Last updated on January 3rd, 2023 at 02:21 am
Ladies and gentlemen, friends of all ages, sorry for the unexpected lull in activity lately—the site spent the last couple of days overcoming technical woes, which kept me well occupied until we got back to 100%. With that drama sorted, I’ve been back to my tedious ways, chipping away at all sorts of content I’m looking to share with you in the coming year.
But before I hit you with the new stuff, I need to get my house in order first—starting with The Week That Was coming back into regular rotation, my weekly look at what went down in a post full of bite-sized pieces—you know… if I get my act together, anyway.
This week, we focus on the transition into a new year, where if the first few days are any indication, should prove to be nothing short of interesting.
Happy New Year, tout le monde! I know I’ve already wished y’all the best 2016 every way since Sunday, but this is the first time I’m talking about what went down as we moved into 2016.
2016’s already off to a strong start—much of my time’s caught up with getting ready for a baby who could show up any day now, a daily marathon of tasks listed on the fridge keeping me busy with the constant thought that doing it all with one kid will be way easier than it’d be with two.
In the year’s first handful of days, I’m already celebrating 8 years together with Sarah, and things are so different now. I rang in the new year in 2007 at 24 years of age, still partying and 6 months deep into a profession that’d pretty much caught me by surprise. I still had my part-time gig in banking, had enough free time to hit up comic conventions with whatever I drew at the time… I can barely remember those days as I start my way through 2016 and the life I have ahead of me now.
But for the most part, the week was low-key. With the majority of my colleagues on vacation for the Christmas/New Year’s stretch, it was a lot easier to just hunker down and focus on everything I had to do. My sister-in-law came to visit from Ottawa… or Calgary—wherever she happened to be last—with her fiancé who I find a solid addition to the family. Between the Trappist beers in the fridge, the pecan pie they brought dessert that I largely ate by myself (thank goodness my New Year’s resolution wasn’t to lose weight, still…), and a trek to Kensington Market’s Maker Pizza to try their pies, I got to know that arm of the family a little better, and continually stuff my face ????
Most of that week, though, was nothing out of the ordinary. With Christmas a foggy memory until 10 months or so into the future, the blogosphere grew silent, we said farewell to the fam, and just enjoyed some quiet time ’til things got back to normal in the new year.
Little Man spent a day at a friend’s for a play date, letting us catch a matinée of Spotlight (great movie, but seriously—clutch your kids a little tighter!) and a bite to eat at Morgan’s on the Danforth; my friends brought some Haribo Starmix back for me after a trip they took to Scotland; and I had a little field trip out to Home Depot after someone went and cracked a hole through our bathroom sink. Dirt and Worms Hot Chocolate at Red Rocket Coffee? Check. Buying a bottle of Dom Perignon to celebrate my little brother’s champagne birthday on New Year’s Eve? Better believe it! It was just a regular week in the life and times of Casey Palmer—and there’s nothing wrong with that ????
The Year That Was: Getting Ready for the Most INTERESTING of Times!
So really, our lead-up to the new year was just the Palmer fam doing what we always do—living life a day at a time, trying to make the most of what the world’s given us. And while I’ve no photos to prove it, we’re on a roll for 2016 so far, with a great New Year’s shindig at our friends’, celebrating with pizza, pasta and hilarious rounds of Things! After a New Year’s Day where I somehow managed to pass out for a good 10 hours (thanks, 2015…), we closed off the week with a delicious brunch just a 10-minute stroll away—a brunch that very much reignited my love for the mimosa!
But that, my friends, is a whole ‘nother story.
I hope your 2o16’s off to a great start—though we’re only a week in, it’s already teaching me plenty… never again will I underestimate the value of hard work and persistence; you never know what’ll come of it!
Good luck with the hustle out there, my friends, and we’ll catch you on the next post!
Until then, I remain…
