Month: January 2021

S.A.D

Does January have you feeling down?

Do you feel like all your energy is drained?

Where is the sun? The fun?

Every year I find myself struggling to survive the month of January. It’s a new year and I always set a new intention or theme I want to work on for the year. New Year still the same great me just always working to tweak a few things.
January is filled with some of the best people and pets I know birthdays for that I am grateful! Dan, Kelso, Granny and cousin Dahri you help me survive January. I love a birthday. I love decorating. I love cake!

Truth be told I had never heard of S.A.D I just thought once winter went on for too long I was over it. I like the sun and the heat. The long summer days where you think it’s 5 pm but it’s 9 pm. After a few months, the darkness and the cold of the winter get to me. I can feel myself wanting to just stay in bed forever. I dislike being cold. I do get a lot of relaxing, tea drinking, and book reading done in the winter months. I absolutely love when it snows and you look out the window or door to a beautiful untouched winter scene. The big fluffy snowflakes slowly dancing to the ground is a sight I love to watch.

It was a friend of mine who first told me about S.A.D.

If you google SAD you will find “Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons — SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you’re like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months; sapping your energy and making you feel moody”
Does anyone feel like this?

Lately, I have been having some rough days. Today I took a day to disconnect from most people on social media. I put my phone down something I don’t do often enough. I went for a walk all alone this morning. I jumped out of bed and made myself get outside. I came home had tea and then I went back outside with my dog. I took Kelso for a walk down the park to see the swans. This year the swans have been wild. The swans have been motivating me to walk more. I have enjoyed sitting down by the lake and take some of the most amazing pictures.

Today my son got to go back to school and he came home in a wonderful mood. He struggled with homeschooling and was so thankful to be back with friends. We turned out Munday feelings into the best Monday ever!

We had a wonderful supper followed by some yoga relaxation that even Kelso got in on. Our dog does an amazing down dog and when you’re trying to do relaxation she will pile her toys on you. We laughed and we had a wonderful day.

When I am feeling like S.A.D is getting to me I need to remember to breathe. This feeling like all other feelings will pass. I need to get outside and enjoy what nature has to offer. I need to disconnect from technology. I need to do yoga with the crazy members of my house. I need to sit down and in five minutes I thought of all the people and things I am grateful for and it brought me to tears.

What’s something you have done this month that was just for you? That brought you back to feeling like yourself?

Don’t let the long winter months get to you. If you need someone to talk to my phone is always on.

I made it through the day.

I have been dreading January 16th, 2021 for three hundred and sixty-five days. I will forever remember January 16th, 2020 as one of the hardest days of my life.

This date forever holds a huge place in my heart. January 16th, 2012 is the day you were born and exactly eight years later it also marks the day you passed away. Charleston you were my heart dog. You were my first taste at owning a corgi. You are the dog that forever changed my life.

I admit I used to think people who shared stories of animals who saved their lives were a bit wacky. Of course, that was until it happened to me. Until I experience the unconditional love of an animal. Don’t get me wrong I have had many wonderful pets over the years but none of them spoke to my soul as this dog did. I get it now. The power of animals is amazing.

For seven years in a row, I put on your party hat and celebrated your birthday like the crazy corgi lady I am.

I spent an entire year tearing up at the sight of your pictures. I spent the entire year missing the sound of your dog tags jingling on your collar when you strutted around like you owned this house. I spent the entire year missing you and wishing you were still here.

I survived the first twenty-four hours after you were gone in sweat pants covered in your unbelievably thick endless shedding corgi glitter. I refused to vacuum because all of you would be gone. Little did I know you had a plan in the works? I know your looking down having a good laugh at our current situation.

I swore I would never have another dog in my lifetime. I was going to treasure the memories you left me with. I felt no dog could ever compare to you and that no dog could ever fill the hole that was left in my heart. No dog would ever get me as you got me. You just knew my soul. You were my perfect dog. My heart dog.

This year on January 16th I wiped the tears from my eyes and we celebrated what would have been your 9th birthday, which we now celebrate with Queen Kelso. I started in October trying to get her to rock a party hat. I knew she would be a challenge. She is kind of an old lady set in her ways. A real party pooper. On the first attempt, she bit me and drew blood. Not a fan of party hats I see. I was determined to get this birthday picture. The new game plan was to motivate her with dog treats and cheese until she realized party hats cannot harm corgis. Little hard work and a bit of blood loss and ta-da we did it. We tried to sing Happy Birthday to Kelso. Dear Kelso, I don’t know if it’s that you just don’t like that song or my singing in general but your barking in my face was received loud and clear. More treats less singing.

I believe in timing and I think Kelso came into our lives at the perfect time. She helped us survive the wild ever-changing wild world of 2020. She keeps my son and me laughing until it hurts. She has been nickname by my niece and trained to come when you call her “old donkey legs.” She takes fetch as the most serious task in the world. She reminds me every day of you Charlie in looks and attitude. I know you put her in our path to heal our hearts. Thank you, Charlie!

Here’s to many more years with corgis in party hats.

Eight

Where have the years gone? How are you eight today? Tuesday, Blog Day, and a Birthday!

My son, you are eight, well not really until 3:21 this afternoon but close enough. As you eat mini Boston cream donuts for breakfast and tell me about your plans for eight. You have a lot of plans I might need a second coffee. You are a handsome young man who is going to change this world.

You are an old soul who is currently obsessed with Pavarotti the opera singer. Between listening to Pavarotti and friends album and Stompin Tom and how you can sing every word, oh goodness son you keep me laughing.

You asked to go on a trip to pay your respects to Stompin Tom when you found out he had passed away. You got cowboy boots that match his for Christmas and you are all set. Quick google search to find out his grave is here in Ontario. The first caddy cruise when she rolls out in the spring sounds like a fun time.

You are celebrating your birthday during Covid, in a lockdown, with online schooling happening. I never believed you should go to school on your birthday it’s the one day of the year that’s just your day! So today we eat mini donuts, we go to the local coffee shop, we go to the park with your dog, we do all the things you wanna do and we celebrate what an amazing kiddo you are.

I love that you have redone my life motto from “Do your best and if your best isn’t good enough fuck it!” to a kid-friendly version because you don’t wanna get in trouble for swearing at school. Your kid-friendly version that I adore has been changed to “Do your best and if your best isn’t good enough have fun with it!” When I asked you why you picked that you simply said being a kid is about having a lot of fun. I agree. I am a big kid so I think life is about having fun!

You started your own vision wall for your birthday and I love what you wrote. “Do your best job everyone and be nice”

You are one of the kindest kids I have ever known. Your ability to fit in anywhere always makes me smile. You always brighten someone’s day by talking to them. You honestly never stop talking. You have no fear of people. In your little home community, everyone seems to know you. You leave a mark everywhere you go.

Sometimes we struggle to get along. We have our moments just like everyone else does. But you kiddo are a strong believer you are right. Now I know how my parents felt when I was growing up. I too was always right.

With your daily love notes and that beautiful smile each and every day I am grateful, I am your mom. How did I get so lucky to be your mom?

2021

We survived 2020.

Shout out to you all! YaY!!

I smile behind my mask and celebrate from my home to yours. What a wild year it was. What a strange year it was. What a scary year it was. What a year of learning it was.

When I was a little kid I thought the year 2020 would have flying cars. It would be something like we used to watch in the Jetsons. It was nothing at all like back to the future promised. I never thought that this would be the year were masked and forced to stay away from other people and the things we love. 2020 you really made me think about my life. What do I want from 2021?

I feel like so many of you probably feel that 2020 came close to breaking us. I know I stand taller and stronger than ever. This will not break us. We will come together. You can look at the bad 2020 brought. Don’t get me wrong I see that too. But now as I often do in life, I also shine a light to all the amazing things 2020 taught us. It forced us to slow down. It forced us to look at our lives. It made us look at who is in our lives and what is important to us.

I was brought to tears surrounded by a community of people always reaching out to help other people. I felt and watched the kindness of complete strangers. I see more people outside enjoying nature than I ever have. I see a simpler kind of life. I will never understand what the toilet paper shortage was all about but I do get the panic and the fear of the unknown.

Going into 2021 I am so thankful that all of my family and close circle of people are healthy. Having your health you have everything. If I only had one wish going into 2021 it would be that we all remain healthy anything else can be fixed.

I have always had a dream of working from home. What’s not to love? I could get used to having my own brand of coffee, comfy pants, slippers, and a corgi dog to snuggle. That to me sounds like living the dream. I, however, do work at a local hospital doing paperwork which cannot be done from home so I have been wearing my mask for hours on end. It is a feeling I have struggled to get used to. Is it just me or do you all feel like you still have the mask on when you no longer have a mask on? I go to take my mask off all the time! I no longer want to go anywhere because you have to put the mask on. I do think that ripping the mask off is the equivalent of taking your bra off at the end of the day! When I can throw that mask down I feel like I have mastered the day! I am so very thankful for each and every breath of fresh air without my mask on.

I have had to have a Covid test that brought me to tears and for a moment I thought the nice lady performing the test reset my brain. I had the panic, the fear and the anxiety while waiting. I am thankful I remain healthy. I keep my circle as small as possible. My heart is full of love and I do my best to spread that to the world from my house to yours. My phone is always on. I am thankful for the power on the internet, for technology for the ability to keep in touch. For each and every time I see your faces on zoom chats. It is not the same as hugging you in person but I am thankful you take the time to chat.

2021 behind my mask I am smiling. My heart is filled with love. I am choosing to remain kind. I start each day with a positive thought and end each night with a grateful heart. I make a list every day of three to five things I am grateful for. I write these in a book that I can reflect upon. I recently found a book of things I was grateful for and a vision I had from 2011. I will write more on this in an upcoming blog. I love to look back and see how far I have come. I have so many people in my life I am thankful for. I am going to write blogs about a lot of people who have changed my life some know it some are about to find out. I have so many things I am grateful for. Find someone or something to be grateful for. Make a list. Let people know how much they mean to you.

Keep moving forward. Never give up. You have a huge heart. Give when you can and ask for help when you need it. Spread love and positivity and be kind we are all struggling to adjust to the new ways of the world.