Making Home Work
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column on New Year's resolutions, which I already haven't tried especially hard to keep. Today I'm writing about what I'm hoping for in 2021.
The first is obvious. I want the spread of coronavirus to be under control, and fast. I want life to be more friendly, eventful and just boring old normal. Because the traditional "boring old normal" is way, way better than pandemic "normal." I'm hoping this will happen by midsummer. Those of us who are high risk for a bad case of COVID have cabin fever for sure.
I can't wait to get the vaccine for the coronavirus. I'm sure that many readers of all political stripes think I'm nuts to want the vaccine, but I'm the daughter of a mother with a bachelor's degree in nursing, and her mother was a public health nurse in Charleston for many decades. I was raised to believe in the absolute good of immunizations. My parents vividly remembered diseases like whooping cough and polio. They knew people who ended up in an iron lung due to polio. Yep. I'm getting the vaccine.
I've written a lot about Mom and Dad lately. It's because they died a bit less than a year apart. I miss both dreadfully, but to help commemorate them, I'm going to plant some new lavender plants, some old-fashioned petunias and a pot of rosemary this spring. Dad didn't garden, but he was so proud of mom's accomplishments that planting for her is also for him. I'm so looking forward to picking and planting their favorites in their honor. I hope to do that as soon as we hit mid-May.
I'm very excited and hopeful for the time when Ben is back in daycare and needs some granny care when he has a day off. Nothing is better than playing games and reading stories with Ben. Oh, he's a bit wild, but aren't all little boys? And I need the exercise.
I'm looking forward to days when I get up and go putter around stores on a pleasant afternoon. Just run to Target and to downtown Goshen to stroll around the shops and buy what strikes my fancy.
Holidays! With people! At restaurants! Unmasked! Can't wait!
I'm actually looking forward to the Elkhart County 4-H Fair. I'm not picking on the fair. I love it. But, usually, it's far, far too hot outside for me to enjoy. (I'm happiest when it's 65 degrees out.)
The fair is usually just too much heat for me, but this year, I'll be so glad to get out, I may just hug a goat.
See you next week.
If you'd like to share your own home memories or tips (or recipes), send ideas to tkwolford@aol.com. Or you can write me via traditional mail at The Farmer's Exchange, P.O. Box 45, New Paris, IN 46553.