Silly and Sweet

 Much like its predecessor, 2021 has been a blend of silly and sweet. One month into the journey, here is a review of the most memorable ingredients in the 2021 blender:

Sweet

Two weeks before last Christmas, my wife gifted me a haircut. This was the ultimate gesture in the new normal. I was gifted the opportunity to be publicly groomed. When she told me my appointment was set and I was to enjoy self-care, my mind almost exploded. What had 2020 done to me? I was emotionally charged up to be free from home and work in any capacity. 

I strutted into Noble Haircuts disheveled. My hair and beard were a crossfire of color; a mix of brown, red, and silver. It was as if every species of fox surrounded my face. This is when I met Olivia. Noble had recently just opened. This was her first day working for this establishment. It felt like my first day in a public forum of any kind. 

Needless to say, it was a great experience. I returned this week to get spruced up. The beauty of the haircuts and the beard basking has been not only the enhancement of my physical appearance, but the emotional benefits of human interaction. The awkwardness and randomness of meeting others; connection by conversation; allowing a stranger to use a sharp object dangerously close to my jugular and be relaxed to the max. 

Thank you, wife. Thank you, Olivia. Thank you, Noble.

Always thank your wife first. (Fox beard cleverness)

Silly

During the pandemic, my wife and I have made late night escapes. I would classify it as guilty pleasure if I felt guilty. In 2021, we started The Americans, a FX spy thriller that ran from 2013-2018. The plot has us travel back to the 1980s. After surviving the nightly war that is our daughters' bedtime, the Cold War is ours. Mother Russia. The United States. The decade we were born. 

Majesty.

Every time the theme song plays at the beginning of each episode, I do a blustering dance that makes my wife laugh. The dance is a celebration of my flexibility and fatherhood. 

The girls are asleep. I am alive. Adrenaline in my veins.

20-30 minutes after the dance, I fall asleep. 

We are on Season 2. There are six seasons. At this pace, we will be wrapping up the series around Easter. 

Silly

Here is a conversation that recently played in my imagination between the Easter Bunny and the Trix Rabbit:

Easter Bunny:  "What are you doing here?"

Trix Rabbit: "Just wanted to point out that you said we would be back to normal by Easter...last year"

Easter Bunny: "I NEVER said that. It must be easy selling cereal. I'm responsible for an entire holiday."

Trix Rabbit: "Well, no one is going to want to take pictures with you this year. One, because of fear. Two, because of bitterness."

Easter Bunny: "Has anyone ever wanted to take pictures with you?...that's what I thought."

Trix Rabbit: "Well bunny, Trix are still for kids. Not sure if the Easter bunny can claim that..."

Easter Bunny (middle hare finger)

Sweet

My 6-year-old brought home a drawing from school that was completed during free art. It was an opportunity to color whatever the heart desired. She drew a picture of me, my brother, and my once faithful dog Ralph. It is an awesome work of art.

Today when I took a Stackhouse hike on snowy trails, I enjoyed the solitude and silence. I passed an older couple walking their pooch. On a 3.6 mile journey, they were the only people that served as passerby. The woman looked at me and said, "You look like someone who could use a big dog".

I smiled and kept marching on. I imagined Ralph running those trails. I remembered my daughter's picture. 

Sometimes I feel the most connected in moments of solitude in Mother Nature.

Silly

While I was using the bathroom, my 3-year-old casually walked in and let me know that she was looking for me. In an unfathomable high-pitch and as calm as can be, she stated that she had the Disney trivia cards ready for me. She was courteous enough to let me know that the first question pertained to the movie Cars. She went on to describe how she believed it was most appropriate to leave the trivia cards on the sink so that I could bring them down and fulfill my responsibility as question asker. 

I remained seated and had not said anything until uttering, "Ok, thank you..."

She proceeded to slowly walk out, almost in a prance or a glide. 

"Please shut the door" I declared as she had not intention to do so.

Her response, in the highest of pitch, "SURE DAD!"

And like a ghost, she vanished. 

Silly

The pursuit of sled riding is always an adventure. It takes around 17-23 minutes to get out of the house and the actual riding of sleds lasts 13-20 minutes. Today, my wife and I found ourselves doing a double sled, screaming and filming the conquest. 

Our 6-year-old tapped out about 5 minutes prior. Our 3-year-old actually never came outside. She watched like a proud grandmother in her pajamas from the window. 

And there we were, in our 30s, zipping down the hillside. 

Freedom. Silly and sweet freedom. 

Sweet

Tomorrow brings on February. I feel lucky and blessed to have my health, family, and that freedom. The key ingredients of 2021 remain the same from 2020: faith, humor, and hope. 

Blend on, Johnstown.