Oh To Live In the Majestic World That Contains the Fictional Town of Evergreen, Vermont in Hallmarkland

I hope you all had a restful and wonderful holiday and are continuing to do so. My family and I have been enjoying some much needed downtime and it seems like time is flying by. I’m not rushing it by any means, but the New Year is upon us and it feels like it’s coming fast. Hang on to your hats!

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Alas, the tree was trimmed, the single hall of this house decked, and everything winter holiday descended upon our house and especially on the crazy day we celebrate called Christmas. I’ve indulged beyond the maximum capacity of these things I used to call pants, and I can no longer sit around stuffing my face with all delectable things cream cheese and chocolate. I’m beginning to get a little antsy despite still feeling exhausted from all of the pre-holiday prep but, I’ve been feeling motivated for the first time ever, to start planning for next year’s holiday season…blech, I know.

I don’t know about you, but I think I’ve also had my fill of Hallmark Christmas Movies this year. As you may know, Clem is a huge fan and has managed to persuade me to indulge in all things romantic, perfect, and completely unreal. I have to say, I’m still having a good chuckle over the post that I wrote that introduced Clem’s love of these movies. Honestly, I think it’s one of my favorites that I’ve written so far, and I called it The Day I Caught My Husband Indulging In His Secret Guilty Pleasures.

I’m sure there aren’t many that are brave enough to sink their teeth into this particular telling, partly due to the title alone, but the title is not indicative of what you’re thinking of…shame on you! I think that says a lot about people whose first inclination comes from the proverbial gutter! Speaks volumes about you and not me, ha ha!! I’m only kidding, but it is funny!

Life’s a movie…right now, it’s a horror flick

I can’t be the only one thinking that this year has felt like we’ve been stuck in a prequel to the horror movie 28 Days Later. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if zombies descended upon us by the way shit has been happening lately. I wonder if Hallmark will ever venture into this new and exciting genre? Horror and love…actually, I’ve seen some movies with this combination, but having Hallmark’s flair would be an interesting take, don’t you agree?

C’mon, you know what I’m talking about! A rotting zombie falls for this fully alive uptown girl, forced out of the big city and into the wilderness due to a massive overtaking by the zombies, to try and survive the apocalypse. He actively pursues her but she doesn’t understand zombie mumble and tries to kill him over and over, but eventually realizes that it was true love all along. In the end, she decides to move into his tiny, quaint, single compartment shabby, chic, rustic coffin with him and lives happily ever after.

We could call it the Pandemillmark Movie Network, and it’d certainly fit the time! Yeah, I have an overactive imagination. Always have and probably always will…sorry.

The I Wanna Live in Evergreen dream

Anyway, after watching a whole slew of these movies, it got me thinking, I wanna live in Evergreen! If only it existed (yeah, I know what you’re thinking…she’s delusional). It truly would be the most perfect place to live and I think it would be an ideal place for someone like me to relocate to, especially, after this dismally shitty year. I’m sure I’d have a few hands thrown in the air if I asked this, but who’s with me?

I know, I know, life can’t always be perfect, and if you’ve watched the movies, it isn’t. But tell me someone who wouldn’t want those troubles instead of the billions of others many of us face on the daily. I know I’d gladly trade most days!

Picture this, the biggest hurdle you’d face would be something along the lines of only have 349 crayons for the town coloring festival, but the town has 350 people, and oh no, what do you do?! Oh yeah, 2 people would have to share one crayon, and by chance, let’s just hook up the only 2 single people in town who were beyond meant for each other. Awwwww! Disgusting, I sooo want that life!

A new Dream Board on the horizon

Having a quaint little place that you could walk downtown and enjoy without running into a bunch of drunk/stoned people, stepping in massive and multiple piles of dog shit, or having more than just pot shops, liquor stores, churches, and fast food joints would also be very appealing. Little family-run shops showcasing the talents passed down through the generations, cute little cafes, and drool summoning bakeries lining the main street sounds just like my kind of town (has to have a quilting store too…definitely a must)! Of course, these and many other amazing attributes have been cherry-picked to create this little amazing fictional place we all love to watch on tv that has got my gears turning. Sigh, isn’t it lovely?

To live in a community like that, with like-minded people would be an interesting experience. I think folks like Clem and I would thrive in that environment. I think he and I are very much motivated by doing things bigger than just ourselves and living amongst others who are open to these types of endeavors, would be a total cup filler, if you know what I mean.

Maybe I’m just looking for some of these people? I know that I’ve been kind of cut off from folks these past few years, but maybe it’s time I branched out to find some of these very people. Interesting now that I think about it. I’ve definitely been missing something in my life in this area, could it possibly be that this introvert needs to find her people?

Wanted: A Quaint Little Town Like Evergreen

I’d imagine there’d be a screening process when and or if I’d ever eventually find a perfect place like this. I’d probably not make the cut, but I would still try! I could at least provide the comic relief as a person who ends up stumbling into the most interesting and unreal predicaments known to man. That’d make me a shoo-in for sure if they’re looking for someone like me!

Perhaps I need to put out a want ad? Clem and I are in fact looking to relocate after all…maybe we need to get looking a little harder? Do a little fishing and see what we can come up with? That’s something he and I have already discussed actually. Did I hear road trip?

I know what you’re thinking, and no, I’m not crazy and I know that these movies aren’t even close to real life, especially mine. Obviously, the events based around the main character is far too good to be true and I don’t want anyone to get the impression that my life is all bad because it’s actually not. I do live in the real world and some of the events surrounding my life may have been a total nightmare that many will never be able to relate to, but I’ve had many an Evergreen moment in my life as well, thus far. Yeah, most aren’t worthy of writing home about, but to me, they’ve been some of my fondest.

My Hallmark moments: The Ideal Husband

Although we may not have the most epic scene-stealing snowball fights or snowman-making moments (ours are pretty ugly actually), we do thoroughly enjoy our weekly pillowcase race after Clem and I make our bed. Ooh, I see where you’re going with this, get your head out of the gutter! He washes the sheets and we often put the bed back together, together.

Yes…he strips the bed and washes the sheets…how much more romantic and Hallmark can you get than that in the real world! Talk about the perfect man! Yup, agreed, he is. I’m one lucky lady.

The fun part is when we race to see who can get their pillows back into their respective pillowcases first. Stealing each other’s pillows or throwing them out of the room to gain an advantage is allowed and the more intense the competition, the better. See, good old fashioned PG-rated fun…naughty, naughty people, ha!

Hallmark moments arise from zero expectations

This holiday season, we had a few Hallmark moments, which included making gingerbread houses with the girls (Caelan and I made the gingerbread and cut out the shapes and pieces for the houses…our first time ever). Our little gingerbread town ended up with something much more unique than most that I won’t soon forget, a ginger strip club (that little joke is between Clem and I). Yeah, as I’ve said before, we’re not your usual.

I feel like the fact that Clem and I can’t have a zero competition rule because we constantly try to one-up one another in just about anything you can think of, is the driving force behind many of these said moments. The shenanigans we partake in usually lead us to friendly banter/insults, quite a few laughs (we had to place cake decorating on the list of things not permitted because my mom had to break us up during a Dora the Explorer birthday cake decorating fiasco) and of course fond memories. Those have provided some of my fondest Hallmark moments over the last 24 years that we’ve been together and I can’t help but think that this brings out the best in each of us.

Over the years, I’ve found that I needed to add my funky flair and change the thought process surrounding all of these moments (in order to make them more like Hallmark moments), and just let things be what they are (and not what we think they should be…I believe we call those expectations). Learning how to be surprised (that’s one line I heard in one of these Evergreen Hallmark movies) is perhaps another key to these Hallmark moments, and of course, a change of attitude doesn’t hurt either. I admit, it’s harder to pull this off when I’m exhausted and stressed out, but when I have, it’s been totally worth it.

The best is yet to come

I know that this year’s holiday season wasn’t ideal for most, as I’ve caught wind of people expressing these thoughts and feelings, but ours hasn’t truly been for years when I think about it. If this was your first shitty year, I’m sorry you had to experience this phenomenon. That said, I hope that the future holds better, for all of us.

While I hang on to the good years and am grateful to have had them, I can only hope that there’s more in store for my family and I. I’ve also come to realize that we cannot measure each moment next to the ones we’ve already deemed the best ones ever that we remember because it’s completely unfair. Each moment has different offerings, therefore, I’ve changed my mindset that I cannot compare apples and snowshoes.

Just like every other year, this one has also been memorable with its own unique story. This was the last Christmas that the Santa most children know and love will be in our home until we have grandchildren…hopefully, we get some of these. This was the first year that we’ve had a full-blown teenager who stays up all night and sleeps all day, which interfered with our Christmas plans and made Clem and I step out and away from our comfort zone and gave us a glimpse into what future holidays with only the 2 of us may be like. Truth be told, I hope this will be the last year of sleep all day and up all night, but I highly doubt that.

We learned that things happen when they happen, and being patient is the best way to roll. That’s tough to master, but we’re getting there. Aren’t we Clem?

Missing people, not things

Was this holiday season enjoyable? Meh, it was alright. It was really laid back which was nice, and we did spend some time skating on the backyard rink together. I have some really nice photos that I will cherish forever because of it, but I would’ve liked to have been able to make it a little more memorable and special somehow. I did try, but there were roadblocks I don’t think anyone could’ve moved this year and we just had to roll with it.

Blowing out Christmas and the holidays used to be my thing, but it really isn’t the same without family and friends. It’s not surprising how much it has to do with who surrounds us, rather than what. I’m hopeful that things will be different next year but I certainly won’t count my chickens ahead of time.

I realize it’s time to change our usual crotchety repertoire, and now that the girls are older, it’s time to do some fun-filled activities that we have yet to experience. Let’s just say that my list has already been created. Isn’t that nuts? Normally I don’t even wanna think about Christmas until I absolutely have to, but this year is completely different.

Onward and hopefully upward

2021 is going to be interesting, and busy by the look of things. I’m ready to embrace that. A new year and of course, another brand new outlook on life and everything surrounding it, especially after being holed up for nearly a year.

I think I’ll start with trying to create my own little town of Evergreen, right here within my own little domicile until I find something closer to it in the real world. That’s if there’s anything even remotely close to what I seek. Wish my delusional ass luck.

Crazy? Yup. Doable? I’m going to try my best.

Will there be disasters along the way? I’m counting on it. Hey, that’s what makes life interesting, does it not? And, I’m sure I’ll be writing all about it in the time to come.

Dude, where’s my truck?

The only thing I seem to be missing, however, is that old, gorgeous red truck they feature in those bloody movies. I wonder where Clem is…I think I have something to put on my Christmas list for next year. Kid you not, one of these bitties has been on my wish list for the longest time ever. I’ve loved old farm trucks long before they became cool.

I say, keep the muscle cars. I’ll take the restored old farm truck with a wooden blanket box containing a couple of handmade quilts to watch the stars from under, in the back of a wooden truck bed box. Ahh, I could live that life. A girl can dream…can’t she?

I guess I’ll find out…