Images (Recent)

Third night of Hanukkah...I love these candles!

First Night of Hanukkah present--bubble tea cat tee shirt.

Willow being Willow...

First Night of Hanukkah.

Latkes!!

In the oil!

Its 2020--there is the sanitizer!

The best picture ever of Kif!

Willow taking pictures of the lights in Burlington.

School sent an ice cream sundae!  Her class won it last year!

Dad and Michael went to pick it up at the school--came in a bag and she assembled it!

Kif relaxing with me.

The Holidays Episode

Okay. so inevitably the year is drawing to a close and we are reaching the "Holiday Season" which, of course, leads to that bittersweet feeling and sometimes stress mixed in with the happiness.  

I finished most of the presents on my excel spreadsheet (yes, I have a spreadsheet with people listed and each year and what I get them each year...what?...I am a nerd!).  With the kids being older, and last year being a big spending year (we got Michael a laptop and Willow a chromebook amongst other things) this year, being 2020, as well as being...well, 2020...things are going to be a little more frugal this year.  Kinda not feeling the Holiday Spirit quite yet--but we did put up the decorations and the tree...and its looking more like Christmas/Hanukkah around here....

Thanksgiving was actually quite "normal" for us, as we usually just spend it with the four (or five) of us.  In years past, we have been invited to other people's houses, and we have went out to eat at fancy restaurants...but this year was more of our "usual".  The only unusual part was not really using the kitchen table--because it is really our Covid Working from home work stations. So...we did move things around and put just the food on the table.  (This was after a small melt down from Michael who really sticks with traditions and hates change).  

We mitigated the tension by having everyone make a Hand Turkey...

Willow's Hand Turkey (she is left handed)

Michael's Hand Turkey (very precise)

My hand Turkey - I did it quickly, as it was the first one.

Chewy's Hand Turkey - which he also made as a snail.

We bought a heat and go Turkey Dinner from Shaw's.  It had a big turkey with all the fixings.  John came over for Thanksgiving.  He carved the Turkey.

Last night, we made Grammie's Chocolate Fudge...

Decorating the tree today...

Kif playing with a decoration.

Willow hamming it up...John doing his thing with the lights.

A rare photo of both kids together!  

Where I Stand

Once upon a time, there was a two party system.  Both parties had good and bad people, as humans are, and both parties tried to help their country the best they could based upon their philosophies.  Some people liked the one party who pronounced it was for "everyone", but often was pretty elitist and privileged anyways, sometimes naively so, but their heart was in the right place (mostly).  The other party wanted things to be fair.  Sometimes fair means that its unfair to some people and fair only to a few.  But the other party felt they knew best too--and they were privileged and thought they were doing the right thing.  

Sometimes they had good leaders who saw that the best way to get along was to take a little bit of advice from each party.  Sometimes that worked and made the country stronger.  Sometimes there were times when even the under privileged and oppressed benefited from this leadership.  Sometimes it almost felt like progress was being made.  And sometimes it was.

But.  Some people do not like change.  It hurts them and they don't want to be hurt.  It challenges them in ways that make them scared.  Not understanding what the change means to others, because they cannot understand the others involved.  Sometimes when people are scared, they lash out with anger and ignorance.  And sometimes--leaders take advantage of that.

_______________

Right now, we are in a time where leadership in certain places has decided that change is wrong.  That people should stay down and in their place.  Ignorance and fear and bile are their words and their words are shared with people who are good people basically, but because of fear and rage they believe these people.

I wish this was not happening.  But it is.

___________________________

I believe that change is important in life.  I believe that I do not understand everything, but I am willing to learn.  I believe that everyone has a right to things in life that give them a purpose and make the country as a whole a wonderful place to be.  That means that EVERYONE is welcome to help make this country great.  

I am a white woman.  I do not understand what my fellow countrymen and women go through, but I do know that it is unfair and inhuman.  That we should treat our fellow human beings the way we want to be treated.  With respect and kindness.

I have been naïve sometimes to think that people are better than they are.  I have also been naïve to think that people cannot change.  Both things are true.

I hope that the past four years have taught us something about the hate and bile that is underpinning our great country.  and that we can then find a way out of this and to a better place.

I know I am willing to work for it.

Are you?

But, I was being Honest!

Willow is sitting across from me and she has a counseling session with school counselor (every Thursday).  In the middle of the session, her counselor asks how is her participation going in classes:

Willow: "Well, my microphone doesn't work, but I use the chat.  Although sometimes the teacher turns off chat!  I don't know why!​  Like, this one time, we were watching a thing about Buddah and I used the chat to say that the actor playing Buddah looked High. (pause, then giggle) Well, I was just being honest, and a few kids agreed with me and then we were talking about what type of things he would be smoking to be high, and then ALL OF A SUDDEN, the teacher made it so the chat function did not work!  I mean, I was just being honest!"

 

[I am sitting across, and I face palm--A LOT]  (we, of course, then had a discussion about appropriateness....)  Sigh.

 

I hope that made ya laugh!  (Sometimes, that's all we can do!)

Tuesday--Election Day - Will Update

Rough nights sleep, Willow has lately been not going to bed early enough...today, I work from home--I pride myself on being the one who can keep her going for Virtual Academy (i.e. remote 7th grade).  As usual, I spent a good portion of the beginning of my day getting Willow up for school.  She.is.not.a.morning.person.

I have never before known someone who is so HARD to get up!  So...my pride in accomplishing this major feat every school morning since mid-September is justifiably huge.

So, got her up and downstairs for her Homeroom/Attendance at 8 a.m.  I finished my morning exercise routine and came down to Chewy working with his headphones, Willow with her headphones.  All.Normal.

On days I work from home, I make Willow a nice breakfast (because normally, she has to kinda grab and go, because--well, because she cannot get up any earlier).  So, I was making her some poached eggs, when the trouble started.  

She couldn't get into her first class of the day--Science.  The link wasn't working.  Nope, not working.  We have internet.  She is clicking the right link.  Did she check her email (perhaps a new link was sent?)--yep, no email.  Dad is kinda busy with, you know, work....so, mom--mom looks at it and says "okay, why don't you email your teacher to ask her what is going on..."

She does.  We move on--time for next class.  AND THE LINK DOESN"T WORK......

I have her come over to my computer to check it out (perhaps its her Chromebook)....and that.  That is when I realize....

It's Tuesday and Election Day.  AND SHE HAS NO SCHOOL TODAY.

Yep.  So, there is the start of my day.  Let's see how it goes....

*** She is at the moment upstairs...probably sleeping***

--------------------

UPDATE ONE:

https://gph.is/2E6IFCO

Lately, because of Covid Follies, I have gotten into virtual tours of all kinds (museums, zoos, you know, places I would actually GO to if it was normal times).  I found this one site that combines history with my sense of the macabre, Mysterious Chicago.  I like the guy who runs it, he has written several books, and he does all sorts of grave tours, etc.  This morning I was just checking FB out and there he was doing a Find A Grave tour--and it was a welcome distraction from everything.

Now...back to work.  Sigh.  (BTW, she still is upstairs in her room--either on her Chromebook or asleep--I am guessing asleep---yeah, yeah, I will check up on her in a little bit....)  Oh, and Michael has made an appearance and wants lunch from Subway (his go-to place lately)....

_____________________

UPDATE TWO:

Well, its been a wild ride so far, and we are not done yet.  Expecting this to be dragged out for a while, but glad at least my old home state of Michigan went for Biden.  Needing to practice some self-care for a few days, I think. 

Cape Cod Memories - 2020 Covid Edition

Things we did: 

• Drive in at Wellfleet - Jaws (!)
• Red Barn Pizza!
• Arnold's Lobsters - Chewy got a 2 lbs. one this time
• Beach time - ahhhh
• Painting pottery - a rainy day activity, but not inside the place, but take "home"
• Dining with a view of the water
• Seafood and chocolate
• Cupcake Charlies
• Provincetown 
• Shopping
• RELAX

It was definitely a strange vacation in a strange year, but there were some wonderful memories and even though I missed Michael and Chewy (when he want back early because of work commitments), I had a wonderful time with my daughter.  

(In fact, one of the silver linings of this whole pandemic is the amount of quality time I have spent with my daughter).

Provincetown included a search for BUBBLE TEA!

Scott-Cakes!

Dumplings - chicken and mushroom and shrimp, chives and egg.

When we weren't doing anything--this was what she was doing.

Leaving Cape Cod another year...

A different type of Vacation

We have finally made it to Cape Cod this year.  I have not seen a beach yet, but soon...soon...

When I say we, that is not totally correct.  Michael has chosen to stay at home this year.  Partially out of a fear of Covid, but I mainly because he is 21 years old and has been stuck in the house with all of us since March.  And he needs some space and alone time.  I miss him...but, if we are all being totally honest, the tensions that his autism sometimes brings into the mix means that the three of us are actually quite relaxed right now. 

And when I say the three of us, that is not wholly correct, either.  Because Chewy has a contracting position that he is trying to wrap up before he starts a New Position (with the potential of permanency) on September 1st.  So...Chewy took a separate car, and he is here for now, but is intending to go back home early because he needs to do a presentation.

-----

So, it really is going to be the two of us for a portion of this vacation, which is already strange because of Covid.

There are vacations where its about doing things, there are vacations about just getting away and relaxing, and then there are the strange ones you do in a pandemic where there are restrictions but you find that just being somewhere different (and by the ocean) is enough.

I do miss not being able to use the pools here...but there will be other vacations, and we are just thankful right now to be happy, healthy and relaxed in whatever capacity we can be at the moment, whether that is at home alone unrestricted or being on Cape and eating breakfast on the deck.  

Half The Year...

Wow.  Half the year is gone already.  And its been on hell of a year so far. Anxiety and quietness.  Time with the family and laughter and fun, combined with isolation and retreating into oneself. 

Working from home has become "normal" and I cannot imagine how it will be when I go back to working in the office full time.  It is looking more and more likely that Willow will be going to school at least partially on-line next school year.  Michael's college has already decided that it is all on-line.

Chewy got laid off and we are dealing with that issue -- but in corona times it puts a different feel to it than the "normal" job issues.

Most of the things we normally do in the summer have been canceled or postponed indefinitely.  It is just a strange time right now.

Some days it feels "normal" and some days it feels bizarre.  And still other times I wonder when will this change, when will things "get better". 

RIP Congo

Michael's turtle Congo has died.  She lived a long time, and she almost did not make it check HERE.

Michael loved Congo in a way that is often hard to describe.  He is able to give his feelings to animals far easier than he can to people.  It also means that he feels more emotional when they are sick, hurt and when we loose them. 

The cries I heard upstairs tonight were hurt and anger and such sadness.  While I liked Congo, she was always in his room, and he often has his door shut the last few years (mainly to keep the cats out of his stuff).  But hearing him crying...that was heart breaking. 

Right now, he wants to be left alone.  So we wait...until we can somehow communicate to this hard to communicate child. 

Loss sucks.