35F: Christmas Wishlist

Give a gift to the men in need at the Ottawa Mission.

Here is a wish list of their Most Needed items - should you with to purchase anything from this list, it will be sent to my radio station (CHEZ 106, Rogers Sports and Media, located at 2001 Thurston Drive). CLICK HERE to buy something today & I will deliver it for you. You are also able to direct shipping to your house.

Air Purifiers. So hot right now.

These could be considered modern day ‘snake oil’ but when something very smelly sprayed my cottage and I couldn’t get the stink out… I gave this Hamilton Beach model a whirl and have since used it to rid the sour milk stink from our car (which was extreme) and refresh common areas in our house with great success! I am convinced that these things are the real deal but buyer beware: there are many brands and models out there to choose from. Lucky for me, I seem to have chosen wisely out the gate.

The Best Underwear: Period.

I had always been interested in ditching tampons and pads but they just seem to be a necessary evil. Until someone recommended Knix and flipped the script on free bleeding. You heard me. Comfiest underwear (and bras) ever. I would like one of each of this Canadian owned businesses’ offerings. They often have good sales, too. Not sure which size or style to purchase? Gift cards work.

Smart Devices make Life Easier.

Some people love ‘em, others hate ‘em and almost every tech company you can think of has something voice-activated on the market. Here are some of my favourite brands and suggested items that really elevate my quality of life. I’m physically disabled so every step matters in terms of pain management, energy conservation and accessibility.

• Google: hub, mini, chromecast and display.

• Globe: light bulbs and LED strip

• Wyze: camera and plugs

• Geeni: outdoor plug, smart strip (power bar) and wall tap

I tried getting into IKEA’s smart home line (Tradfri) but my experience with their hub, dimmers and bulbs was excruciating. Would not recommend.

Everyday Things.

Lip chap, toothpaste, gas & grocery cards, hair elastics, a good travel mug, socks, winter weather accessories or heated items for maximum comfort. Little things that get used every day always make a great gift because… they get used frequently and are likely to need replacing or replenishing.

There’s nothing terribly flashy about My Wishlist this year. If you are hoping to purchase a gift for someone like me (35F, mom, FT career, commuter), I would suggest grabbing something that helps to make their life easier. I think this advice could apply to anyone on your shopping list at any time of year. Pandemic life has been tiring. If you can’t think of anything your giftee needs, consider donating to a favorite charity in their name.

Here are some of my favourite charities: the Ottawa Mission, CHEO, Minwaashin Lodge, the Food Bank, the Ottawa Hospital and the Canadian Cancer Society. Leave yours in the comments below!

Passing the Time.

Lockdown is set to end May 20th and that’s what I’m hoping for. It’s tough working from home. A privilege, of course, but it’s very hard to focus on performing a quality radio show (which is more than talking here and there; it’s fielding, researching and logging requests, engaging with people on social media and text/no phones from home which means scheduled interviews for upcoming segments need to be done from studio, posting relevant content to social media and staying up on the times). So pull that off while tending to the needs of two children aged four and six.

Our six year old is supposed to be doing online learning but we are taking a hands-off approach to that for the most part. It didn’t work very well for us this time last year so we’re just letting Eve log in when he wants. We’re trying to get some activities done based on what was sent home in his work books but there’s no pressure. Things are stressed enough, schedule-wise (*everything wise).

No daycare. No family relief concerning child-care. No camps. No friend visits. No parks. While parks are allowed now, with the most strict of safety measures/rules in place, I’m a kid magnet. They flock to me and it’s too hard to keep our distance so we avoid it. Playing in the backyard is ok but the kids are mostly resorting to games on their tablets and a lot of Netflix (at least the shows are educational, right?)

We are all very lucky to have tablets and TVs and, above all, our health. The mental health thing needs constant monitoring because emotions can run hot. It’s hard to explain why life is like this right now. It’s hard to not let the kids be iPad zombies. It’s hard to work, be a mom, manage household chores, relationships, food/groceries, bills - monitor this that AND the other thing. Most days I am at my stress limit by lunchtime.

What’s gonna help? I don’t know.

Reading books? Riding bikes? When the warmer weather decides to stay? Healthier food choices? Medicine? Stay on top of your mental and physical health and just hang on as best you can.