Christmas 2022

This Christmas started with one kufuffle after another.

Family Christmas Dinner – huge snow storm buries my brother so he & his family can’t some down on Christmas Eve Eve for our family dinner. Only time of the year we get all 13+ of us together because of distance

Brunch – That didn’t happen. I had suggested to my parents & Mom agreed that we were going to have brunch when I got up in the late morning. I get up, go up with my cinnamon buns in hand.. I find dirty breakfast dishes. They are without me, but the atebmy cinnamon buns.. while I had to make myself something besides just cinnamon buns.

Pictures – We did family pj pictures This is something my Sister’s and brother’s families each do. Mom insisted we do it too. (My sister nor my bother did it). She complained when I only took two pictures, but the first one was a keeper.

Turnip – When I’m doing something new I need completely clear step by step instructions. Which is why I’m great with recipes. I’ve never made turnip for Christmas dinner. I got told throw turnip into a pot & put it on the stove. After softens add butter brown sugar. That was the totally of instruction I was given. Take 1. I toss the turnip & only turnip in the pot I figure I was guessing the turnip softened on its own. Well, not really. Take 2. I put the damn stuff in a pot with water this time, to boil – finally clued into that. But they burned in only a few short minutes. Take 3. Third time’s the charm right? Well, this time with strict adult supervision & instruction I was finally successful under the watchful eye of my BiL & niece..

Dessert – I literally forgot to bake it.. Both the apple crisp & pie. Luckily the pumpkin pie was pre baked

BUT This Christmas was on blessing after another.

Family – Everyone is safe, health & whole. Except for Uncle Barry who passed just before the holiday.

Food – We were blessed to have not one, but two Christmas dinners (& I got ac YE one too)… With 2 kinds of meat, multiple vegetables, potatoes, buns, dessert and a ton of leftovers

Memories – Good memories are made over the holidays. My nephew who lost it trying to play Cards Against Humanity. My VR skills where I used the light sabers on my sister’s tv tables. The first bottle of alcohol for Christmas from anyone & it’s the 21yo niece..

Learning – Learning new skills, specifically how to make, and not make turnip for Christmas dinner.

Family Time – The opportunity to spend time with the family you can see. Even tho he & his family were unable to make it, they were missed & they still will get their Christmas cookies!

Christmas Gifts – I’m one of these people whole, while like to receive gifts, it’s the giving of them that unlike most. Now I did very much appreciate when I did get – weighted blanket, electrical blanket, ton of clothes, alcohol, home made scarf & hat with matching scarf for Lilly (so cute), & a favourite Aunt mug. I asked my nephew if he really thought that & he said yes, but yer my only aunt. So my sister & I start rhyming off the names of the rest of his aunts. He clarifies, only biologically related aunt, which is technically true.

As always, everyone loved what it got them. Two were too big (one fit me so that was a bonus for me), and resulted in quality shopping time with my sister getting her clothes worth 1½ times, almost, for the budget. & Then the cookies. Esp when my one neice realized that her cookies were gluten-free & still baked by me.

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So while there were stupid things, annoying things & uncontrollable weather, we are still blessed.

Christmas For Me

Christmas is a funny time. I am a big fan of Christmas: the decorations, the gift giving, the food, the comradery, the joy, the love, the good-will. But I’ve also experienced the inverse at Christmas: the sadness, the lack of motivation, the sence of obligation, the loneliness, the isolation, the soal crushing depression.

I can & do get depressed just as everything starts & it can take a while to get into the holiday groove. This year, as always, I start wearing Sanata hats on December to “fake it til I make it.” But, I’d started getting into the holiday mindset by the beginning of the month – I was already in the Christmas mentality by December 3rd.

Santa Hat starts December 1st, every year.

THIS YEAR IS A GOOD YEAR!!

The Tree & Decorations:

The girls came over on December 11 to decorate the big tree with me. Doing the while thing is overwhelming. Plus it’s been a reoccurring tradition for most of the last 20 years. It is a 6½ ft spruce tree that goes upstairs in Mom & Dad’s big front window so it can be seen from outside.

The nativity screen they choose was the small set my Grandmother made. Next year they want to set out their Grandma’s set, the set I grew up having While similar to my grandmother’s set, their Grandma’s, Mom’s, set is significantly extensive. It has, possibly, 3x the number of pieces I have and would take up the entire self as oppose to the 8″x12″ manager I use.

The stockings are hanging off the heavy stocking hangers near the Nativity scene, on the same shelf. There are three, for stockings for Mom, Dad & I.

MY Tree & Decorations:

Several years ago, I got a dollar store 8″ tree. I put a bit of tinsel ribbon on it & a doz small ornaments. I’ve since raised the small ornaments & will be donating that tree off. Two years ago, I bought a 18″ tinsel tree with a single strand of lights &’some small shiny ornaments. I’ve been using that in my space for the last few years.

This year, I just purchased a proper artificial 3 foot pine tree. While it was prelit, I added a second strand of coloured lights & might add another strand next year. I ransacked the 2 above trees & relocated their ornaments. I also pilfered some of the ornaments from the big tree, ones that are personal to me

I bought a topper from Dollarama, painted it & it looks not too shabby. I also started painting some of those dollars store ornaments, but I’m not doing them all cuz I don’t like them all. Gerry, my bestie, is 3D-printing some specific ornaments for me to paint. They may not be done until after Christmas. But they will be awesome for next year.

I have my small Precious Moments Nativity scene on the table under my tree. I have a single stocking holder that’s I’ve had for years with a single stocking hanging from it. There are several Christmas plushies across the apartment. And I finally plugged in my laptop’s usb decorations.

I didn’t pull out Father Christmas this year for two reasons. Firstly, I couldn’t find him for the first two weeks of December. Secondly, I realized he doesn’t match anything in my home now. The pastel coloured robs just don’t work anymore with my colours. They almost clash, so I left him there for this year tho I should make sure his head is attached.

Gifts:

I’ve gotten most of my shopping done. As per usual, I’ve overspent. But at this point, I only need to pick up Lilly’s cookies.

I still need to put the cookie factory into high gear. Got 2-3 recipes from scratch this year including some gluten free options.. Thinking of Nanaimo bars for Christmas if I can.

Kellis Cookie Factory is Open

I’ve already sent or dropped cookies out to Megan/Evan, Lindsay/Aaron, Declan, Jenn/Chris & Dale. On the 23rd we have the family dinner and thus need the cookies for all the nieces, nephews and their partners.. This means 4 lg bundles & 4 smaller bundles . One of each needs to have gluten free. Beyond that, I have 2-3 larger packs and 5-6 small packs.

I *may* need to go over to Dollarama for a pack of licorice for my mom, for her stocking cuz, well, I ate it.. lol

Food:

• Besides the dozens and dozens of dozens of cookies I will bake?
• Besides the NINE different type of cookies I expect to bake (or non-bake)?
• Besides the Yummy Nanaimo Bars I’ve been craving for weeks that I’m hoping to make for Christmas? 2 kinds!

Family Christmas dinner:

I am responsible for the vegetables. I have bought some flash Frozen vegetables: green beans, corn, brocoli & turnip. I’m hoping I can borrow my sister’s steamer for the first three & mom can help with the later, since she’s the only one who consistently eats it.

I think, since no one has said anything for buns for Christmas, that I’ll probably have to make my cheese buns. *Eyeroll*

Christmas Morning:

I am at my sister’s for Christmas morning/brunch, while I haven’t been asked to bring anything, I grabbed 2 packs of large cinnamon rolls. My dad also picked up bacon for me.

^{Back Bacon, Bacon & Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls}

Christmas Dinner:

I’ve been asked to bring dessert.. I grabbed 2 pieces & an apple crisp/apple crumble.. picked up icecream everyone else can eat & the ice cream I can eat .

My Friends

On top of everything else, I have social activities.. Sometimes dinner, Sometimes a quick chat or a coffee, Sometimes a hike, Sometimes hanging out at home (theirs or yours), Sometimes living it up! Hanging out with family, biological or choosen is always fun.

Christmas Is Busy For Me

Personally, for me, Christmas is probably the busiest time of year. Plus with personal issues that I’ve been having with different relationships, I haven’t been able to focus here very much.. so my apologies for not posting… Again…

Just to give you an idea. Monday was dinner out with a friend I haven’t seen in a coons ahe. Tuesday I have errands all afternoon & a cub planning meeting in the evening.. Wednesday is the Cub year end meeting, a social gathering & baking both before & after those. Thutsday I have to organize the baking, getting some ready for me to post as well as for friends this weekend. In the evening, I’m off to my sister’s for hair & a walk with the dogs. Friday, weather permitting, I’m getting the headlight fixed then I’m heading out for a social event with out-of-town friends I have not seen since Labour Day. Saturday is a coffee date (Whoo hoo!!) Sunday is soccer.. I still need to do groceries: normal groceries, Christmas dinner groceries, cookie baking groceries.. then, more baking as our family Christmas is on the 23rd.. plus wrapping presents for Mom, Dad, Sister & her family & a friend who I exchange with for more than just cookies..

So, yeah . Busy….

And I’m probably missing stuff in the schedule..

Plus I need to fit in exercise, a hot tub or two or 6, plus other personal self care & put up my second tree.. & make some ornaments..

So, ALOT goes on a Christmas..

Allodynia

Allodynia is a type of pain that many of us with Fibromyalgia have. It is basically a extreme sensitively to touch. People with this can have extraordinary pain from simple every day contact like combing one’s hair.

My Allodynia

I don’t know if my situation is unique, but mine seems come and go, and it can vary depending on the amount of pressure.

Some days I’m golden. I have zero issues. Other days, I will shed a hair from my head and when it falls on to my unsuspecting arm I am in excruciating pain. Other times I with just come in light contact with something and the pain is agonizing, but I can have firm contact like a hug and there’s nothing. I don’t get it.

There appears to be no rhyme or reason as to which circumstances will crop up on any given day. Fortunately, it does not change from one to another on the fly. I’m more likely to switch from one to another on different days. So on one day I’m good, but the next day it hurts to brush my hair or even my teeth (yes, it can impact my gums).

I have found that the most noticable instigator of this type of pain is from a hair touching my skin, either stopping, caught on hard or leg hair, or feeling it as the single hair strand bounces on my skin as it falls. Because of this, I tend to brush or comb my hair fairly frequently. My sister was surprised when I mentioned that I will brush my hair several times a day, vs the once or twice she brushes her hair. I also tend to pull my hair back or up to prevent loose hairs from falling.

The other way it frequently hurts is a casual touch. A light hand on the shoulder. Someone brushing by me. My mom no longer touches me because of the number of times I have flinched unless I have asked her to, like rubbing A535 into my back. My sister is the same. My neices & nephew tend to forget. My intimate relationships don’t seem to be impacted as much cuz those touches tend to be more firm.

The hardest part is incidental touches by others who don’t know me as well. I am a leader in scouting. I’ve had youth come and touch my shoulder from behind so I’m in prepared, or a hug from a child who forgets they aren’t allowed to touch without consent.

There are also times when I know to expect contact. A perfect example is another scouting situation. As the ‘head’ leader (usually called Akela, but the Scouts named me Koolaid before I went to Cubs) I do opening & closing. This includes the challenge. I yell “Pack! .. Pack Pack Pack!” and the youth come running to challenge me, as I am the head wolf (hence wolf cubs). They come to a tight circle around me, but every meeting someone will run too far or have a hand out or jostle with another youth & contact is made Because I know it’s likely coming from somewhere, I can prepare for it and it’s less of an issue.

Lately, it doesn’t seem to be as much of an issue as it has been in the past. I don’t know why. Is it the improvement in my overall health? Is it my weight-loss? Is it than my activity level has changed? Is it that my pain levels had dropped? Is it a change in medications? I have no clue.

if you experience this condition, how does it impact you?

Sensitivity

In doing a bit of research about chronic illness and the story “The Princess and the Pea” I found an article written by a woman talking about her sensitivities. One of them being being able to feel the pain but the other or another is being an empath and being sensitive to stuff around her.

Being an Empath: My first year in New York, I saw a therapist who worked out of her apartment. I’d visited her there many times. One day, I walked in, and the moment I crossed the threshold, I stopped dead in my tracks. Something was different. My eyes scanned the apartment looking for what had changed, and as someone who was called the princess and the pea for being persnickety and whatnot, I was very familiar with the precise placement of everything in that area of her apartment. But as I looked around, I realized that nothing had moved, yet I could feel an immense change in the space. My eyes continued to search for the cause, but they never found it. What’s wrong? my therapist asked. Something’s different. I can’t figure out what it is. She gasped a bit, and she told me: I didn’t move anything, but I decided to move, and this week I began emotionally disconnecting from the space. You must be able to feel it.I’d certainly felt something. It’d hit me like a thud. Perhaps her emotional connection had previously imbued the space with a particular energy? Who knows, but since that time four years ago, I’ve increasingly worked to harness the power of my sensitivity. The same sensitivity that drew me to choose my Grandpa’s high school yearbook from hundreds of books in a used bookstore. The sensitivity that warned me when something was wrong with one friend and told me when another friend would find a home. The sensitivity that allowed me to feel the mountains in the middle of New York City. And the sensitivity that allowed me to smell faulty wiring in the half bath of my parents’ home and sense its danger and beg my mom to call the firemen. It’s a good thing you called, they said, this would have started a fire at any moment.It’s really this sensitivity

Now given what she posted, I have to say I’ve had brushes to the other side myself… The most noticeable was the premonition I had..

My Premonition: In the Spring of 2001 I was living in Williston North Dakota, and commuting to work in Watford City.. One day on my way to work, I suddenly had a very strong and impactful image hit me while I was driving, so I had to pull over.. It was about my bff.. She and another friend were driving some place. My bff can’t drive, so she was in the passenger side. What the premonition showed me was the two of them getting into a bad accident. The other car made contact on the Driver’s side, throwing the friend clear. Their car however was propelled around a street lamp, causing my bff to die instantly. Needless to say, I stayed pulled over for about an hour, blubbering my eyes out. Intellectually, I know it wasn’t real, but it felt *so* real that I could not help having an appropriate emotional response..

What happened? In February of 2002, the unthinkable did happen. While not the exact same as my previous vision, it was still true. There was just one big change : It was not my bff & her friend, but my sister & her partner (she was a cop).. however the other facts were the same: getting hit in the driver’s side, the vehicle being spun, her partner in the driver’s seat getting thrown the vehicle wrapping around a tree instantly killing her.

While this is not the only time I’ve had this sort of thing happen, it was the biggest, the most noticeable and the most important one I’ve had.

Has anyone else had experiences like this?

Socializing While In Pain

Do I socialize when I’m in pain?

Yup, I socialize, otherwise I’d be a hermit!

Yup! Otherwise I’d be a hermit. Plus, very few friends can identify how much I’m in pain. My bff & my sister can tell by looking at me.. I have other friends & family who have learned the signs.

Mom can tell usually just by looking at me.. not always, but usually.. My sister is pretty good.. Her kids & hubby not so much – ironically I think the kid of hers that would recognize the best is her youngest, because he has seen me the most over the last few years.

My guy friend T has, over the last 3½ years learned quite a bit about how to read the non-verbal clues.

My BFF also has fibro & is sometimes a little too focused on her own fibro to catch my issues. Only reason I can gauge her easily is that she has an emotional response to her issues that I don’t even think she’s aware of.

My second BFF also has his own issues, and usually only sees me on better days.. I don’t think he’s even seen me at mediocre or worse in a long time..

Them there’s some of the Scouters I work with.. Raksha 13th & I have become good friends through Scouting & Rainbow I’ve known since grade 8 or 9, but through guiding & scouting as well. They are pretty good a picking things up.

There are other friends who are less prevalent in my life but even they can recognize some signs if I’m having issues

What I Can Do.

So, there is the basics of who I tend to see most, then the next thing is *what I can do*. Mind you the days when I’m seriously f****d up due to symptoms, I don’t talk to anyone unless I haveta Haveta HAVETA.

Now pain & other symptoms varyy from week to week, day to day, even hour to hour.. Fortunately in the last few years the hour to hour option seems to happen less and less frequently, but for a long time that is how I had to play it.

When my pain levels are super high, any communication is digital.. To everyone. If you’re lucky..

^{Digital Communication Only on my Worst Days, At Best}

Next level down:

• Mild exercise like walking my dog around the court
• Have company over for low maintenance visits
• Socialize for dinner with Mom & Dad

^{Exercise by walking the Dog Around the Court Is All I Can Handle Some Days.}

As my pain levels drop, I can be more sociable in activities that require less interaction such as:

• Hanging out with selects friends in a quiet environment, such as a campfire, living room, patio, poolside, dock.. This would be BFF’s, & T, for the most part
• Walking around the neighbourhood
• Watching the kids’ soccer games
• Visiting the family cottage for a few days
• Visiting the gym for a hot tub!

^{Hanging out with Friends, in Front of the Campfire, or Otherwise, Though we use Chairs – LOL}

As the pain levels drop a moderate to low level I can usually do the following:

• Karaoke
• General.Cub Scout Activities
• Marksmanship
• Hangout with friends in a noisier, bigger, busier location like a restaurant or bar
• Moderate exercise like the walks with my sister & the pups
• cub Scout meetings!
• Glamping at my BFF’s cottage
• Concerts (depending on who, I may go on a worse day & accept the consequences)
• Professional sporting events like the Leafs, TFC or The Rock.. & to a lesser extent, Argos, Jays or Raptors..

^{Concerts with Friends Are Always Fun!!}

So assuming my pain level is low, there is a lot I can do. I can:

• More strenuous exercise such as cycling
• Visit the gym for Aquafit, yoga, weights, or the track. I had gotten in a few slow Zumba classes in before COVID..
• I can Camp – not the glamping like at the cottage, but camping with friends, and even my Cub Scouts . In fact we were going to Camp Impressa for a year end camp earlier this month with my senior Cubs & the Scouts (See more in this post).. & I just went camping 2 weekends ago with T
• Sporting activities like soccer with the girls or golfing with T
• Some of the more physical activities in Cub Scouts.. Such as teaching how to put up tents, waterproofing the bedroll, setting up grey water, basic orienteering, limited kayaking/canoeing, etc..
• The Pheonix. – Dancing at the club!
• Hiking (like fairly flat, fairly short, nothing overnight – Second Marsh near me is a good example)
• Roadtrip!

Easy Hiking with Friends

What I can not do.

There are so many things now that I would like to do that I just not in the cards. These are activities the I’ve either done or were at one point on the bucket list. This includes activities such as:

• White water rafting. T wants to go – I can do the camping part, but not the rafting part
• Backpacking/ Hiking. This includes longer hikes, more challenging hikes, or overnight hikes. I can not lug an air mattress through the wilderness 😄
• Winter outdoor camping
• Amusements parks – can’t do most of the rides, and way too much walking.
• Skiing
• Horseback Riding
• Zip-lining (not sure I’d do that anyways)

_{^{Canada’s Wonderland, the Prominent Amusement Park in the Toronto Ontario Area.}}

What would you like to do that you know you will never do again?

RLS then Exercise.. Uh oh!!!

On Friday last week, I posted about issues with my RLS, but that wasn’t the end of it.

As I said, on Wednesday night I was having problems getting to sleep, big problems due to restless leg syndrome in all four limbs – very rare. So I went on the treadmill for 20 minutes then snuggled nicely into bed.

^{Walking on a treadmill can help burn off the restless feeling when my RLS flares.}

Thursday morning, I woke up & my legs had felt like I’d run before full marathon with zero prep the day before, instead of just 20 minutes.

So I started with the pain meds, the anti-inflammatories and the muscle relaxers that I do every day when I get up. The unexpected pain did eventually start to lessen more.

But Thursday nights are one of my cub nights with my third years, howlers from both packs. We’re helping them work on their Seeonee Award.

Fortunately, when this meeting was planned we weren’t aware if we were going to be in person or not so we planned a virtual meeting. The kids wanted to play Drawsaurus which is an online version of Pictionary. Lots of fun!

^{Drawsaurus is an online version of Pictionary! The boys love it!}

So I didn’t have to do anything. I did not have to prep much, other than just set up the game which took about 30 seconds. We played 4-5 rounds I believe. We could do this because it was a smaller group, just the four of them tonight.

So as we started we are having fun and I’m relaxing. Silly me, I text my sister and ask her if she wants to go walking tonight after my meeting, which we normally do on Thursdays.. Of course she responded in the affirmative.

I was actually starting to feel better at the end of the meeting – Yay!!

I make it to my sister’s for 9:00pm and we leave shortly thereafter walking the dogs. Our pups were both very well behaved tonight, strangely enough – they usually do not start calm & maintain that for most of the walk.

So our walk was uneventful and we walked the neighborhood just south west of us. There was nothing extraordinary about our walk in the way of physical exertion.

There was a coyote but that’s a different story altogether.

One thing about that walk however was the length. It was almost 11:00pm by the time we got back to her house. In steps that is over 10,000 and about 5½ miles (no clue why my Fitbit is still in miles)

^{God Help Me! Five miles & 11,000 steps for one casual walk.}

So take a guess how I felt afterwards. Horrible! My leggs were very painful. I’m thinking a 6 or 7 out of 10 on my pain scale..

I had a shower and the hot water was lovely- everything seemed to relax under the hot spray. Unfortunately it would return when the heat got moved to another spot. I think I need to go snorkeling in a hot tub! LOL..

So I medicated again, including my MMJ…

Guess how I felt the next day…

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I was actually expecting to be in a flare the next morning… Surprisingly, my Leggs were sore.. pain at a 3, 3½.. was expecting 7 or so.

So, Yay! Not as bad as anticipated!

Fibro Sucks! But My Friends Don’t!

so we have finally reached the 31st of May, the final day of fibromyalgia Awareness Month. I know I’ve been posting a little extra and almost exclusively about fibromyalgia this month but but else would I do? LOL

what I would like to thank all the people in my life who support me. I made masks for those closest to me as well as myself. I would like to thank each and every one who wore these masks & I hope will continue to wear them until we no longer need them.

This lad is on of my guy friends whom I am fairly close to, but I was surprised when he said he wanted a mask. Apparently he knows others (including 2 mutual friends) with Fibromyalgia.

Tony.

The only one I made a mask for who I do behave an image of is my nephew cuz he couldn’t find his (not surprising, cuz his mom’s wearing it!) But my sister, her 2 daughters, and my Mom & Dad. I thank my family for their support

^{Cassie & Kyah, Wendy, Dad and Mom}

My best friends and their partners.. I’ve known both Catherine & Gerry since high school. I’m lucky to have maintained their friendships after 30 years. I thank them & their partners. Cath’s masks read “I wear purple for my BFF” & “I wear purple for ME”.

^{Catherine & Brett and Sara & Gerry}

As many of you know, I’m involved in Scouting & I had some of my fellows outer request masks as they know how much it impacts my daily life.. I worked with Rainbow 13th directly for 2 years in Beavers & she is our outgoing group chair for one group. Raksha 13th has worked with me at Cub level for 3 years now& is out incoming Ng chair. She has seen how it impacts me and the improvements I have made over the last few years. Rainbow 1sy, well.. I’ve only been working in tandem with her since Covid hit & we initially amalgamated the groups, but like the bffs, I’ve known her since highschool and we did Venture Scouts together as youth.

^{Rainbow 13th (Charlene), Raksha 13th (Jen) & Rainbow 1st.(Jenn)}

& I support me. Some days I have to remember that.

i have 4 masks.. 2 that say Fibromyalgia Awareness, but different patterns.. one that states “I wear purple for my BFF” (cuz my bff has fibro too) & “I wear purple for ME”. Mine, I will have in regular rotation – good thing purple is my favourite colour..

^{4 different days 4different masks.. & Yes, each has been worn several times over the last few weeks. Very rarely was I not in a fibro mask. & If not, I had purple butterflies!}

So everyone who supports someone with Fibromyalgia, on their behalf, I thank you. Whether it’s doing our groceries wearing a mask for Fibromyalgia Awareness or just checking in to make sure we’re ok,, we do appreciate you & your support.

^{Thank You!!}

Post-Christmas Crash 2020

Every year the inevitable happens. I manage decently enough getting ready for Christmas, pacing myself trying not to overdo it. Every year I end up failing miserably before the holidays end.

Some years I’ve managed to get through Christmas Day with a nap and crash afterwards. . Some years I’ve actually had to postpone Christmas from the morning to the afternoon and eventually this became consistent as I really get up any day before noon. I’ve even had two years where I didn’t do Christmas with my family or anyone just because my crash hit before the holiday.

The most common reaction is to hit my wall on Christmas Day in the evening… After I get back from wherever I’ve been.. Fortunately, with the improvement of my Fibro over the last almost 5 years, that is shifting.. Crashes are less severe and don’t typically last for week or more on end..

This year, I did well! Before you say that’s it cuz of covid & no one did anything, it’s not true. Christmas this year is not *that* different.

As per the norm, I baked cookies. I give these his gifts to friends, family & my pain physician. It’s not uncommon for me to purchase premade dough however this year I made two different types of cookies from scratch. I have one of those cookies I ended up making up 4 batches. I don’t know how many cookies I made in total but in the end I had enough for two’s cookie swaps with my Cub packs, 3 small baggies, of a half dozen, 8 larger bags of a baker dozen, & 5large bags for almost 2 dozen cookies. I also did up one package of two dozen Brier Rabbit cookies (that’s the recipe I made for of) for a friend of mine who specifically likes that type of cookie.. After all that, I still had some left over.. That’s almost 400 cookies this year.

Cookies From My Cubs

As I usually do, I also did my Christmas shopping in person. I don’t like doing a lot of shopping online unless I know exactly what it is like books. So I do gifts for my sister and her family and my parents every year as well as select friends including my best friend and her family This year I also got a few things for my brother’s family beyond cookies.. Plus stocking stuffers for my Mom and Dad.. So gifts for about 20 people this year.

Because of COVID my deliveries have been different this year.. but I have made them and have had short safe visits with friends. I stopped at my 2nd bff’s on Christmas Eve Day and we had a short safe visit. . Christmas Day was spent with my parents followed by a social distanced gift exchange with my Sister’s family. Afterwards, I stopped by another friend’s later on also for a short safe visit to exchange small gifts. Come Boxing Day, I had a longer, yet still safe visit with my BFF & her family. Finally, I saw another friend that evening and gave him his cookies & gifts..

So Boxing Day evening I hit my wall (My Wile E Coyote IG post shows it well). When I got home about 8:30, I crawled into bed & slept. I ended up overheating in my sleep but you can read more about that here.. Otherwise for the next 24 hours, I slept, only getting up so myself & Lilly could use the facilities and to feed her.

Since then my pain levels have been up and so has my fatigue.. I’ve done very little over this last week. I had a Cub Scout planning meeting on the 27th via Zoom. I’ve had a visit or 2 with Mom & Dad as they only live upstairs.. I fixed a mask, having to replace the elastic & add a third layer. I have watched TV, I have player video games on my phone & I’ve slept.

Do I consider myself bedridden? No.. I’m able to function.. I can get up & take the dog out & Ake myself some food and do liw energy activities. So why am I not doing more? Cuz if I do things will go downhill.. Right now I’m just keeping the course steady so that my body can rest, relax, recuperate and heal..

COVID Christmas

As of writing this entry, the area in Ontario which I live is at level red. This may change before Christmas as it is currently being revisited. But what this means is that while we are not on lockdown, broader, more stringent measures & limitations are in effect..

Our health department recommends that families should not visit any other household or allow visitors in their homes. Everyone should avoid social gatherings.

Avoid in-person gatherings.

Celebrate only with members of your household.

Connect virtually with loved-ones and friends outside of your household.

Avoid travelling.

Follow all public health guidelines.

Stay home if you’re sick or have symptoms.

What does that mean for me? It means our initial plans for Christmas with my sister’s family is now out. We had planned out a safe socially distanced day, but it no.longer is considered a ‘safe’ plan. So it looks like we will be doing virtual Christimas.

Once I know what we finally decide on – I’ll let you know.