The end of 2020

It's been one whirlwind of a year.  Lots going on.  And lots not going at all.  The year started like any other.  I paid my cycling membership dues.  I was continuing the reno in the basement, planning out how I was going to do it and how I was going to pay for it.  Then the news kept coming in about China and this SARS like virus that was spreading.

TV started playing movies like Contagion (2011).  I think it was more to ride the hype of the novel coronavirus that was on the news.  Little did we know that the movie was soon going to be a reflection of real life here in North America.   Borders were no longer going to keep things from spilling over.  It was coming and there was nothing we could do to stop the spread.  It was too late.  China had tried to contain the spread and hide the fact.   Allowing the virus to spread to the rest of the world.   Even Antarctica.

By mid March we were in lockdown.  And the virus now had a name, COVID-19.   It was on the news 24/7.  The daily feed of infected, ICU and deaths was stressful.  It was originally believed to be fatal to only seniors and those with pre-conditions, soon was affecting the young as well.

The USA soon overtook every other country in the world in terms of COVID-19 stats.  And will finish the year #1.   I understand why it's like that there.  Yet it puzzles me that they would risk the health of others for what seems like pettiness.  What's the big deal in wearing a mask anyways?

On a positive note, our reno projects went into overdrive.  I saw this as an opportunity.  It was also online-ordering-delivery delays and returning hell.  I like to see what i'm buying especially for the work I was planning on doing.  But that's how it was.  Curbside pickup was the new norm.   But it all worked out.

Basement laundry - major work was done.

Upstairs flooring - done

Garage reno - done

It was a lot to take on, but what else was I gonna do?  It was more of a way to avoid all the COVID-19 drama being shoved down our throats.  Summer was a blur.  I was happy to just have the ability and opportunities to do the things I got to do. 

And I even got some new wheels too.  It was a splurge especially with all the reno costs, but riding my bike was the one thing I could do and escape the reality of this pandemic for a few hours.  Story Telling..

Coming into the last third of 2020 it was about keeping our distance, from basically everyone.  Who knew who had what.   If you had sniffles, a cough, a fever, or no symptoms at all.  That was the scary part.  You didn't know if someone just didn't know they had it.   Schools had to adjust.  Online learning loses something in translation.   Lessons learned to the spikes at Thanksgiving, led to cancelling Halloween, and Christmas isolation.

It is what it is.  Someone observed this when it came to how we got to
where we are.  People with the means, will do what they want because they can.  People without the means are doing what they can to just survive.  And then there's the rest.

2020 brought a pandemic.

What will 2021 bring?  Hope. 

And lots more coffee and home made bread.

Bootiful Lights

It's been quite hectic for the last few weeks.  Not so much with renos.  That part is done for 2020.  Also my chop saw broke and I can really do anything nor do I care to as the temps fall below freezing now.  So I've focused on other things.

Like insulating the garage door so I can keep enough heat inside to ride my bike on the trainer.   It's starting to get colder and colder.  And i'm not really sure what the inside temp is since the clock i have in the garage never reads lower than 0 deg C.   When I have the heater running it does move up between 2-5 deg C.   Except today.  It stayed at 0.  I'm hoping i can find a solution that works so i can continue to ride in there.  There's so much room and it makes things easier as I don't have to put it away.

The only drawback is the walk from the house to the garage.  But I've been making the effort as I'm really enjoying the ability to work out in the garage.  I have a great set up, since the garage reno.  The only thing is the heat, or lack thereof.  But it's tolerable.  I'll have to find a way to keep my my toes from getting too cold.  It's basically the only thing that gets really cold for me.  And it's not that bad, yet.  But as temps fall well into the -10 to -30's.  I'm gonna have to find a solution that works and doesn't cause my hydro bill to go through the roof.

But for now it's still good.  And I'm happy to ride in there.  I also set up my pull up bar in there and got room to use the Bowflex.  So I've got a gym setup, with bike and weight training.  Only thing is the floor is a bit dusty.  But during these COVID times, this really helps to shed the beer and bread I've been consuming, daily.   It doesn't help my beer fridge is in the garage.  It's too convenient there.

We don't enter through the large garage door any more.  It's nice not having to swing that thing open to get in and out. I've got the gaps closed up as best as I could.   It's so much easier through the new side door.

So now that the festive season is upon us.  What to do?   The gov't is telling us we need to celebrate with our own household.  Until a vaccine is available and being rolled out.  It is what it is.  Stay away.

What better way to lighten the pandemic mood, than with lights.   Diwali was just a few weeks ago and we always celebrate it with next door.  We've been doing it every year.  This year we just had to do it a bit safer, with masks.  We still had the fireworks lit up on the driveway.   I'm good with whatever as long as I still get to eat whatever next door brings out.  Besides next door has been in lockdown since the beginning.

As the winter marches in, any warm day Mother Nature decides to toss our way, I'm choosing to experience the day on my bike or something outdoorsy.   I thought I'd missed my opportunity to put up the outdoor Christmas lights on the house and tree.  But thankfully I got an extra day thrown my way.

It's now the first full week of December and I wasn't sure if we were going to get a really live cut tree, but Kieran said...'why not?'  so i dragged him with me to choose a tree.  This way I can say he chose it, if it turns out to be a crappy tree.   It's hard to tell if a tree will look full and even.  I do check the top piece that it's not crooked or bent.   I check the height to make sure it'll fit in our room.  After that, it's hope for the best.

And this is always my fear that I'll end up with a Charlie Brown tree.  I have ended up with one years ago.  That one was from IKEA.  I must have missed the memo to get em while they're alive.  We got one of the last trees squished up against the fence.  It was me and Kieran and a prison of unwanted trees.   We don't go to IKEA for trees any more.

You have to cut the trunk so that when you stick it in the base and fill it with water it is able to draw up the water from the trunk.  If you don't the tree doesn't draw up the water as effectively.  I used to bring it into the garage and let it settle and open up after being wrapped for a while.  But once it's open, it becomes harder to get into the house.  So now I just bring it straight in and set it up and fill the base with water.

It's only been in the house now for 3 days and this years tree looks pretty good.  I wasn't too keen as I was out and people were not distancing in the line ups and it was freaking me out a bit.  But since Kieran wanted a tree, i said OK and it wasn't bad at all when we went on Sunday.  I'm happy we got one this ear like we always do.  It feels right.  And it's now lit up and you can smell it when you come in the house.  This is why we get a real tree.