Have you seen the funny/not funny viral tiktok where the woman lists off her 2020 goals? Yeah. I grabbed my 2020 bullet journal to get my Christmas list organized and realized I haven’t put a new monthly tab in since May. Short of a lone list in September where I tried to get my act back together, I have nothing but scribbles and a few random notes written down since May 30. And now the Christmas list.
I’ve changed up my instagram follows and set a screen time limit where Jesse holds the passcode. I’ve limited my news intake and no longer allow myself to seek out the comment section of our local health department/school district FB page. I still cry daily, survive more than thrive, shrug a lot. Some days I do all the things. Some days I feel like walking to the mailbox is more than I can handle. Some days I feel like that’s what thriving in a pandemic looks like.
Knitting: Hats. No pattern to link. Using bulky yarn I cast on somewhere between 30-40 stitches, knit between 9.5-11″ sometimes decreasing for the crown. Sometimes I make a pompom. I like that I can get one on and off the needles in about two hours. I’ve got my eye on making these for next year but not buying any more yarn in 2020. Finished a pair of socks. Cast on a pair of socks.
Watching: Finished Dash + Lily and wish I would have rationed those out a little slower. The Holiday Calendar on Netflix (fluffy, G rated Christmas romance). Midnight at the Magnolia on Netflix (generally the same thing). Drain the Oceans (with Violet) on Disney+. I’m looking forward to watching Hillbilly Elegy which I read last year.
Reading: Not a thing. I have a list. I can’t decide what I want to read off the list so I’m reading nothing.
Making: Plans for Thanksgiving dinner. This, this, and this are on the menu along with the classic green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, and of course, pumpkin pie. Since Abram doesn’t like pie and I don’t think it’s Thanksgiving without dessert, I’m also making chocolate chip cookies. (This is the time of year when I’m extremely grateful for the double oven.)
So that’s us. What are you -ing this week? Wishing you all a very wonderful Thanksgiving – even if it isn’t the one you had hoped or planned – and with that, I just want to say how grateful I am for the penpal friendships we have created, this year especially. XOXO.
I saw that Tik Tok and I laughed along with her and then felt sad for her too. So much emotion there.
I am making very basic things for Thanksgiving because I am a newbie but I am looking forward to them too. I am making pumpkin pie and chocolate cake from scratch due to migraine triggers, so I am kind of excited for those things alone. Oh and stuffing because STUFFING. 🙂
I’ve been reading my soul homework books that lead me from one to another and that has been lovely. I have a book waiting at the library today and just getting out of the house to do curbside pickup feels like a field trip.
I am going to start Dash and Lily this week thanks to you (and Rita) making it sound so lovely. I feel like this is a perfect week to start watching it.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Stuffing is a requirement. The first year I made Thanksgiving dinner, I set the jello on fire. I didn’t even know that was a thing you could do! I was in my mid-20’s and my parents were out of town and I had all the siblings over and I was trying to be very grown up. Instead, I served frozen green bean casserole and started jello on fire. It was one of my favorite Thanksgivings ever. Good luck with yours! I’m sure it will be lovely!
I hope you’ll make a list of your soul homework books! It sounds like it could be very helpful!
Enjoy Dash and Lily – it really is the perfect time to start it!
I just gave up on the Christmas crafts that I started way too late to give as gifts anyhow. It was stressing me a lot. I might still make heart ornaments ( thanks for the idea!!) and pillow case covers with some Christmas fabric I love.
I AM rationing Dash and Lily AND The Crown.
I am reading very many books – We keep Our Dead Close, Unsheltered, The Searcher, Anxious People and Royal Holiday.
One of my daughter’s and I will be keeping our Portal’s on while we cook on Thursday. Then gather again for dessert and maybe a game of Bingo with my grandkids. I will be missing my Washington State daughter’s very much.
I loved Anxious People! Do you have a favorite you’re reading right now? I’ve always been book monogamous but maybe if I just let myself read multiple ones, I wouldn’t feel frozen.
It’s such a good idea sharing the cooking and dessert time! And I the idea of bingo!! I may steal that for my family on Christmas!! What a wonderful way to all be together.
Christmas making can certainly get stressful. I’m glad you found a way to make your list manageable!
Ah, Kate. That video. It was funny until the end, which was gutting. So many things like that this year, eh? They just turn on a dime and contain all the emotions in such tiny little containers.
I have been mostly not partaking of news. It seems to come and go for me. I don’t even do it consciously. I think something in me just avoids when I need to avoid. I have a slow-thrumming, deep-burning anxiety about the world and our country, but it mostly stays down deep lately. Maybe because I’ve had more immediate anxiety-provokers at work? I dunno. Crying less, but it can still sneak up on me with the smallest provocation.
I finished knitting my pillow cover last night, and need to sew it together today. I’m returning to my house embroidery project, using a new medium. We’ll see how it goes. I made some Christmas cards the weekend before last and I’ve already lost them. There aren’t that many places they could go, so…WTF? I’ve been planning a small Thanksgiving dinner for two. My son called last night and we talked for 2.5 hours. I miss him. I’m still listening to the same audiobook–correct title is The Likeness (by Tana French)–and I highly recommend. Yesterday I ordered Wintering: How to Survive When Life is Frozen by Katherine May. The wait from the library was over 20 weeks, so I bit the bullet and ordered it because it seems like something I could use now. In spite of everything, I have been appreciating. I need to sort my thoughts out more, but there is something about this time, in spite of everything hard, that I am deeply appreciative of. I am, it feels like always, working. But it’s really not or I wouldn’t be able to share all these other -ings, but I am so looking forward to four days off.
I, too, am so grateful for our penpal friendships. I wish you and your family a good Thanksgiving. Oh, and I am doling out Dash & Lily! Only watching it with Grace, and with her work, mine, and a 9-hour time difference I’m not sure if we’ll finish it by Christmas. If you find anything else similar, let us know.
I’m so glad you and Grace are finding a way to watch it together and that you got to have a long chat with your son!
I can see how more immediate (and direct) anxiety can push back the overarching anxiety. I don’t even think our brains know how to process societal and worldwide calamity.
I think I understand what you are saying about this of year and appreciating! I know mine is tied to everyone I love still being healthy and meaningful work and feeling rather lucky despite of an unlucky year. If this year made anything clear to me, it’s what I really miss/need and what I don’t, which seems a very valuable lesson.
Hope you have a lovely four days off!! Abram’s vacation starts tomorrow and V started yesterday and they both are loving that there is nothing required of them!
I am so glad their teachers didn’t assign any work for over the break! (Doing so is one of my peeves.)
I shrug a lot, too. Often when I pay attention to what people, irl and online, are doing that I’d describe as downright rude. What is wrong with people, I ask myself often.
I love that comedian and her list. I’ve done almost nothing I planned to do in 2020 and have done many things I’d never have thought I’d do this year. Masks, anyone? Curbside grocery pickup?
As for Thanksgiving it’ll be the two of us and it’ll be good and I shall be grateful. Wishing you & yours a Happy Turkey Day.
I wish I was better at shrugging at rude people. I get so MAD. I know it doesn’t do me any good, but I still do. I’m working on shrugging!
Happy Thanksgiving!! Enjoy the day just the two of you!!
Hi Kate,
I hadn’t seen that tiktok video, but I can *so* relate. Not only because I, too, had lofty plans for 2020 (which have all come to nothing), but also because I’m prone to that same kind of stress-laughter. (My delivery of a string of bad news to my older son this summer was finished off in much the same manner.) Also: I completely get the fact that walking to the mailbox feels like more than you can handle. I go to the grocery store once a week and I find myself having to talk myself down from the anxiety. I’ve also noticed that if I allow days to go by in which I don’t leave the house at all, then it becomes all that much harder. Even something as small as a walk around the block to get some fresh air is now fraught with anxiety.
This past week has seen me going even farther overboard with the news watching. I’m hoping that now that the election is really, truly over (it is, right?), I can finally stop doing this.
I love those hats that you knit, Kate! (And the Purl Soho ones look so lovely too.) I finished the baby booties and have been working on my sweater. I also picked a sweater pattern for my youngest son (this one: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cobblestone-7 ).
I binged Dash + Lily too, AND The Crown. (Dammit.) I’m finding it hard to read so I’m spending even less time than usual with a book. (I’m still slowly making my way through the Elizabeth Gaskell.)
I’m grateful for your friendship too, Kate. Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving—
xo Marian
I love the pattern for your son! I may steal that for Jesse. I have yarn for a sweater but it never ended up the way I wanted so I frogged it. After my Christmas knitting is finished.
I stress laugh too. Once my mom was in the ICU years ago (she’s fine) but I started laughing the minute I saw her and couldn’t stop. I had to go out in the hall. One of the nurses was very sweet and told me it happens to lots of people but I was mortified.
And I feel you on the anxiety. I’ve been making myself get out for short walks since our quarantine has lifted because I can honestly see agoraphobia being a thing for me. I’m sorry you’re dealing with it too!!
And yes, I believe the election is over. I think Republicans will continue to be annoying to rally turn out voters in the Georgia Senate runoff, but Biden will be President.
I binged them both too!! Now I don’t know what to watch!!!
So good to hear from you, Marian. Sending hugs!!
Those steampunk glasses are epic!!! Oh, and yeah… we spent Thanksgiving in a hotel room eating sandwiches on our way to our FL place for the winter. It was VERY stressful traveling (by auto) and I went through a LOT of Lysol.
Aren’t they awesome? I love her style.