The apples are almost ready.

It will soon be apple crumble time. Now what to go for with it – Custard or Ice Cream?

There is always something to be thankful for. Even in 2020.

I heard someone on the radio say that to him 2020 was the worst period he had ever known. We are all different. We will have our own very unique years to forget. Suffering years. To me 2020 has been an odd year. Yes some new battles. Mainly filled with old battles. More isolation but not that much more than previous years. BUT crucially some wonderful things have also happened.

Eventually when I look back at my life 2016 will take some beating as my worst year. But even then that oversimplifies things. The first 6 months were not bad at all. Then the 6 weeks from hell. Lost my mum and then my partner. Came crashing into the competing worlds of grief, depression and single parenting. Those 6 weeks changed everything for ever. The despair associated with those 42 days and the following weeks just mark 2016 as a bad one. But you easily forget the good stuff that happened before and after. For example November 2016 witnessed the arrival of this well behaved and sensible four legged chap.

Yes it’s easy to forget that good stuff happens all around us, even in the darkest years.

105 thoughts on “Almost ready”

      3. I am smiling. I just wrote a little poem. It’s a beautiful day here today. I did my Bible reading on our steps. Had to get outside early. I started feeling anxious. It’s 78F and the sky is blueeeeee. 😀

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  3. It’s amazing how quickly one bad circumstance can seem to erase many good happenings, but it is equally amazing how we can overcome, in time, the worst of the worst circumstances eventually and begin to experience good things once again. Not that we forget the bad, but the good is able finally to have more impact than older tragedies.

    Those apples look yummy! Making my mouth water. 🙂 Hope you find just the right thing to go with your apple crumble (we call it apple crisp). Vanilla ice cream is the best, but Bird’s Custard would come in a close second. Do you have that in England? I’m not even sure we can still buy it here. I remember it as a child and loved it. I used to buy it when I was younger, but haven’t looked for it for years now.

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  4. 2020 isn’t my worst year either. I’ve had many that were waaaay worse. My life hasn’t changed that drastically. I just have very little time for myself. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I won’t every complain about a 3 week school break being too long again😂😂😂
    Cap’n was adorable as a pup. I see the mischief in his eyes even then😉😂💌💌

    Dutch Apple pie sounds yummy!

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  6. wise wise words..and ones that always bear repeating. We are ultimately unable to know or see things through another eyes. Experiences are so vastly different. This year has not been my worst by far, but certainly not my best either. Good for you in keeping perspective!!

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  18. I referred your dilemma to my beloved husband and he felt that the choice should be cold cream, vanilla ice cream or custard. Ideally, at least two from the three choices should adorn the apple crumble.

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  19. Love your post, so true. 2020 is not my worst year either, not by far. And the pictures of Hawklad and the well behaved 😉 puppy is adorable ❤ . Tomorrow I will make an apple pie … with Custard. We've had Ice Cream with fresh berries for a long time so now it's time for custard 🙂

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  22. Totally agree with you. The bad moments usually tend to overshadow our good ones. I’m single myself for nine years. When I look back, I feel I haven’t experienced joy even in my pre-marriage days as well as after divorce. But the reality is I let my failed marriage overshadow all the joys in my life. I haven’t shrunken into a corner with tears and have established myself as an independent, confident working woman. And this year, I’ve actually got lot of free time in my hands to introspect and refine my perspective. So 2020 haven’t turned out to be that bad. Let’s celebrate the good moments!

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  23. Gorgeous doggy. Your son’s eyes never cease to amaze me. The past three years have been a rollercoaster for me. Very low periods and some fabulous times too. 2020 has been challenging but there are a few things that I would not change for the world x

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  25. Lovely dog. Lovely boy. Our less than lovely apples are almost all down now and were all consumed by deer. My housemate helps out by cutting them up. I remember apple crumble. I learned how to make it in domestic science at boarding school. Got to take it “home” and ate it from my desk during study hour. Hah.

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  26. I have to tell you, 2016 was a painful year for me and my family as well. It was the year wildfires forced an evacuation of the city where we live. that was the 3rd of May. On the 19th of November my brother was killed by an impaired driver. The following year had us frequenting a court house where the case was heard. And 2018 was much the same – criminal court cases are horrid dragged-out events that keeps families reliving the death of loved ones over and over again.

    Yet 2016 was also the year we witnessed a huge outpouring of support from across the country and around the world. I was forever changed by witnessing this generosity. My brother’s death brought more support, from closer circles. These are the things I try to hold on to. Grief took on a life of its own for a while, but slowly I crawled out of that dark pit.

    Yes, certain years will live on in our memories as some of the most painful times we have lived through. But it is not all darkness (though at times it may seem that way). I love your positive attitude and hopeful demeanor. The year of the pandemic will be remembered by the mark it leaves on us as individuals and as a society. In the end I hope we remember it as a year we were given the gift of time and the opportunity to reflect on what is most important to us as human beings.

    This is a beautiful post, Gary. I am sorry for your losses, but I celebrate the Gary who made it through and stands as a witness that life can and does go on. God bless. x

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  29. My really bad year was 2017… and then it just kept going … up until 2020…

    2020 has been crazy, but also a turning point. A major turning point… I got rest and I don’t fight cancer – I beat that… I have worked through all my deaths, I have a job that is going well… my skies are blue again ❤️

    2020 is a hard year for change cause that’s been all it keeps doing lol… it forces change whether you want it or not lol

    But year I had a series of years … I would say 2017 was the worst… and then it kept going UP UNTIL 2020. Now it’s just realigning ❤️🙏

    Awww 🥰 a boy and his dog! What a sweet looking dog! Must have brought a lot of love back into your life – animals do that ❤️

    And for your apples – my vote – TOTALLY ice cream!! Hands down!!! I want ice cream myself currently lol

    Apple pie and ice cream omg ❤️ yeah that!

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      1. Hahaha no it is not hot custard weather 😄 recently I went somewhere and they offered me hot chocolate 🤨😄 is that a joke? Cause I’m all sweaty, do I look like I need hot chocolate ? Lol was nice thought but not the greatest offer as I pour down sweat lol

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      7. I can’t get my body to handle them lol … slightly better today – the massive winds help, but we have pea soup smoke and raining ash… I have no idea how close the fires are but huge ashes are falling 😮very weird

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      13. I don’t usually like tons of clothes … but considering all the heat fires and issues … yeah I’ll layer up for some chill and rain lol

        I say that now let’s see how I do through winter – just remind me of the fires lol

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      15. Hahaha that’s funny … I used to have to layer like that in winter back in Massachusetts.

        Here I get to live in tank tops, cute shirts, little shorty shorts – and most women like shoes or something… I like swim suits lol

        Cold makes me want to hibernate lol… warm or hot gets my blood moving with energy – I slow down even more in the cold lol

        If there could just be a place that is not frigidly cold or fire burning hot lol… pleasingly pleasant all year long? Lol with no massive destructive things? Or sucky governments lol … does that exist anywhere?

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