Have this COVID-19 pandemic & corona virus got your attention? It does mine, it’s made things a lot simpler in many ways.

There are things I DESPERATELY MISS – like family and friends, or HUGGING my mom. But more things that I don’t miss at all from the of pre-COVID life. What do you enjoy most in this NEW NORMAL?

Back When Life was Simpler

My mom has been working on ancestry to fill her days (especially during the quarantine).

She’s been having fun going back in time and learning so much in the process of rebuilding her family tree.  I think it’s a wonderful thing for her to do, and it’s helping her to remember her childhood.

As she shares all of this with me, It’s been bringing back many, many memories of my own childhood.  It is especially bringing memories of my most beloved Grandma and Grandpa and the farm where they lived in the small farming community of Shaunavon, Saskatchewan.

Grandma’s been gone since 2003, and Grandpa since 2007.  I haven’t been back to Shaunavon since his funeral.

 

Do you know how music often brings back memories?

Well the song Born and Raised by the Hunter Brothers (who are actually from Shaunavon) has really captured that small town spirit and really reminds me of summers on my grandparents farm.

Corona has Me Thinking and Being Emotional

I’m not sure if it’s because of the pandemic, because of the quarantine that is bringing back that “simpler way of life”, because of ancestry and what my mom is learning, or just because I’ve been spending so much time with my kiddos and I want them to remember the good parts.

It has me wondering/worrying if I will ever be that “The Best Grandma” kind of Grandma to my kids like my Grandma was to us!!

I’ve been SUPER TEARY and really emotional over it the last few weeks as my head is being flooded with all these memories.  Please bear with me as I work through it all.

Can I let you in on a little secret?  There was a time when my grandma and grandpa, the farm and the small town of Shaunavon were so important to me that I was wanted/wished I could move there and be part of it.

The farm doesn’t look anything like it did in the early days, or even anything like it did when I was growing up.  And of course my Grandpa sold the homestead years ago and had moved to town.

Back in the day, we grew up very differently.  We were free (and expected) to go outside and play.  I remember spending so much time on my grandparents farm, adventures going into town, going on camping trips to the Simmie (to see more cousins and family) or to Cypress Hills.

Life was ALL about family, close friends, working hard, working together and relying on one another.

It was so special for all of us kids to go to the farm and have all our sleeping bags lined up on the living room floor, like a bunch of sardines.  When all the family was together, we had 9 kids lined up on the floor.

One year I remember having a HUGE outdoor Easter egg hunt with all of us kids.  The adults must have been hiding eggs for a really long time because even 2 or 3 years later we would be playing outside and find an occasional egg that we had originally missed!!

Opening Christmas presents – we ALL had to sit in a circle and watch each person open one gift before the next person would get a turn.  This generally took ALL morning, especially because my Grandpa like to tease us by going super slow.  And the kicker was they always started OLDEST to youngest.

During the summer, the older boys would get to help my grandpa with farm duties.  Us girls got to help Grandma inside with meal prep and pulling veggies out of the garden etc.

I remember it was a super special day (in my mind)  when Grandpa would let me ride on the tractor with him for a trip around the field.

I have memories of my grandma on occasion bringing lunch or dinner out to the men in the field when they were working late.  She was a bit of a crazy driver ( or at least that’s how it appeared to us kids) going in and out of the ditches like nobodies business!  But she always got the dinner delivered and I don’t think she ever got stuck OR got into an accident.

One year my brother and cousin had to do some painting.  I was so mad because Grandma said I was to little to help.  All I was allowed to do was to paint the handles of the garden tools (rakes, hoes, and shovels).  She told me that painting takes practice, and you have to start somewhere.  I know she was right, but it sure didn’t feel like it at the time.

I remember my sisters and I playing in an old, run down, deserted wagon in the field not far from the house.  We would spend hours in that wagon and we were proud of how nice we had fixed it up in our imaginations.

In the summer we played outside but in the colder months we would spend our time playing cards/games with Grandma and pa – like gin rummy, crib, aggravation, put and take and others.  We would spend HOURS around the kitchen table playing those  types of games, it was so much fun and made so many good memories.

Special family traditional foods that only my Grandma could make – like homemade fudge, candy kisses, or in the summer potato salad, and doughnuts.  They always tasted so good – she would spend hours getting things ready for our visits.

 

 

 

I could go on and on – I’m sure we all have special memories of when we were growing up.  I KNOW that these memories are only special to me.  I just need to put my thoughts down and try to work it through.

What does the COVID Quarantine have You Thinking About?

In talking with my mom and sister, we have decided that we need to make one more trip to Shaunavon to remember those times that are so special in our hearts.  I’m hoping that it will be safe to make the trip yet this year, maybe late summer or early fall.

Has this pandemic, and the COVID lock-down got you thinking about things, and thinking about a time when life was so much simpler (or is that just me)?  I really do miss that way of life.  I am totally okay that we have slowed down make to a more normal pace — a NEW normal.

In the last 10 years, I feel like life has been spiraling out of control and no one can even keep up to how fast things are changing.

One thing for me is trying even harder to live up to being that “Best Mom and Grandma”.  I want my kids to feel like they had a great childhood and be able to remember good stuff always.

Has this pandemic made you change your way of thinking?  Do you like this new slower pace, or are you itching to get back to life as it was.  Do you think we will get back to life as it was?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Has this pandemic made you change your way of thinking?  Are there things that you want to change?

 

 

 

Talk soon,

 

 

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