Exactly how many times is a blogger allowed to say “I’m back” before people stop taking them seriously? I’m not sure. Let’s find out shall we?
2020 has been a trippy year, hasn’t it? I hate to say it, but I spent a lot of the year holding my breath and waiting.. What about you?
Waiting for what?
— COVID to go away.
— Church to open back up.
— My calendar to get “unpostponed” Yes, I made that word up. We didn’t say “cancelled” because that was too depressing. “Postponed” sounded much more helpful, if not a little bit of a denial of reality.
— My husband to go back into the office. He has been working from home since March. I could write a book about that.
— My Dad to finally get accepted into Assisted Living. – we just moved him in two weeks ago.
A lot of my comedy peeps have been posting videos, creating new ways to Pivot – and some nailed it I might say and me?
It wasn’t all waiting. It just felt that way some times. We closed our Cove for the safety of our guests and picked up an antique booth, stained glass, pottery making, soap making, writing courses, and the art of BBQ. I’ve also written new parody songs that I cannot wait to share.
I’ve also been taking care of my 82-year-old father, having groceries delivered and keeping him safe until there was room at the Inn.
Dementia sucks. I’m just going to say it. We were both exhausted by the time he moved.
I had already planned taking 2020 off until I could get Dad some place safe, so the lack of work wasn’t unexpected. The lack of fellowship? That was a whole other ballgame. I miss eyeballs, belly laughs, and hugs. Oh do I miss hugging my friends.
Although with all of the political fighting I’m seeing online, maybe staying home hasn’t been such a bad idea. Unfriending people on Facebook is a lot better then unfriending them in real life. There are just some things, I really don’t want to know about people and the snooze function is only good for 30 days at a time.
I’ve missed seeing everyone though. Church has opened and closed again for our group after both pastors, their wives, and half the praise band tested positive a few weeks back. It will be January before we are meeting again. For now we Zoom. It’s not quite the same, but it’s still something.
I also made a commitment to keep writing and do more with my time than wander the house looking for food, asking my husband when he thinks he will be returning to the office, or binge watching Netflix. Although I gotta say Schitts Creek and Virgin River are AMAZING!
Whenever I got hyper or anxious and would hold my breath, my banjo used to say “Breathe Darlin’ ” — and my summation of 2020, daily reminders to myself to just breathe, it’s gonna be okay.
Missed you guys!
Deana O'Hara - Speaker, Comedian, Writer 