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Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,889
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Plans for entertaining/gathering now that

[ Edited ]

I don't mean this to sound like a sad sack.  I really don't.

 

My days of large family gatherings are long gone, Covid or not.  Why?  Because 98% of the participants are deceased.

 

My side of the family?  It's me, my sister, her husband and my niece that live here. My 2 nephews live out of state. My cousins live in PA. 


My late husband's side of the family?  Used to be Easter lunch would be for probably 25 people.  Again, they're mostly deceased now.  There is me, my husband's nephew who is bed bound, his wife who has her own share of health issues, my local stepson and my other stepson who lives an hour and a half away.  There's just no one to gather with anymore.  That life is long, long, gone.

 

Makes me sad, but I try not to stew over it.  Tomorrow for Easter, I'll be alone.  

 


Why is it, when I have a 50/50 guess at something, I'm always 100% wrong?
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,553
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: Plans for entertaining/gathering now that

With more virulent and deadly strains of the Virus circulating and increasing in prevelance I see no return to any semblance of normalcy until 2022. President Biden has said mask wearing will continue at least until Christmas. It is very scary the Brazlian strain especially. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Plans for entertaining/gathering now that


@lolakimono wrote:

@Snowpuppy wrote:

@Mominohio wrote:

 

This forum used to be about much more than just posted pics from online with people weighing in on liking or not liking the style/colors/etc. It needs other things infused now and then, including how people intend to use their homes as times change in the next few months/year.


 

^^^^^^^^^

 

Ain't THAT the truth!

 

Enjoy your Easter!


@Snowpuppy 

@Mominohio 

 

I guess, for me I got sick of seeing the same (searchable) posts over and over with riveting and repeated topics such as:

 

How often do you wash your sheets?

 

What do you do with old batteries?

 

Do you hate wallpaper?

 

What do you do with leftovers?

 

How many sets of Easter dishes do you own?

 

Do you prefer a bagless or a bagged vacuum?

 

How old is your oven?

 

Do you wash your walls from top to bottom or bottom to top?

 

Which is better: Shark or Dyson?

 

How often do you take our your trash?

 

What is the proper way to cut a watermelon?

 

How many hours does it take you to clean your bathroom?

 

Do your sponges smell?

 

How long do your light bulbs last?

 

Do you use Windex?

 

How do I change my tired living room without painting or buying furniture?

 

Do you store your pantry items in the pantry, or elsewhere?

 

How do you organize your spices: alphabetical order or by date purchased?

 

Which candle smells like balsam but is not called pine?

 

Does anyone with kids own a white sofa?

 

What is a "normal" amount of blankets?

 

Do you believe in garbage disposals?

 

What do you do with your dryer lint?

 

Do you wear rubber gloves to wash dishes?

 

What flameless candle provides light but is not too bright?

 

Which shade of white paint is pure white and not bright white?

 

What temperature do you keep your house?

 

Do you iron your bedding?

 

Does anyone have ants?

 

When was the last time you scrubbed your driveway?

 

Do your animals shed in the house?

 

Do you use your dishwasher?

 

Did I pay too much/not enough for X service?

 

What is that smell in my ...?

 

 


 

 

Actually, so many of these topics would be interesting to me, and a nice change from the usual. 

 

Different strokes for different folks! LOL It's all good!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Plans for entertaining/gathering now that


@gidgetgh wrote:

I don't mean this to sound like a sad sack.  I really don't.

 

My days of large family gatherings are long gone, Covid or not.  Why?  Because 98% of the participants are deceased.

 

My side of the family?  It's me, my sister, her husband and my niece that live here. My 2 nephews live out of state. My cousins live in PA. 


My late husband's side of the family?  Used to be Easter lunch would be for probably 25 people.  Again, they're mostly deceased now.  There is me, my husband's nephew who is bed bound, his wife who has her own share of health issues, my local stepson and my other stepson who lives an hour and a half away.  There's just no one to gather with anymore.  That life is long, long, gone.

 

Makes me sad, but I try not to stew over it.  Tomorrow for Easter, I'll be alone.  

 


 

@gidgetgh 

 

I so hear you on this. My mom  became a widow at age 43 (in 1979). I was 18, my brother 15. She continued to keep a our family home and do holidays for the next 8 years. But when she gave it up, she really gave it up for good. 

 

So in my mid 20's, all holiday gatherings/events/meals, were on me, and I loved it. We had a rather small family, but I did have a number of great aunts and uncles that I dearly loved, and enjoyed entertaining for them a couple of times a year. 

 

Sadly, they are all gone, after living long happy retirements (till their 90's many of them), and so I too sadly struggle with not having those people around anymore to gather with and enjoy. 

 

I'm sorry you were alone on Easter. But I know that I feel that if I can't be with the people I want to be with (either because they have passed on, or because of this dumb Covid), I'd just rather be alone. I can deal with that better than trying to go somewhere I was invited by friends or distant relatives, simply because I had nowhere else to go. 

 

We were alone Christmas Day, for the first time ever, not with my mom, and not with my son. It didn't feel good, but I got past it. Handled it better than I anticipated I would. 

 

I hope that over time, you find new and different ways to spend time, and ways that actually bring you joy, or at least don't make you feel so at a loss, missing those you have lost. 

 

Hugs

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Plans for entertaining/gathering now that


@Reever wrote:

With more virulent and deadly strains of the Virus circulating and increasing in prevelance I see no return to any semblance of normalcy until 2022. President Biden has said mask wearing will continue at least until Christmas. It is very scary the Brazlian strain especially. 


@Reever 

 

These new strains bother me too. It's not like I didn't expect it to go that way, but I wish we could know the real truth about the vaccine, and it's effectiveness on the newer strains. I don't really buy into, at this time, that it will be as effective on them. It wasn't created with those variants in mind, so I have to believe that the efficacy will fall with those strains. 

 

As for masks, I expect them to fall off sharply this summer in most places, unless there are huge spikes in cases/hospitalizations/deaths. 

 

Only time is going to tell.

Highlighted
Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,889
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Plans for entertaining/gathering now that


@Mominohio wrote:

@gidgetgh wrote:

I don't mean this to sound like a sad sack.  I really don't.

 

My days of large family gatherings are long gone, Covid or not.  Why?  Because 98% of the participants are deceased.

 

My side of the family?  It's me, my sister, her husband and my niece that live here. My 2 nephews live out of state. My cousins live in PA. 


My late husband's side of the family?  Used to be Easter lunch would be for probably 25 people.  Again, they're mostly deceased now.  There is me, my husband's nephew who is bed bound, his wife who has her own share of health issues, my local stepson and my other stepson who lives an hour and a half away.  There's just no one to gather with anymore.  That life is long, long, gone.

 

Makes me sad, but I try not to stew over it.  Tomorrow for Easter, I'll be alone.  

 


 

@gidgetgh 

 

I so hear you on this. My mom  became a widow at age 43 (in 1979). I was 18, my brother 15. She continued to keep a our family home and do holidays for the next 8 years. But when she gave it up, she really gave it up for good. 

 

So in my mid 20's, all holiday gatherings/events/meals, were on me, and I loved it. We had a rather small family, but I did have a number of great aunts and uncles that I dearly loved, and enjoyed entertaining for them a couple of times a year. 

 

Sadly, they are all gone, after living long happy retirements (till their 90's many of them), and so I too sadly struggle with not having those people around anymore to gather with and enjoy. 

 

I'm sorry you were alone on Easter. But I know that I feel that if I can't be with the people I want to be with (either because they have passed on, or because of this dumb Covid), I'd just rather be alone. I can deal with that better than trying to go somewhere I was invited by friends or distant relatives, simply because I had nowhere else to go. 

 

We were alone Christmas Day, for the first time ever, not with my mom, and not with my son. It didn't feel good, but I got past it. Handled it better than I anticipated I would. 

 

I hope that over time, you find new and different ways to spend time, and ways that actually bring you joy, or at least don't make you feel so at a loss, missing those you have lost. 

 

Hugs



@Mominohio - I spend the vast majority of my time alone.  I hate it with every fiber of my being.  


Why is it, when I have a 50/50 guess at something, I'm always 100% wrong?
Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,886
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Plans for entertaining/gathering now that

My daughter's MIL is very ill with Covid and also her son (my daughter's BIL). Her MIL was vaccinated a month ago with the J&J vaccine. She must've let her guard down and stopped with the mask etc. I don't know if her son was vaccinated. He's in his 30s. He also is sick with ear ache sore throat fever chills and body aches. I get my 2nd shot in a week. Still going to wear a mask. For a while.