where have I been?

Nowhere too far, that's for sure. My official quarantine period from our last little trip to Florida ended on Friday. We woke up to a bit of Old Man Winter this fine morning.

It's chilly out there, windy too! Now you know I don't mind winter, I love the crispness, the muffled quiet of the freshly fallen snow, the twinkling transformation of stark naked tree branches. I love the whole Christmas season, except for how much I hate actual Christmas...well, I LOVE/HATE it, but that's a whole different story for a different day. I have already stocked up on some new decorations, can't wait to decorate! I feel like I was JUST saying this last year, but this year, even more!

Shall I put Christmas lights on the pool deck?

The snow brightens up the house, gives it that holiday feel. The kids are doing virtual learning today, it's nice. We had some of the older kids and grandkids over yesterday for dinner...roast beef and gravy, mashed potatoes, and some roasted cauliflower, carrots, and brussel sprouts.

Anya, our oldest grandchild, with Margaret and Adrian's baby, Tennyson.

Uncle Jonathan reading to Wulf.

Anya's little sister Elise holding cousin Ophelia. Ophelia is only 10 months old, she's almost as big as 3 year old Elise!

We booked a campsite for a three day weekend in August next year, on Lake Ontario. Who knows what will be going on then? But it's nice to reserve things, to plan, and to hope. We're looking at vacation rentals in the mountains, we would like to do a few long weekends. I would really like to buy a small, used camper, but...if money grew on trees, right? Camping is great when the weather co-operates, but a rainy weekend in a tent is not so heavenly. Camille Anaya is turning 13 this coming weekend, the girls are having a small gathering of friends here. The theme is Asian cuisine. They will be making some of it, ordering some of it. I'm kind of excited, as I am also invited ha. Well, tomorrow is Election Day here in the U.S. of A. I am praying for the re-election of President Trump. He wants to reopen the country, and I feel he gives us the best chance of more freedom. Freedom is what I'm big on. Freedom to gather, to see our friends, to visit my kids on the west coast. (Our governor just made it mandatory to test TWICE for anyone who travels to ANY state or place outside of a few neighboring states). Who will pay for those tests? And all of these positives, which are increasing everywhere, do not mean people are sick! But that's another story for another day.(I know some are still getting sick, and that IS rough) I'm hoping the president gets re-elected because he's pro Israel, against abortion, has done a fantastic job with North Korea, and is good for the economy. I admire how he says what he wants! Now don't get me wrong, I think sometimes he's a jerk, he tweets, he comments, and ugh, just shut up already. But, he's definitely my choice. And shh, if I can't say it on my blog, where CAN I say it? The prevailing idea seems to be that only the liberals are allowed to speak out. If you say anything against abortion, you are cancelled. If you support "Orange Man", you are cancelled. I can't wait to see if the Hollywooders actually leave the country this time, if the president wins. So mostly I want to see things opened up more. Yes, there are more cases, but closing everthing up only postpones the inevitable, ruins liveliehoods, wrecks kids' lives. Here in our county, a small rural county, the overdoses and overdose deaths have multiplied. Suicide rates, attempted suicides, ect, have multiplied. In the whole world, the suffering from messing with chemo schedules, postponing and delaying medical procedures that governing authorities, with NO MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE, have deemed "unnecessary", oh all the troubles....(One of the saddest things is the "no visitation" policies in hosptials and nursing homes. I don't pretend to have an answer, but it's awful. Being in the hospital in the first place is scary, unpredictable, often tragic and terrifying...but to have NO ONE ALLOWED AT ALL, unless you are actually dying (or under 18, or mentally impaired)??? That is HORRIBLE. Mariel is a charge nurse in an outpatient chemo facility, and this past Friday, with no warning, the visitor policy was back to NO ONE. So grandma goes in and gets her chemo without her son, anyone over 18 has to be alone, no fond auntie or devoted mama, nope, all alone. The visitors cannot so much as enter the building. Now, this place has patients who travel from all over the state to get chemotherapy, and the ones who drive them there can't even go in and use the bathroom, let alone sit and hold and hand and comfort and encourage. It's just sad. Can we all pray that God has mercy on us, gives our leaders, whomever they may be, wisdom? Pray that this virus disappears as fast as it appeared, and that we all learn from it, how precious life is and to be thankful for each day? I've been praying so much lately. It's a good thing to do.