I’VE NOTICED SOME CHANGES...

 You know that question “if you had to give up one of your senses, which one would it be?” I would give up smell. It was an easy response because I lost my normal sense of smell about 10 years ago. 

I was in a boating accident where a Sea-doo landed on top of the boat I was in. I remember thinking “gosh, they are coming up on us pretty fast...” At about the exact  same time the driver and I realized they were about to land on top of the boat. I ducked but still got my head dinged between the side of the boat and the bottom of the sea-doo. The result was a concussion and a wonky sense of smell. 

But last March, right when COVID was ramping up and loss of smell was a symptom, I got my nose back! I could smell the soap in the bathroom, the scented candle in the living room, the muddy smell of spring when the ground thawed - Everything! That’s a nice change!

There have been other changes too. Menopause brought a new temperature gage! My normal body temp is cold. All the time. Along comes hot flashes. I can feel the heat building up in my feet and like the Singing Whos in Whoville it starts out small and starts to grow. There is no stopping it. I start peeling off layers as fast as possible. Off go the slippers, fuzzy socks, the hoodie, the extra sweater. Overheating is a big change for me!

And there’s more!!

Age spots! This beauty showed up out of nowhere, and I’ve been a hat wearer since my 20s! Oh I’ve tried the Vitamin C solutions and several others but to no avail. 

A couple of weeks ago I was chasing my grandson around, up the stairs and down the stairs. Soren would squeal with glee “Catch my Nonna !! Catch me!!” Suddenly my watch starts sending out an Amber alert, vibrating and carrying on. 

“Something is wrong” thinks my watch. There is a big change here - way too much activity for the old dame. “Danger, Will Roger..Danger!” I check and my watch is asking me “have you fallen? Do we need to call emergency services??” My options are “yes, or no” and hope I’ve hit the right one but the message is impossibly small to read and I don’t have bifocals yet! 

Smelling, overheating, age spots, amber alerts for old folks - I’ve noticed some changes!!

LOOKING BACK, BUT I’M MOVING FORWARD

 The snow started (finally) last night. We awoke to a beautiful sparkling white world. Happy New Year - a fresh start! 

Seemed to me a walk in the woods would be good for my soul and my soul was calling to Hanna Park in Trenton. In the 1970s we moved to Trenton when  I was 11 and as children we ran/biked/played/got into trouble in Hanna Park. The stories I could tell!

Our whole family, including the pets hung out in Hanna Park. It was only a couple blocks from our house and before bed I would walk to the corner, point in the direction of the Park and yell “FROOOOOODDOOOO!!!” Eventually, out of the dark would come my cat Frodo, high tailing it home. 

I found some old pics of a winter walk in Hanna Park, much like today’s but oh so different.

This is in 1975, according to the back of the photo. From left to right: Heidi, Lulu (original Lulu), Heather, Spencer, David Fabi (extra kid from across the road) and myself. Nice pants Spencer, very hip!

Here’s another one with my oldest sister Heather, my mom and I. Bomber jackets were big in the mid 1970’s and I remember getting these for Christmas!

Today, pushing 50 years later, Hanna Park is as beautiful in winter as ever. The air is filled with memories. 

This is the memorial bench for my sister Heidi (1962-1987). I brush off some snow, touch the plaque with her name on it. That sharp familiar pang known as the grief I always carry makes itself felt. I miss her. 

And Hanna Park is as beautiful as ever:

The sun lighting up the snow diamonds

Light at the end of the tunnel

It’s 2021 and the gentle quiet voice within me is saying “new beginnings”. I’m OK with that, except you can’t have a new beginning without an ending. And Endings can be a little rough. 

So I’m looking back, I’m waving goodbye, but I’m moving forward. 

A CUP OF HAPPY

 A dear friend of mine gave me this cup for Christmas:

Nothing like a good hot cup of coffee topped with frothy milk and sprinkled with cinnamon to make things right! Now, if only life were that simple. If I could just hand you all a cup filled with happiness. 

I've had a sharp learning curve this year, thanks to a Pandemic. 

This time last year seeing people wearing masks was absolutely foreign. Now it's the other way around and I can whip on a mask in no time. In fact, I'm working on a one-hand only technique!

I've learned how much I miss hugs, and the busy hum in the office that always went up a level at closing time on Fridays or before a holiday. 

I've learned the almost impossible trick to opening those plastic produce bags without licking my finger first! 

I've learned a lot of things I never even thought about.  We all have! 

But back to that cup of Happy. Along with a few new skills, we have all experienced a level of grieving, some of us very deeply. 

After this past year of reset, we are all ready for fresh hope and beginnings. Here's to 2021- I wish you a full cup of health, happiness and lots of Hugs. 

THE OLD GIRL'S STILL GOT IT!

 About a week go my hubby helped put together a new cupboard for my parents. Gushing with gratefulness my Mom wanted to pay him, which he refused. 

"Make me some of your shortbread and we will call it even!" was his request. So a couple of days later my Mom arrived with a dozen of her shortbread. 

"I hope they're OK...the old girl isn't what she used to be", said Mom as she handed them over. They were perfect - I have the recipe yet they never taste quite as good as hers. The Old girl's still got it!

With COVID and all, I was feeling a little pouty about baking, feeling what's the point and all. But my daughter encouraged me that now more than ever is a good time to bake and even try new recipes! Besides, I remembered: you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why...

So, here come the pics. I was busy in the kitchen this weekend!

This creamy Gnocchi soup was a new recipe for me, but will probably be a staple for cold winter nights! Rich and warm and has comfort food written all over it!

Then I made Rumballs a traditional item on my list. Like a good wine they have a smooth finish that warms your tummy with that rummy aftershock!

Randi came over and we made Ginger Cookies and "Split Seconds". Split Seconds are a basic dough with jam and are so quick and easy and one of my son's favourites. Wish he was here to enjoy them..(be careful, I'm falling into the pouty zone again). 

But there is always FaceTime! 

Like my mother, I'm getting on. But this weekend I tried some new recipes along with old standbys. I'm happy with the results 

 - the Old Girl's still got it!

COMFORT IN THE CONSTANTS

I went to the mall a few days ago. I have not been in the mall for months, probably not since pre-Covid times! As you can imagine, things have changed. Everyone is masked and hand sanitizer is priority #1 before any shopping in any store. 

But, some things have stayed the same; some things are constant. And I find that comforting. 

The train set, the SAME train set is up and running. There is the little parade, and the dinosaur day care. Several trains are chugging along on different tracks, like nothing had changed from last year. And in that little world, encased in glass for easy viewing, nothing has. It still delights little and big humans; noses pressed to the glass, watching the trains go by. 

Today my daughter came over to bake cookies. This is another constant. We have been baking cookies together practically since she arrived on the scene and changed my world. We made chocolate covered wafers and decorated with crushed candy cane and sugar sprinkles and some with toffee bits. 

As you can see, she is expecting her second little one due in March! My third grandchild and another world changer! 

This is Randi back in 2016 baking shortbread

These were the cutest little cubes

We first tried these cookies back in 2016. They were so good and easy, we've made them yearly.

We all need some constants in our lives, things that are consistent and give us a sense of comfort in their familiarity. Especially in 2020! For me, Christmas baking with my children and now grand children is a great comfort. 

And knowing the trains are still chugging around the tracks at the Mall helps too!

 

ANYTHING GOES IN 2020

 So, clearly, this is not your average year. Like most of you, I just had my first COVID birthday. Now on a typical year, my birthday consists of a cold, dark gray November day, possibly snow on the ground and a fine dinner in a warm restaurant with friends and family. 

But there’s a pandemic at the moment so...anything goes!

We’ve had a record breaking run of warm and sunny weather. I figured I might as well take advantage of it and have a picnic! For my Birthday! Anything Goes!

I made arrangements with “The County Picnic”(find them on Facebook) to pick up my basket of goodies complete with a blanket and all the necessary accoutrements for a perfect picnic.  

Andrea will set you up right!

A gorgeous, sandwich with cheese and a spicy tomato sauce

And a basket full of cheeses, jams, hummus, bread, crackers, olives, pickles, apples and other goodies, all locally sourced from Prince Edward County

And instead of Birthday cake - Birthday donuts! Works for me!

We enjoyed our picnic with our good friends Tom and Jolie, who have journeyed life with us for about 30 years.

Coffee to go!

Tom and Jolie happen to live in a beautiful area of Prince Edward County. For picnics, location, Location, LOCATION is important!

Me, and the Old Man (but for the record, I’m the older one..)

I’ve never had a birthday like this in November and likely I never will again. But, there is a pandemic going on. It’s 2020. Anything Goes!

ALL THINGS OCTOBER

 It's been a weekend filled with All things October!

Like raking leaves.....Lots of leaves....

And since I was raking leaves might as well have a fire going

And since I had a fire going, I thought I would try my hand at roasting chestnuts! You have to score them first because your options are a gentle bursting or a possible chestnut explosion!

They come out, after about 20 minutes on the fire, to look like this:

And, since I was raking leaves, and roasting chestnuts on an open fire, might as well toast a few marshmallows (cause there was an open fire)! Even better, let's throw those toasted marshmallows into a chocolate chai!

Now we are talking All Things October: raking leaves, fire-roasted chestnuts  and a chocolate chai with toasted marshmallows! 

But wait, there's more...it just happens to be October 31 

aka Halloween! 

So, let's throw in a few adorable grandchildren in costumes:

Caleb as Donald Duck (the cutest ever)

And Soren getting his first real Trick or Treating experience as one of the Paw Patrols (the cutest ever).

Crunchy leaves, trick or treats, jack-o-lanterns, fires, chestnuts and chocolate chai - time to head inside and bake up a batch of gingerbread cookies.

All Things October!