I decided that I could not let this holiday and year pass without comment. I've started and stopped writing this entry three or four or five times now. I've always done some sort of "year in review" for every blog I've ever wrote and this is no exception.
However I've only kept this blog since late September and really haven't done much in the way of "homesteading."
The question for me become how do I summarize a year that has been anything but simple? How do you close out a year that has...to put it mildly...been anything but normal? A year that frankly, I can't remember some parts of because they seem to exist in a dreamlike state?
It started simply enough, Sue and I were living in Florida and talking about moving home to PA, discussing about starting a bed and breakfast, etc. Nothing that was to wild or out of the ordinary.
Our home in Florida had been off and on the market for the previous two years with little interest and, if I am being honest, I don't think either Susan or I had a great desire to move. We were happy for the most part, but even the winters outside of Tampa were getting hotter. Days in the mid 80's in January were not uncommon. Our air conditioner was running constantly. Even on the coldest days of the year.
I remember hearing about the virus, reading about how the city of Wunan was completely closed off to the world in order to try and contain the virus. Yet it it distant, alien. Then the next thing you knew we were being sent home from work, laptops in hand. Now, we are being told that we will not return to our offices till April or May, a full year later. It's been said that my company may never go back to a full office staff, instead staggering it's workers in and out of the office in two or three day shifts.
I remember working from home in those early days, and allowing myself a cold beer on some days while at work...trying to cope. We were all worried, trying to understand, process.
Days ran together and the summer weather become unbearable in Florida. We put our home up again, and had three different couples look at it. We had two offers on the table within days. We came up twice - or was it three times - to find and buy a home. We found one place that we fell in love with, however the cost to repair it was just to high. Our second choice is our current home.
Suddenly we were packing, trying to find a lost cat at the last moment (we did) and having some minor misadventures as we drove two moving trucks full of crap all the way from Tampa to Stoneboro in three days.
Now it's Christmas and the end of the year...and the days do seem to drag. I do enjoy Christmas, and judging from the amount of decorations that my wife has up, so does she. Were the rest of the year went? I can not say.
All innocence dies eventually.
Christmas is strange this year, as we did nearly all of our shopping online and being out in the crowds is part of the holiday for me. Seeing the lights, the decorations and the smiles of the kids is what gets me "in the spirit." This will also be the first Christmas without my mother. The funny thing was that at this time last year, we we're all wondering if my father would live to see another Christmas.
Because of his age and frail condition, we have been self isolating before we celebrate with family. We will be having a staggered holiday. Susan's family will be here soon, where we will celebrate with my family later in the week. Having more of a New's Years Celebration than a Christmas Celebration with them.
In the meantime though her daughter and her are in the kitchen making homemade bread and cookies. The house smells of nutmeg, peanut butter and chocolate.
While I sit here listening to non traditional Irish and English carols and trying to catch a spirit that has so far allude me.
I know I should not complain. In a year where many families are looking at losing their homes, or their livelihoods...much less someone they love to Covid, we have been blessed.
It would be easy for me to claim that I did it all or have found a special relationship with God. Truth of the matter is that it's been all blind luck. Although I am thankful for what I have and what's happened in the last year or so. We also know that it can all disappear in a matter of seconds...and that has happened to us before. You prep for the worst and try to make the best happen for you and your family.
Although I'm a bit frustrated at this moment with my job, its because I'm working with systems that are ancient by modern standards. Seriously I've not used DOS since the late 1980's but I'll adapt.
Although I miss my mother, I know that death is natural and that I will adapt. I also know that this is happening to friends of mine as well, as one of my dearest and oldest friends just lost his father less than a week ago at the time of this writing.
While I may not be happy with snow on the ground and cold temperatures, I will adapt and soon enough will be in the swing of the seasons. This last year has been "Interesting." I'm not sure if I am looking forward to 2021 yet.
All I know is that in some ways, I want to step back and try to live a simpler life. Save up some money and do some of the things that were planned for 2020, but didn't come to fruition. In an absurd year of 2020 however, I am reminded of the Myth of Sisyphus.
When you have the meaningless task of pushing a rock up a mountain forever, only to have it roll back down...you might as well be happy in the absurdity of it.
Happy Holiday's from my family to yours and may your New Year be successful.
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