One more bite

Why keep it together when falling apart feels so good?

How’s everyone doing? You okay? I know. There’s a lot going on right now.

I originally wanted this last newsletter of 2021 to be a fun rumination on how to put together a terrific cheeseboard for your holiday gatherings… you know, what your favourite cheese says about you, how Brie and Boursin would be like the snobby girls, and what cheeses would sit where in the high school caf. You know. Pithy. Cute. Classic @twolittlesandwiches.

Our cheeseboards, ourselves.

Then I got a bit bleu.

Thanks #Omicron.

As we were cancelling work, holiday plans, vacations, watching case counts sky rocket, scrambling for boosters and rapid tests… the idea of Gouda being in the drama club seemed a bit dinky.

I always want to leave you with a nice taste in your mouth (pun INTENDED!), and I wasn’t sure if I could do it this month, or as I like to call her “Decembummer”. Then I realized, maybe you’d like to hear I was bummed out. Maybe it’s good to know that the person who tries to be so positive is stress eating After Eights and wondering if she should start triple masking when she goes to Loblaws.

Maybe knowing I was falling apart would make you feel a bit less like falling apart.

Then suddenly, I felt a little less like falling apart. And knowing that there would be someone out there who related to this made me feel less bad about falling apart. Because let’s face it… There’s the falling apart. Then there’s the feeling bad about falling apart. Then there’s the feeling mad that you’re feeling bad about falling apart… Then there’s the patriarchy. The list goes on.

Cut to New Year’s Eve. Today. I’ll be doing nothing. Maybe ordering in. Maybe cooking. These days I’m trying to keep it breezy. I will go to sleep tonight knowing a few things, and I’d love to share them with you.

1. You will wake up tomorrow and nothing will be different because it’s 2022. That’s okay. You woke up. And that’s amazing. Every day is a new beginning.

2. Your house is probably cleaner than you think it is. Physically and metaphorically.

3. Share how you are feeling. If you’re feeling bad, you will feel less bad. If you’re feeling good, you’ll feel better. Let people celebrate you.

4. Making your own ice cream is super easy.

5. You’re going to see and hear a lot of things about your body this month. How it isn’t small enough or “strong” enough or cute enough. Tune it out. Those are people trying to make money off of you. Do things that will make you happy and healthy in your mind and body.

I can’t share it enough

Finally, I want to thank you. Thank you for reading. Thank you for sharing yourselves with me, your wins and not-so-wins, both in the kitchen and out. It truly is a highlight of my day. And I look forward to more laughs, more treats, more everything as we carry on.

Happiest of new years to you.

I feel a lot better having talked.

It’s all we can do.