve Eve

Traditionally Sean and I give each other our gifts on Christmas Eve Eve. We’re back downtown and it’s so nice to be home. I met up with a friend for a brief distance hang then Sean and I celebrated the holidays with some drinks. We’re both officially off work for a few days and it feels GREAT. 

Today, Sean gave me an Apple Watch and I’m really excited about it. I’ve wanted one for ages and we’re gonna do so much working out together.

This year I was really focused on getting to a weight where I felt good. For 2021, I really want to work on strength and muscle.

Day 283: Whatever is Better!

This year we decided to take a ‘whatever is better’ approach to Christmas. Meaning, we don’t need to do everything according to tradition and whatever we do is good enough. We opened presents and burned the wrapping paper in the fire with intentions, letting go of things we want to leave in 2020.

We had a casual Christmas style dinner on the 22nd with a turkey breast, gravy, vegetables, and cranberry sauce. It was good. We haven’t been eating meat much this year so it was a treat. I’ll make some brother with the turkey leftovers.

Spent a bit of time playing outside on the lake but it was SO WINDY. We were hoping to do some fireworks but they’ll have to wait for another day!

Day 282: Clear Your Head in the Woods

Needed to clear my head. Went for a nice long walk in the woods,, about 8km. The air was brisk and fresh, just what I needed.

Stopped to watch the water at this little creek and on my way back saw something on the road the resembled a snowman (see above). It was squished and a bit abstract but it made me smile. So simple, just sitting there in the wild.

Had a nice long chat with dad then listened to the final chapter of Greenlights on Audible.

Day 279: Mermaid Hair

Spent the day at home then decided to venture out for a walk before the sun went down. The street were surprisingly busy and there was a line at the LCBO. Today is the last day of school for 2020 and Emily is back with us now.

I added some pink to her hair and mine too. She was happy to have ‘Mermaid Hair’.

My new ‘indoor’ shoes arrived and I love them! Ordered from ASOS and was happy to get them on sale, however, the duty was $46 so they weren’t really a deal. Here’s to working from home in style for 2021!