Who else feels like their life has been on hold since the beginning of COVID? My last blog post was in August of 2020 - a year after I started my new job and 5 months following the start of COVID. I suppose I hadn’t found very much to inspire following so much disappointment. Cancelled plans. Missing friends. Loneliness. All in the hope of avoiding COVID in our home.

COVID caught up to us in the end, and I really mean the end, as in the end of 2021. On December 14th, I started feeling like I had a cold starting. I stayed home from work since I had a jury and co-workers with suppressed immune systems. Even if it was just a cold, I didn’t want to start an epidemic right before the holidays. I received a negative COVID test that Thursday and was miserable all weekend. That following Monday I went to work, mainly to pick up my laptop to work remotely while my boss was on vacation. I wore my mask, kept my distance and sanitized everything. That afternoon I checked in with an urgent care doctor who suggested I get retested. The following morning, December 21st, my 50th birthday, I received a positive test for COVID. Since the new Omnicron strain was so infectious, the doctor said that we should assume the entire house is infected. Symptoms showed up a few days later in both my husband and my eldest daughter. Neither of whom had quite the severity of symptoms as I had. My father-in-law, who had a booster about a month ago, only had a runny nose for a day. My youngest, who contracted COVID in March 2021, was spared this time around.

I believe everyone in our family was suffering from depression and lack of excitement. Despite having taken a vacation to the East Coast in June, we still felt a sense of separation. For most of 2021, my Judge and I were working either remotely or in a virtual courtroom with little to no contact with people throughout the day. My husband, albeit relaxed retired schedule, was in isolation much of his days with only his dad or our eldest daughter for company. Likewise, my eldest daughter lost her volunteer program at the start of the pandemic and while we attempted to keep her active in the community, most programs were cancelled. My youngest was successful in keeping herself busy with full time remote school and a couple of long-term film production jobs. She was working 60-70 hours per week, doing full time remote classes and catching up with her college friends in the evenings playing Minecraft.

Our saving grace was being able to run away to our Crescent Bar vacation home whenever we could. Of course, my husband and the kids more than me, but it was nice knowing that my husband was finally getting some well-deserved relaxation. A highlight of the year was the nearly full remodel of our vacation home. New floors, painted walls, shiplap, new cabinetry, new hallway, new bedroom, and complete kitchen remodel (WITH a new dishwasher!) All of these changes I will post in a separate blog - it definitely deserves it’s own introduction.

As the last week of 2021 rolled around, I started thinking about new beginnings, as I do every time this year. Gaining inspiration from Instagram Bloggers that I follow. @lizmariegalvan started cleaning up Christmas this past Sunday, changing up her beautiful farmhouse to “winter” rather than Christmas. Being snowed in and the court having decided to close today, I took advantage of the long day by removing 80% of my Christmas decor. Leaving only the lighted trees to help ring in the new year. It’s time for a fresh start.

I spent time creating and designing a new planning system this morning, and one of the options I chose was a blogging worksheet each month. It’s time for me to start getting inspired and maybe even inspiring others. And while COVID may still be up front in the news - keeping us hidden behind masks and protecting our families - we should all find things to get a bit of pre-COVID selves back.

I would love to hear from you - so maybe tell me how you are getting organized or inspired in 2022. Maybe we should start a book club, or a ladies group. I’m game!!

How will you be inspired?