Some days, you just need to look ahead and look up.

I have been trying to remember that lately, as life seems pretty challenging at times.

• The whole COVID-19 situation has changed life as we know it, at least for now, and it continues to go on and on.
• The political situation in the country is insane.
• And work seems to be busier and busier all of the time, which doesn’t leave as much time for writing.

But here I am today anyway, trying to make sense out of a few things that have been on my mind:

Yellow Jackets  – I am firmly anti-yellow jacket.  I would like to turn my back on them completely, but one stung me again yesterday on my back and it is still sore and itchy. Why are they so mean? Why have they moved into the siding of our house? How can they wear jackets in this hot weather?

Seriously, isn’t “yellow jacket” kind of a dumb name? It doesn’t look like they are wearing jackets. If anything, it should be yellow and black jackets. I have a yellow jacket in my closet, and I wear it when it rains. The yellow jackets in my siding hate the rain. Maybe they hate their names, too, and that’s why they are such jerks.

Leaky pipes – We had a small leak in a pipe in our house this summer. First, we knew there was a leak, but couldn’t find where it was. We had a plumber stop by twice, and he couldn’t find it either. Finally, we tore up some of the flooring upstairs and found the leaky pipe. It was a relief to finally find it, and then we got the plumber to fix the leak. Now, the only problem is putting it all back together again. Which boards fit over this hole and that hole? Where are all of the screws and nails? Do we really need to cover up the holes in the floor upstairs? Can’t we just walk around them? What happens if the pipe leaks again?

I am currently trying to answer the age-old question of “What hurts more, hitting my thumb with the hammer or getting stung by the yellow jackets?” So far, I would choose hammer with the immediate pain, but then yellow jackets for the long-term annoyance. You know what you don’t see very often? A yellow hammer. I think it would be good because it would make them easier to find, since I am constantly losing my hammer and every tool in the middle of whatever I am doing! How do they get behind me every time? How is it under a floorboard?

Election Day is still several week away – I can’t stand the lead up to big elections, and this is going to be the worst year ever.  The political ads are nasty, they are everywhere and they make me miss the days of watching commercials for things like soap, lawyers who can get you cash fast, and toilet paper. Also, why is it still hard to find toilet paper and paper towels sometimes at the store? I don’t get why there are still shortages of items like that.  We can spend millions and millions of dollars on political ads, but we can’t make enough toilet paper. Life is crazy.

At least Christmas isn’t too far away– I don’t want to start shopping yet, but it is nice to think about Christmas now being just a few months away. Who knows what the world will be like when the holidays arrive, but hopefully the COVID-19 situation will be much better, the political climate will be a little calmer and we will be able to gather with family and friends again. It will be nice to think about presents, snow, Christmas movies and to mainly just worry about items like sending cards and figuring out how to wrap a basketball. I hope there isn’t a shortage of wrapping paper.

Hopefully, in a few months, we can think more about spreading joy and happiness, instead of  worrying about spreading disease or anger, and we can welcome friends and family for fun times together.

Now, no one really knows what the situation will be like at Christmas, but I am going to look forward to it with hope, knowing in my heart that things will be better, life will be a little more joyful, and the scenic and serene snowy days of early winter should kill off all of those #*&%# yellow jackets.