...

I have been having a post in my head many times the past month, but I just did not have time or the nerve or the energy.

So, this Saturday morning I am taking the time!

September was such a busy month, I cannot believe that there was a September.  It seems like we had vacation at Cape Cod, got another guinea pig in the bargain, started school and ZIIIP...its now October!!  Hell, its almost MID-October!!

It alarms me sometimes to see how quickly time is moving now.  Being 50+ years old is starting to not only become a reality, but a dread in lots of ways.  I guess this is what one would call the "mid-life crisis mentality".  Sigh.

Talking with a lot of people lately, there seems to be an overall sense of "meh", unease, and a general feeling of being "burned out".  I think the 45th Presidents term, along with the Pandemic has just gotten to the core of everything in our society and our lives and I think everyone is just so fatigued.  I know I feel that way a lot.

(also...this keyboard is sticky--who the hell has been using my keyboard with sticky fingers?!?)

Trying to lift myself and whoever else I can, out of the general funk...but I think it just is going to take....time.

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

Meanwhile, life goes on!

To show that we definitely haven't had enough car drama in our lives lately (going strong since December 2019!), Michael made sure to get another milestone in life achieved!  He was in a fender bender!  (and, of course, our "new" car got the bigger hit!)

Oh look--in the background there is Willow--and she is almost done with PT and her knee is doing great! (positives, positives!)

So, car's in the shop and we have a rental car--and our Insurance Deductible will be used and probably our rate will increase too! Yay?!

In the other area of spending money, we got a New Roof!  What a wonderful-in-an-adult-way way to spend $10K!

Hey, yeah, Willow took this picture from our car--ya can kinda see the roof, right?  Its Black (how original--frankly, I was thinking of a different color, but the one I wanted wasn't available....sigh)

Oh, look, a big tree that may smash our roof!  (wait...positives/positives...) The tree is very pretty...

In actual positive news---Michael is doing great taking the subway into school, and he is enjoying his classes.  I will say no more, cuz I don't want to jinx it.

Willow is going to school in person and has met a new friend, named Fox (yes, they are named Fox).  

I have so little to do (HA) that I decided to have a small Halloween Party for Willow and a couple (probably literally) friends.

One of the great things we have been doing to keep our spirits up--watching old movies with Michael, and Chewy and I are playing electronic Ticket To Ride games against each other.  (I beat him a bunch at the beginning of our playing, so in true Chewy fashion, he obsessively has been playing it on his own to get better...)

I have also been starting to get ready for a long awaited trip back to North Carolina to see my dad and his wife. We had planned to do it just before the pandemic hit...and then, well...you know the rest!

Last time we went, Chewy had an awful bout of TNA attack and was miserable the whole time; Michael was having anxiety issues and bowel troubles to go with it; and Willow---over indulged in oreos and other treats and vomited all over me and the hotel bed the night before Thanksgiving....its gotta be better this trip....right?!!?

I am gonna close with cute pictures...ending on that positive!!

First "in person" visit with Kayla in a while....

The Piggies - Lucifer and Knight

New additions to the household...

Once Again - Cape Cod Vacation is over...

It was a bit unusual this time...a bit colored from Covid still (a lot of places I would have liked to visit were still closed from Covid)..and having two children older than 12 years old makes a difference.

We had a lot of fun, and I think every day we spent it to the fullest (except maybe the first day, but that was partially because it was doing this....)  https://photos.app.goo.gl/UdQ22U9P5FgiJCpp8

It was relaxing, it was beautiful...it was over too soon.  Gaaah.

And now we hit the end of the summer...and back to working full time in the office...and school for both kids looming....

We needed this vacation and we used it well...but now we have to get back to reality and I have a lot of anxiety right now about everything.

So...I guess...lets live in the moments that give us pleasure and confidence whenever we can.

Unexpected Fun

We were not sure what to do yesterday. We just wanted to make sure we enjoyed the weather, this Saturday that was finally not rainy or heat wavy.

We had decided on a butterfly sanctuary. Willow randomly informed us that she hates butterflies... apparently..  We were half-heartedly getting ready to go when I got a text from one of my best friends.  "Do you have any plans today?" "Do you wanna come to my house and hang out at my pool?"

Off we went on an impromptu day of fun and friendship.  I got to play in a pool with my kids.  I got to see and hear my kids happy, laughing and smiling.  I got to talk and spend time with everyone I love.  Later, we went to a socially distanced movie and dinner theater.  

It was wonderful and so much fun.  I am so glad I had a friend who thought of us.  And that we dropped everything to seize the day.

Been a long time since I have seen Michael in a pool...he had a lot of fun!

Ana and me.

July already---

June seemed to go by faster than ever and I find myself wondering how come it is already summer and July 4th already gone too.

I was a bit melancholy today.  Thinking about summers as a kid, thinking about people I miss, thinking about Grammie a lot today...

Michael went to see his friend Dylan today.  First in-person visit since the pandemic.  It went well, but it also felt weird that Michael wasn't just "on a drive" or "walking" that he was gone.  Which is weird in of itself, as it was just for 6 hours---but that has been the nature of thinks during this pandemic...my family has mostly been at home, if not out together.  So---it was just a bit weird.

And Willow stayed mostly in her room today...so, it was just...a bit lonely.  Although I did have Lennier cuddling up with me on the couch a few times.  And Chewy was here--it just was quiet...too quiets.

Even "normal" stuff is not quite normal yet.  We went to Canobie Lake Park...but with Willow's leg and with the weather and wariness over Covid...it was fun, but not FUN....

We had a subdued Birthday for Chewy--Willow made him a cake and we had pick up bbq delivery.

My melancholy ended today with a high note (literally)---going out for a drive with Willow, playing music that we both love!

Meanwhile--Picture Dump:

New Haircut!

Birthday Fluff (Note the HB for Happy Birthday)

Michael going on Zero G ride at Canobie.

He definitely had the most fun--rode the most rides, etc. 

Contemplating her next move.  Used a wheelchair so she did not have to walk on crutches.

Driving.

Cotton Candy!

John playing skee ball.

Michael's prize.

Chewy asked me to take this picture of him on his Birthday.

Lucifer eating a carrot.

Birthday morning.  With cats.

Lucifer.

Luci for short.

I bathed a Guinea Pig!

No More Braces for Willow!